Paryushan Mahaparv: Know The History And Significance Of The 8-Day Jain Penance

The word Paryushan, when split, into two parts, translates as Pari (to recall oneself) and Vasan (be aware of oneself at a specific location). This customary spiritual cleansing process, which generally lasts about 8-10 days, this year will be celebrated from 24 August 2022 to 01 September 2022.

The customary greeting phrase that is exchanged on the concluding day of Paryushan " 'Micchami Dukkadam' reflects this sentiment. It means "may all the evil that has been done lose its impact. " Paryushan is observed generally every year between August and September. Jains, keen to absolve themselves of sins, undertake a spiritual journey of cleansing themselves in order to be better human beings.

Paryushan Festival 2022: Date

Paryushan observance started on 24 August 2022 and will continue till 01 September 2022.

The festival begins for the two prominent sects in Jainism namely Swetambar and Digambar, on different days, on 24 August 2022 in Bhadrapad month for Swetambars, and 31 August 2022., for Digambars. During these ten days of fasting, the ten chapters from the Tattvartha sutra, a religious text are recited. The sixth day is called Sugandha Dashami as Digambars prefer to call it. They perform special worship on the ninth day, which coincides with Ganesh Chaturthi, and also on Anantha Chaturdashi, which is the tenth day, and as per the Jains, is celebrated as Samvatsari.

A large-scale festival for the Jains, Paryushan Mahaparva is celebrated for 8 days that is spearheaded by the messenger of peace, Shri Mahashramanji. The fifth day out of the 8, is Mahavir Jayanti. The fourth day is when the Jain sadhus and sadhvis read the Kalpasutra, which is all about the fourteen dreams Mahavir's mother had before giving birth to him as well as the story of his life.

An almost 120-day fasting period of prayer and penance which begins in mid-June of every year, is knowns as 'Chaumasa'. Incidentally, this coincides with the period of Chaturmas observance amongst the Hindus. Fasting can go on from 1 to 16 days or even up to 31 days in certain households.

Paryushan Festival 2022: Basic Principle

Paryushan is an eight-day fasting period that signifies purification on all three levels. It is a day to practice letting go of grudges and bitterness. Jains not only practice forgiveness on this day but also try to forgive those that have hurt or harmed them, apart from aiming for higher spiritual goals.

Fasting also cleans up the body as well as clears the accumulated karma of the individual. The prime thrust of Paryushan, which means 'abiding and coming together', is to genuinely feel and live the value of forgiveness, poignantly expressed in these few words. 'We extend our love to all, hatred does not exist, and let the entire world enjoy happiness and prosperity.'

Paryushan Parva is an 8-day Jain festival of reflection in which, at the end of every day, Pratikraman is observed, as a mark of repentance for the day's sins. The aim of Pratikrama, observed on the Samvatsari day, at the end of Paryushan, is to rid oneself of the sins of the entire year.

Paryushan Festival: Details Of Ritualistic Observances

Paryushan 2022 is where a fast is observed on the first and last day and food is taken before dusk. The entire day, Jains, subsist on boiled or purified water. Jain scriptures, which are read duly with faith these days, are analysed in depth to grasp the essence. Meditation and prayer, the most important parts of this observance, acquire a greater meaning only when they are explained by Jain monks that deliver the tenets through sermons and lectures.

24-08-2022: They follow certain restrictions, with respect to the consumption of certain ingredients in food, or a certain meal. Some may strictly fast after the sunset while others may just skip 3-4 dishes and restrict themselves to eating very few items for the day.

25-08-2022: One or two hours of the day, one needs to spend reading religious texts, on the second day.

26-08-2022: 48 minutes of periodic concentration, usually referred to as Samayika, is practised in order to get into touch with the inner self, and awareness.

27-08-2022: Practicing silence for the whole day or for a period of time, to achieve inner equilibrium is the task they have on hand for the third day.

28-08-2022: Anu means small. Abstaining from doing certain activities in their daily routine or life, is the pledge they take for the fourth day.

29-08-2022: Fifth day is the day to chant, especially the Navkar mahamantra for the suggested period of time.

