Prominent Jain community members share how their most important annual festival (Aug 31-Sept 7, 2024) transforms lives through austerities and reflection. It’s the first of a two-part series.
Not unlike other major religions, Jains observe an extended period of fasting and austerities every year. Paryushan is a profound spiritual journey that invites them to dive deep into the essence of their faith, reflect on their actions, and seek true inner transformation.
Celebrated during the auspicious month of Bhadrapad, Paryushan falls in August or September (te dates this year are August 31-September 7). It is observed by both the Shwetambar and Digambar Jain sects, marking eight to ten days of fasting, prayer, and intense spiritual focus. The Jain community comes together in their temples for forgiveness, compassion, and self-discipline, following their 24 Tirthankaras (supreme spiritual teachers) teachings. Lord Mahavir, the last Tirthankara, lived in the 6th century BCE, almost contemporaneously with the Buddha.
What is Jainism
Jainism is an ancient Indian religion centered on the principles of non-violence, truth, and asceticism. Jains strive to live harmoniously with all living beings, practicing strict ethical standards and dietary restrictions. The religion emphasizes self-discipline, meditation, and the pursuit of spiritual liberation through personal effort, with a strong focus on fasting and renunciation as paths to purify the soul and attain ultimate freedom from the cycle of birth and death. An estimated 10 million Jains are in the world, mainly in India.
Paryushan is Jains’ main festival, which is becoming better known in a multicultural world. To understand its multifaceted significance, Lotus invited prominent Jains in the US and India to draw on personal reflections and practices shared by the Jain community.
We are particularly honored to receive an article from Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharmapur in Gujarat, India, about how they are celebrating Paryushan. They shared with us that their founder and spiritual leader, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, has scheduled daily discourses during Paryushan. (see the post: https://alotusinthemud.com/pause-reflect-and-recharge-yourself-during-paryushan/)
Other world religions, too, share the practice of long periods of fasting and rituals for spiritual purification and reflection. Christians observe Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter. Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during Ramadan month, focusing on prayer and self-restraint. In Hinduism, Navaratri includes fasting and prayer to honor the divine feminine. While unique in their customs, these practices reflect a common belief in the power of fasting and austerities to foster spiritual growth and connection to the divine.
Michhami Dukkadam
What is unique to Jainism is the formalized practice of seeking forgiveness on the last day of Paryushan, using the phrase ‘Michhami Dukkadam’. It is a heartfelt apology and request for forgiveness from all living beings, including those that may have been harmed in thought, word, or deed. Another meaning of the phrase is, “May my bad deeds become fruitless,” reflecting a deep sense of remorse and the desire to nullify the negative impact of one’s actions. While exchanged on Samvatsari, the Jain day of forgiveness, this phrase embodies the essence of Pratikraman, a practice of confessing, apologizing, and resolving not to repeat mistakes.
In a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected, the principles of Paryushan offer a ray of light. This festival is not merely a religious observance, it is a guide for living a life of compassion, mindfulness, and spiritual awareness. The timeless values emphasized during Paryushan of ahimsa (nonviolence), samyam (self-discipline), and tapah (penance) are more relevant today than ever. Through fasting, prayer, and introspection, Paryushan challenges us to cleanse our minds and hearts, leading to a more peaceful and harmonious existence.
By sharing the voices and experiences of those who have embraced this festival, we hope to inspire a deeper understanding of Jainism’s core values and how they can be applied to our daily lives.
Comments are spread over two posts.
Burning away karmic matter from the soul
~ Dr Sulekh C. Jain
Paryushan and Das Lakshan Parva hold a sacred place in my family’s life as a time for deep reflection, spiritual growth, and inner purification. This period is not just a ritual for us but a profound opportunity to engage in sincere contemplation, meditation, spiritual study, and atonement. We use this time to examine our actions throughout the year, recognizing moments where we may have caused harm, mentally, verbally, or physically, to those around us.
The true essence of Paryushan lies in its transformative power, burning away the karmic matter attached to the soul through self-purification.
While I initially observed this festival through traditional rituals – fasting, attending worship, and performing Pratikraman – I’ve realized Paryushan’s significance goes beyond these acts. It has become a daily practice of self-dialogue, reflection, and the constant pursuit of forgiveness for any acts of violence, no matter how small.
