UDAIPUR — Speaking on the second day of the ongoing 'Apno Se Apni Baat' programme, Narayan Seva Sansthan president Prashant Agrawal drew a clear distinction between ritual fasting and selfless service during a gathering here on Ekadashi.
Agrawal said that the traditional practice of observing Ekadashi by skipping meals has often been reduced to a superficial act, when its deeper meaning is far more profound. "God does not need our fasting; He needs our hands for service," he told attendees, urging people to redirect the energy they invest in ritual observance toward helping those in need.
The social organisation's president wove together several stories and spiritual anecdotes to illustrate how Ekadashi — one of the most significant fasting days in the Hindu calendar, observed on the eleventh lunar day of both the waxing and waxing moon cycles — should inspire compassion and charitable action rather than mere self-denial.
He emphasised that the essence of devotion lies not in what one gives up but in what one gives to others. According to Agrawal, the discipline of fasting cultivates self-control and empathy for those who go hungry daily, qualities that should naturally translate into acts of kindness and community support.
Narayan Seva Sansthan, founded by the late Padma Shri Devaki Nandan Sexton and now led by Agrawal, runs one of India's largest free healthcare networks, operating numerous hospitals and mobile medical units across Rajasthan and other states. The organisation is also known for its disaster relief efforts, blood donation campaigns, and educational initiatives.
The 'Apno Se Apni Baat' programme, which translates roughly to "A Conversation with Ourselves," appears to be a series of community gatherings aimed at fostering introspection and social responsibility among participants. The event brought together devotees, volunteers, and members of the public for dialogue on spiritual and ethical themes relevant to contemporary life.
Agrawal's address reinforced the longstanding tradition within Hindu thought that links spiritual practice with social duty — a principle echoed by numerous reformers and saints throughout Indian history who argued that meditation, prayer, and fasting hold little value unless they lead to tangible good for society.
