Paryushan Parv... (Dash Lakshan Dharma)

The word “Parva” means auspicious day. "Paryushan Parv" are the most auspicious days for the Jain followers. There are different meaning of "Paryushan":

1. Pari + ushan = all directions + to stay closer i.e. To stay closer to our own soul from all directions. To stay absorbed in our own-self (soul), we do Svädhyäya (self-study), meditation, austerities, etc.,

2. Pari + ushan = all kinds + to burn i.e. to burn (shed) our all types of karmäs. To shed our karmäs, we do twelve different types of austerities including fasting.

3. Pari + upshamanä = upshamanä means to suppress, to suppress our passions (kashäyas - anger, ego, deceit and greed) from all directions.

Therefore, the real purpose of the Paryushan is to purify our soul by staying closer to our own soul, to look at our own faults, to ask for forgiveness for the mistakes we have committed, and take vows to minimize our faults. We try to forget about the needs of our body (like food) and our business so that we can concentrate on our-self.

Digambars celebrate Dash-Lakshanä Parva for ten days starting from Rishi Panchami to Anant Chaurdashi. They celebrate ten best characteristics of the soul: Kshamä (forgiveness), Märdav (Humility), Ärjav (straightforwardness), Shauch (content - absence of greed), Satya (truth), Sanyam (restraint of all senses), Tapa (austerities), Tyäga (charity), Äkinchan (non-possessiveness) and Brahmachärya (celibacy).


courtesy - http://www.jcnc.org/