Svetambara Jains Begin 'Paryushan Parva’, Digambaras To Start Festival On August 28

Mumbai: Svetambara Jains ushered in 'Paryushan Parva', an eight-day sacred period dedicated to spirituality, devotion, and meditation, on August 20. The other major Jain sect, the Digambaras, will start their 10–day festival on August 28.

The period, one of the most important religious festivals in Jainism, is part of the four-month chaturmas, during which Jain ascetics stop their viharas, or walking journeys from temple to temple, and stay at one location. This offers an opportunity for devotees to be in the presence of their religious teachers. Manish Modi, publisher and Jain scholar, said that over the millennia, Jain ascetics and scholars have ensured that the paryuṣaṇas are a time of worship, contemplation, and self-assessment.

Both traditions of Jainism, the Digambaras and the Svetambaras, celebrate this festival with great fervour. While the Digambara tradition, whose monks are sky-clad, celebrates Paryuṣaṇa Parva for 10 days, the Svetambara tradition, named after the white clothes worn by their ascetics, celebrates the festival for eight days. The Digambara Paryuṣaṇa Parva is sometimes known as the Dasalakṣaṇa Parva because the 10 lakṣaṇas of Dharma are taught during those 10 days, said Modi.

The three sub-traditions within the Svetambaras, Deravasi Murtipujaka Mandiramarg, Sthanakavasi Sadhumargi, and the Terapanthi Sadhumargi, start the festival on different dates. This year, all three Svetambara Jain traditions celebrate the festival on the same eight days.

The Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, Dharampur, has organised a series of religious programmes at the NSCI Dome, Worli, between August 20 and 27.

Lakhs of Jains and other spiritual seekers will gather for the 'Paryushan Mahaparva' that will be led by Gurudevshri Rakeshji, founder of the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission.

Rakeshji, revered by his followers as an enlightened master, a spiritual visionary, a modern-day mystic, and an ardent devotee of Shrimad Rajchandraji, the guru of Mahatma Gandhi, founded Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, which has 206 centres across six continents. Blending theory with experience and head with heart, Pujya Gurudevshri provides powerful and practical tools to tread the spiritual journey joyfully. He is empowering and transforming millions across the globe today, a spokesperson from the organisation said.

For children between the ages of 6 and 16, the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission has an 'I Love Paryushan' programme on August 23. The event will offer children a space to reflect, grow, and transform from within as they discover four foundational pillars of Maitri, Pramod, Karuna, and Madhyasththa through stories, games, and interactive activities.

Paryushan principles:

Maintain inner calmness amidst distractions.

Cleanse inner self by letting go of anger, arrogance, artifice, and avarice

Reflect on the twelve bhavanas to purify your thoughts

Avoid unnecessary actions that lead to papa (negative karma)

Practice austerities like fasting after sunset and avoiding certain foods

Transcend customs and rituals, and focus on inner devotion (bhava puja)

Emulate the virtues of liberated souls, rather than their physical attributes.

Cultivate vitaraga –detachment and equanimity–to attain spiritual freedom.

Manish Modi, publisher and Jain scholar.