Things that we need to take care on Lord Hanuman's fast

Question

I am doing Lord Hanuman's fast (vrata) since long. I know some rules of fast but day by day new rules I am hearing by different persons (don't know how much they are currect). Here are rules which I use to follows

• I eat meal at evening or night (one time a day).
• As per my knowledge, taking service or help from a lady is forbidden. That's why, I don't ask my mother to prepare meal for me on Tuesday. I prepare it by myself. But my mother says it's fine if she will make meal for you because Hanuman ji also used to eat meal prepared by his mother(Anjana). So mother can cook food. But still I prepare by myself because I am not clear on this point, Why taking unnecessary risk.
• I use to do Kathaa at evening. In morning I do nothing. Mother told me earlier that we should not pray to Lord Hanuman in morning because in morning he himself busy in praying Lord Rama. So our prayer might disturb him. This is the reason we visit Hanuman's temple in evening instead of morning (like others Lords) to offer food (Boondi as prashad).

So, this is the things that I use to take care (don't know how much I am right on those points). But I have heard some other rules also by some persons like

• One said that in Lord Hanuman's fast we can't sleep on bed but instead we have to sleep on floor. He said there are some wreslers live near his house who also use to do Hanuman's fast and they don't sleep on bed on Tuesday.
• In hurry of going to work, sometimes I don't drink water in morning. And in office I don't drink water (just for extra care). So like that I only drink water after reaching home in evening (more like night) after doing kathaa. But someone says if I won't drink water till night then it will become roza (Muslim's fast) instead. It will no longer be a Lord Human's fast.
• My mother says it is compulsary to have bath on next day of fast so the fast can be complete. As per my understanding, bathing is necessary on starting fast in morning but it is also mandatory to have bath on next day to end a fast? I am not sure.

I am not sure how much these points are correct. Please let me know all mandatory rules (without whome fast can't be complete) of Lord Hanuman's fast.

Answer 1

Your mother is right about almost every point she told you.

I eat meal at one time a day.

It is necessary to eat food on Hanuman ji's fast. You can eat fruits through out the day as Hanuman ji was a fruitarian himself. Make sure that before the dinner you offer some sweet to Shri Raam ji and Hanuman ji.

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Taking service or help from a lady is forbidden.

No, it is not, especially when the woman is your mother. You can eat food she makes for you. On the day of vrata, treat as if your body is home for Hanuman ji and she is Maata Anjana. The only prohibition is that you must not consort any girl, not have ill thoughts about any woman, as Hanuman ji was a celibate(brahmachaari).

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I do Kathaa at evening. In morning I do nothing. Mother told me earlier that we should not pray to Lord Hanuman in morning because in morning he himself busy in praying Lord Rama. So our prayer might disturb him. This is the reason we visit Hanuman's temple in evening instead of morning (like others Lords) to offer food (Boondi as prashad).

Try reading Raamcharitmaanas during the day. In the evening you can pray by reading Sundarkaand, Ram Raksha Strotam, Hanuman Chalisa, Hanumanashtak.

Go to a Hanuman temple, offer him fruits, boondi and then meditate upon Raam ji.

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One said that in Lord Hanuman's fast we can't sleep on bed but instead we have to sleep on floor. He said there are some wrestlers live near his house who also use to do Hanuman's fast and they don't sleep on bed on Tuesday.

This is not necessary, fast is not meant to cause discomfort but release all the tension in the body the doing a cleansing, both a physiological and spiritual level. One thing is that, you should try to sleep during the day, but do not force it upon you, if you do a sleep during meditating upon Lord Rama, it is ok. Raam ji forgives.

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In hurry of going to work, sometimes I don't drink water in morning. And in office I don't drink water (just for extra care).

You can drink water, eat fruits. Remember, this fast is not the nirjala fast, but a path for setting a path of enlightenment. This fast will help you to get rid of any future kasht of life. Don't over-burden your conscience.

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My mother says it is compulsory to have bath on next day of fast so the fast can be complete. As per my understanding, bathing is necessary on starting fast in morning but it is also mandatory to have bath on next day to end a fast? I am not sure.

She is right, you should take bath on the Tuesday morning, then if you, chant Raam stuti. And on the next day, bathing is necessary. Just keep chanting Raam naam in everything you do.
tera, Raam ji karenge beda paar, udaasi mann kaahe ko kare

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source: I had taken Hanuman ji's fast as told by my family Pundit.