Paryushan Parv: A Festival Of Forgiveness

Paryushan Parva, also known as Dash Lakshan Parva is the Jain festival celebrated for self-purification and uplift of oneself. It falls in Bhadrapad month of Hindu calendar.

Paryushan Parva 2012 dates – Paryushan begins today for Digamber , and for Shwetambar began on 12th September, 2012.

Shwetambar Jain : Paryushan Mahaparva 2012

12th September 2012, Wednesday to 19th September 2012, Wednesday: Shri Samvatsari Mahaparva - Barsasutra Vanchan, Samvatsari Pratikraman

Tapasvi na Parna 20th September 2012

Digambar Jain : Paryushan Mahaparva 2012, Das Lakshan Parva

19th September 2012 to 28th September 2012. (Kshamavani)

Paryushan Parva is also popular as Dash Lakshan Parva because Jains observe puja of ten universal virtues on this day. It is also known as Maha Parva or Parva Raj as it is the biggest festival of Jains. Paryushan Parva is also referred to as Paryu-Prasa, Paryupshamn or Pajjusvana, Pajjushana, and Samvatsari Parva.

The Paryushan Parv of the Jain community is a rigorous tradition of staying virtuous and regulating one's behaviour. The festival lasts for eight days in case of Shvetambar Jains and 10 days for Digambars.

 In the city, Jains assemble at their temples and recite mantras together during these days.The last day of the festival is meant for forgiving and seeking forgiveness. The fasts are tough. During this period Jain’s  abstain from eating green vegetables as they contain insects. The festival is observed during monsoon as Jains believe that humans unknowingly kill many germs at this time, which amounts to a lot of violence. This festival is intended to compensate for that.

Paryushan’ rids one of negative qualities. Jains across the world observe a solemn eight-day ritual of paryushan, which literally means to 'get totally absorbed'. This annual observance, also known as the annual renewal of faith, is considered to be one of the most important festivals for the Jains.Paryushan is meant not only for the Jain community but for the entire human race as it helps one overcome negative desires. 

The eight-day ritual requires a person to stringently adhere to religious doctrines and make time for spiritual activities like meditation and prayers. fasting and abstaining from all forms of entertainment are some of the other rules that the Jains follow during this period. Many Jains survive only on spoonfuls of water during this period. The most important day of this period is ‘Samatsavari’, the last day. On this day, Jains, who strongly believe in forgiving, plead the same from all the people they know by chanting ‘Michhami Tukadam’. 

This day is meant for seeking universal forgiveness, which is the festival's most unique feature, this  act of kshamadaan is not meant merely seeking forgiveness from people you know of in your present life but also those you knew in your previous births'. These eight days are meant for introspection. "We spend the whole year finding faults in others, but the period of pratikrama (introspection) is thus meant for looking within,''. It is believed that a person who does not know how to forgive is not really spiritually evolved. moreover, to judge others and refuse to pardon is an unpardonable act. Another custom attached with ‘Paryushan’ is a reading of the “Antagarh Sutra- the reason being that this text is on the life of the 13 Tirthankaras and Lord Mahavira. It elaborates on how even these great souls were mortals but could overcome their vaasnas with penance and by following religious doctrines’. On the fifth day of the festival, sacred texts like The Tatvartha-Sutra of Umaswati and The Kalpasutra, which is a recitation on the birth of Lord Mahavir, are read.