Ego and anger, the biggest obstacles to spiritual peace, are like cancers of the soul, leading to greed, deceit, and various forms of ahimsa (violence). My daily Paryushan practice involves acknowledging these emotions, striving to overcome them, and gradually transforming my temperament, inner peace, and overall quality of life.
During these holy days, I also engage with the Jain community, participating in events that unite us in the spirit of forgiveness. On Samvatsari day, my entire family, both in person and online – gathers to perform Pratikraman and seek forgiveness from one another, fostering a deeper sense of unity and spiritual connection.
Sulekh C. Jain, Ph.D., is a past president of JAINA, the umbrella body of jain organizations in North America, and co-founder of the International School for Jain Studies.
Inspiring year-round commitment to Jain values
~ Dilip Jain
Paryushan, once viewed as an eight-day period of fasting and feasting, was traditionally a time to visit temples, participate in rituals, and seek forgiveness from all beings. However, my journey through the depths of Jainism and my work in the ecological field have reshaped my understanding of this sacred festival.
Now, Paryushan is no longer just a brief, intense observance for me. It has become a profound, ongoing commitment to living the principles of Jainism daily. The festival’s essence extends beyond the eight days; it represents a continuous effort to embody spiritual values throughout the year.
The Jina, or conqueror, symbolizes the ideal of overcoming material desires and sensory attachments—goals I strive to integrate into my life daily.
One of the most transformative concepts I’ve embraced is “parsparograh jivana,” which reflects the unity and interconnectedness of all beings. This understanding has deepened my appreciation for ecological well-being, rooted in Jain values such as ahimsa (non-violence), aparigraha (non-attachment), anekantwada (non-absolutism), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy), and satya (truthfulness). Each principle offers guidance on living harmoniously with people and the environment.
For me, embracing these principles is not about making temporary sacrifices but about finding joy in aligning my life with the universal laws. Paryushan has evolved into a year-round commitment, a way of life that continually inspires me to live with greater awareness, compassion, and respect for all beings.
Dilip Jain is the founder of the dJED Foundation in Mumbai, which supports education, entrepreneurship, and ecology.
Festival filled with bhakti grants us shakti
~ Aparna Dedhia
In our home, Paryushan begins with my mother-in-law meticulously cleaning and organizing every corner of the house. Fresh flour is brought in before the festival, and the kitchen fills with the aromas of traditional snacks like chaklis, chivdas, and churma laddoos. We avoid green vegetables, focusing instead on pulses for all meals, while my mother-in-law follows a stricter regimen, eating only bananas.
Visiting the derasar without footwear is a significant part of our observance, and we wear new clothes to mark this sacred time. Our daily routines shift to spiritual practices – minimal eating, completing meals by sunset, and dedicating evenings to pratikraman and bhavna.
The festival is filled with bhakti, which grants us spiritual strength (shakti) to continue our journey.
On the eighth day, we gather for Samvatsari Pratikraman, reflecting on scriptures and seeking forgiveness through the ritual of shamapna. Saying ‘Michhami Dukkadam’, we ask for forgiveness, closing the festival with a sense of peace, unity, and renewed spiritual commitment.
Aparna Dedhia is a Mumbai content writer who loves food, travel, and Indian textiles.
The aim is to follow the right path in life
~ Nimmi Mehta
Paryushan is an annual Jain festival celebrated in August or September during the Bhadrapad month’s Shukla Paksha. It is a time of heightened spiritual focus, involving fasting, prayer, and meditation. Jains use this period for introspection, reflection, and seeking forgiveness from those they have wronged. The festival, observed by both Digambar and Shwetambar sects, lasts eight days for Shwetambars and 10 days for Digambars.
Paryushan emphasizes nonviolence (ahimsa), self-discipline (samyam), and penance (tapah) through scriptural study (swadhyaya), fasting (upvaas: chauvihaar, tivihaar), and introspection (pratikraman).
Fasting aids in the body’s self-healing process, aligning with medical insights that food intake affects emotions and temperament. The goal of Paryushan is to follow the right path in life and attain salvation.
Nimmi Mehta hails from Jaipur and has been living in the USA for the last 45 years while following her Jain values and principles.
1 comment
Paryushan involves cleansing (fasting) the body and mentally recharging (chanting, reading the scriptures). This we reach a state of equilibrium which helps us to lead a life if awareness till the next year same time.