Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur in India has elaborate plans to celebrate the Jain festival, with daily discourses by their founder being the centerpiece.
People today are running at a relentless pace on the hamster wheel of endless tasks and ever-increasing distractions. In the general busyness of our lives, it is easy to lose touch with our sense of self. There is a pressing need to set aside some dedicated time to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our core.
Paryushan offers us this precious opportunity.
This eight-day period generally falls between August and September each year and is the monarch of Jain festivals (August 31-September 7 are the dates in 2024). It is a time to gain wisdom, engage in self-reflection, inner cleansing, and spiritual renewal. Through practices like scriptural study, fasting, and meditation, it gives us a chance to recharge our spirits and renew our commitment to virtues like compassion, contentment and glad acceptance.
One shining example of Paryushan celebrations is those organized by the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur in India. The Mission is a global spiritual movement for inner transformation inspired by the self-realized saint, Shrimad Rajchandraji. Founded by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, enlightened master and ardent devotee of Shrimadji, it has been a launchpad for seekers to embark on their journey of self-discovery and selfless service.
Every year, aspirants participate in the eight-day Paryushan Mahaparva program organized by the Mission. The highlights of this event are the daily discourses by Pujya Gurudevshri. They are both soul-stirring and heart-touching, powerful and practical.
They motivate listeners to live a deeper and more meaningful life. This year, Pujya Gurudevshri will expound the chapter on ‘Inanimate Matter’ from the Jain scriptural jewel, ‘Natak Samaysaar’ by Pandit Banarasidasji, as well as ‘The True Practice of Dharma’ as shown in Patrak-903, an insightful letter written by Shrimad Rajchandraji. As a part of this series, he will explore dharma as a science, dharma as an art, an awakening, an ecstasy, a transformation, and dharma as an experience.
In addition, the mornings will begin with snatra puja, the enthusiastic and devotional birth celebrations of Tirthankar Bhagwan. The afternoons will be spent in introspection, contemplation, and meditation. The evening of Day 5 will feature exuberant Mahavir Janma celebrations. Other evenings will witness a plethora of cultural and devotional showcases, including a drama celebrating the heroes of Jainism, real-life tales of transformation by the global youth, as well as a grand musical by children. Participants will also engage in a sound bath meditation, witness the launch of a holistic wellness course and enjoy an evening of empathy with Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, the service arm of the Mission. For children, an interactive workshop called ‘I Love Paryushan’ will be conducted.
Gurudevshri Rakeshji’s discourses motivate listeners to live a deeper and more meaningful life. This Paryushan, he will explore dharma as a science, dharma as an art, an awakening, an ecstasy, a transformation, and dharma as an experience.
The experience will culminate on Samvatsari, a day of forgiveness. Seekers will engage in alochana, during which they will bring to mind all the sins of the past year and humbly seek forgiveness from all living beings. They will untie the knots of grudges, shed the load of anger, and graciously offer forgiveness to others.
Samvatsari will be a day of intense inner cleansing.
In this way, the Paryushan celebrations of SRMD are an experience in both festivity and profundity each year. Perhaps most importantly, they dispel the commonly held belief that religion is dry, strict, and an unwanted necessity, with a long list of dos and don’ts. Instead, they open up the festive dimension of religion, skilfully illustrating that a disciple is one who dances in devotion, a seeker is one who remains cheerful among challenges, and an aspirant is one who realizes that changing himself will transform the world.
For more information: www.srmd.org/paryushan-2024/
To read comments from prominent Jains how they observe Paryushan (Aug 31-Sept 7, 2024), go to https://alotusinthemud.com/paryushan-a-sacred-period-for-renewal-and-forgiveness/.