30-08-2022: Focusing on any one thing, mentally, is practised by the Jains, to gain mastery over the mind and its caprices. They can concentrate on anything, whether it is the form of the deity or a plain simple rose flower.

31-08-2022: Samvatsari is considered as the biggest occasion wherein they fast for the whole day, keeping themselves off gambling by cards, foul mouthing others, to name a few. A whole day fast improves health, as per their belief.

01-09-2022: this day is meant for practising the art of forgiving anyone who has harmed you, and asking for forgiveness if you are at fault. Exchanging 'Michami Dukkanam' with everyone, achieves this purpose.

Paryushan Festival: Restrictions To Abide By

• Fasting is followed throughout the festival.
• Following nonviolence and peaceful ways, according to them, is needed to keep anger in check.
• Through the procedure of Pratikraman, they seek forgiveness for errors committed knowingly or unknowingly. To express their repentance, they exchange the slogan of" Micchami Dukkadam "
• Meditation contemplation and prayers are the highlights of this routine.
• As per the Paryushan Fasting rules, boiled water is okay to be taken and consuming food is restricted beyond sunset.
• Following a satwik diet is advisable during this time.
• Green vegetables are best avoided.
• On the Samvatsari day, dated 1 September 2022, people gather together to celebrate the spirit of the festival.
• The occasion lasts 8 days for Shwetambar members, while the Digambar Jain community members celebrate the festival for 10 days. Besides that, Ganesh Chaturthi comes on the ninth day and Anant Chaturdashi known in Jainism as Samvatsari comes on the tenth day.
• They must indulge on a daily basis in meditation and prayer.
• Listening, every day of Paryushan, to the Vyakhyans or treatises of Jain epics by nuns and sadhus is a must do ritual.
• Boiled water, which is the staple diet for this period, along with food, should not be consumed beyond sunset hours.
• The menu should be simple with no green vegetables added to enhance taste and flavour.
• Potato, onion, garlic and ginger are taboo to this day not only because they involve killing the entire plant but also because they increase the heat in the body.
• One should strictly follow the precepts of peace and nonviolence.
• Every evening Jains attend Pratikraman where they pray and contemplate on the sins committed, and the ways to resolve them, for which they allot two-and-a-half-hour every day.
• Is observed on the fifth and fourteenth day of Shukla paksha of Bhadrapada month.
• Jain monks take a break from their regular tours, around the place, to help and guide locals to realize the final purpose of Paryushan.
• It starts mid-June every year and goes on for 120 days with fasting praying and penancing called chaumasa.
• Jain Paryushan starts8 days before Ganesh Chaturthi, as an effort to curb worldly temptations, includes fasts and meditations to intensify one's spiritual practice.
• Gujarat has a maximum number of Jains population and hence on this day slaughterhouses are closed down.

Paryushan Festival: Last Day

Samvatsari 2022, which is on 1st September 2022, is the day to wish the best to all human beings around you. On this day, you can hear the "Micchami Dukkadam", an ancient Indian phrase, that is derived from Prakrit, resonating from all corners of the Jain global households. This means "may all evil do not harm" thus implying that forgiveness is the greatest objective that involves taking pity on another fellow human being. This is the ritual for the last day of Pratikraman, wherein at the end of the 2-and-a-half-hour meditation, as a final part of the Paryushan or the "Micchami Dukkadam" Samvatsari festival, Jain devotees utter those famous words which add layers of meaning to the concept of Paryushan and the value system of Jains.

Paryushan Festival 2022: Significance

Paryushan 2022, also known as Parvadhiraj, is the harbinger of hopes, energy, harmonious vibrations, positive thinking and new beginnings. The negativity of any sort has no place, as per the Jain ideology and negative habits are meant to be broken during this period. The right knowledge, right faith and right path are the three tenets the Jains staunchly live by. The eight days of Paryushan are sacred as it helps to inculcate the values of forgiveness, calm the senses, and rid them of any addictive habits in their lives.

Living on boiled water from sunrise to sunset brings together the collective energies of observances in all Jain households. They handmade diyas in temples, burning sedately in dimmed light conditions during this festival add the much-needed traditional touch to the proceedings.

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