What is Paryushan Mahaparva?

 

 Paryusana is the most important festivals for the Jain followers and therefore called Mahaparva. Paryusana parva consists of eight days for Swetambar and ten days for Digambar tradition. Digambar community mention it as Das Lakshana Parva and starts the day when paryushan of Swetambar ends.  During rainy season, the roads are not suitable for travelling. Therefore, it has been decided by Lord Mahavir that instead of travelling, Jain monks and nuns should settle at one place for four months. During their stay, neighbouring people can interact with the monks/nuns and resolve their queries about God and the nature.

The monsoon season or chaturmas consists of four months or 120 days starting from Purnima during end of ashara or beginning of shravana and terminates on the Shukla 12^th or 13^th i.e., two or three days before Kartik Purnima. During this season, no social functions such as marriage, threading ceremony etc. are performed. But a number of religious festivals like Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri and Deepavali take place during chaturmas. The month of Bhadra is very special because the earth receives maximum energy from sun. Therefore people stay inside their houses and do fasting and other religious activities during the month of Bhadra.

The meaning of the word Paryushan is as follows: Pari + Ushan or Upshamana. It means to suppress our passion from all directions.  It is the time to sit alone, introspect about the year-long activities and try to rectify them. During this period, one can self-study, meditate, practice austerities, suppress passion and solve queries from the monks or nuns. Fasting is suggested during the Paryushan parva. It helps to clean our body and soul from the different evils. Fasting is required to burn all types of karma or vices that one acquires during our daily life. Therefore, once every year, during the month of Bhadra, one needs to follow the disciplinary rules of Paryushan.

During rainy season, the roads are not suitable for travelling. One need not move unnecessarily because this may harm small insects, new saplings etc. The monks and nuns therefore stay at one place for these four months. The common people, who are mostly dependent on agriculture and lives in villages, also have not much to do. During chaturmas, the monks/nuns are accessible for a long period of 120 days to the householders. The monks/nuns utilize this time to preach local community about religion. They impart knowledge to the general masses about the instructions and guidances mentioned in the scriptures. They teach to forgive and be friendly with the neighbours. During Paryushan, one needs to practice ahimsa (non-violence), Sanyam (self-discipline), tapah (penance), swadhyay (study of religion). They should also practice pratikraman (introspection), Kshama (forgiveness) and prayaschitta (repentence).

Sramana Bhagwan Mahavir, while staying at Gunasilaka chaity in the city of Rajgriha, explained the necessity of Paryushana to his followers. This is written in the third chapter of Kalpasutra written by Bhadrabahu I entitled “Pajjusanakappa” where the objective, logic, necessity and history is clearly written. Mahavir demonstrated its rules by practising himself whatever he had explained.

The eight days of paryushan parva are celebrated as follows:

Day 1: The day to concentrate mind and soul by doing fasting and meditation.

Day 2: The day is celebrated by listening Pravachan (speech) from knowledgeable persons.

Day 3: The day is spent with sacrifice and penance to purify our body and mind. One needs to rectify oneself to obtain happiness.

Day 4: The day is spent by listening to the sacred book Kalpasutra which describes the life of Lord Mahavir and other 23 tirthankars and also the guidelines to follow during paryushan.

Day 5: This day is celebrated as Lord Mahavir’s birthday narrated by eminent person.

Day 6: This day is utilized for Samvatsarik Pratikraman.

Day 7: This is the day of divine message of tolerance and endurance. On this day Jains observe complete/partial fasting.

Day 8: End of Paryushan Parva with celebration as Samvatsari day or Kshamapana Divas.

The last day of Paryusana parva, known as Samvatsari day, is celebrated on the 50^th day of monsoon season. According to scripture, Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami is the day on which Lord Mahavir celebrated the Samvatsari day.  Since then, this parva is celebrated every year and the Samvatsari day is marked as kshamapana Divas when every person purifies his/her soul by practising different vows themselves. There are sutras for forgiveness like Michchhami Dukkadam, khhamemi savva jiva etc. Forgiveness and repentance are important aspects of paryushan. Each day of the festival focuses on eliminating various improper activities like anger, pride, deceit and greed and building good virtues.

Jains participate this festivity with zeal and enthusiasm. They attend religious and spiritual discourses where the greatness and glories of Lord Mahavir and other Tirthankars are narrated by eminent person. The teachings of Lord Mahavir and the meaning of the scriptures are thoroughly explained. People in general observe fasting completely avoiding food, with some of them not drinking water also. Fasting is very important part of paryushan. Some Jains fast for the entire eight days and some observe fasting only on the first and last day. On other days, they eat before sunset and drink boiled water only. They avoid green leafy vegetables and root vegetables. They meditate, offer pujas, sing devotional songs and listen speeches and lectures by Jain monks/nuns. Fasting during Paryushan helps to eliminate bad karma. It also helps in cleansing our body. It helps one to develop discipline, self-control and patience.

According to Kalpasutra, in the course of paryushana, the following items must be avoided. They are milk, curd, fresh butter, ghee, oil, jaggery, honey, wine and meat. One should also avoid leafy vegetables, root vegetables, sprouts and sweets. One meal a day is advised for healthy people. During fasting, one can drink boiled water in a restricted quantity. One should meditate during the day or read scriptures and it is advised to remain mauna (not to speak) during fasting.