anāhāra

 Anāhāra (अनाहार) in Sanskrit primarily means “abstinence from food” or “fasting,” and can also denote avoidance, non-seizure, or non-production depending on context.

Etymology

The term anāhāra is a compound of an- (अन्-, a negative prefix 

meaning "not" or "without") and āhāra (आहार), which means "food" 

or "nourishment" 

Wiktionary+1

. Literally, anāhāra translates to

“not taking food” or “without food”.

Meanings and Usage

Abstinence from Food / Fasting: In classical Sanskrit, anāhāra refers

to refraining from eating. It appears in literary and religious texts such

as the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Hitopadeśa, and Purāṇas, often 

describing spiritual practices, penance, or self-discipline 

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. For example, in the Śivapurāṇa, Parvatī observes anāhāra 

during her rigorous penance 

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Non-Eating or Starvation: The term is also used to describe voluntary 

or involuntary lack of nourishment, emphasizing both physical 

and ritualistic contexts 

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Non-Seizure / Non-Production: In certain philosophical or literary 

contexts, anāhāra can mean non-production, non-seizure, or

something unattainable, suggesting a broader figurative sense 

beyond dietary abstinence 

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Adjectival Usage: Anāhāra can describe a person or entity who 

abstains from food, e.g., anāhārin, meaning “one who fasts” or

“abstains from food” 

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Usage in Ayurveda and Spiritual Texts

• Ayurveda: Anāhāra is prescribed as part of medical treatments
• for certain diseases and detoxification, highlighting controlled 
• fasting to improve health outcomes 

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• Yoga and Spiritual Practices: In yogic and ascetic traditions,
• anāhāra represents a practice of dietary restraint, self-purification,
• and tapas (discipline), often supplemented by meditation and
• other spiritual observances 

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Related Concepts

• Āhāra (आहार): Food or nourishment; the opposite of anāhāra.
• Laṅghana: A related term for fasting or dietary restriction.
• Tapas & Niyama: Contextual practices in Indian spirituality 
• associated with self-discipline and ethical restraint 

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In summary, anāhāra signifies the conscious abstention from food, 

primarily in religious, spiritual, and therapeutic contexts, but can 

also extend metaphorically to meanings of non-production or

non-seizure in Sanskrit literature. Its usage spans texts in Sanskrit, 

Pali, Prakrit, Ayurveda, and yoga philosophy 

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