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By Mr. Harendra Shah , Jain Center of Northern California The word “Parva” means auspicious day. There are three types of auspicious days - 1. Ordinary (Sämänya) like every third day -beej (2nd), päncham (5th), etc., 2. Incidental (Naimitik) like Mahävir Jayanti (Birthday) and 3. Natural (Naisargik) like Paryushan. The word “Paryushan” has several different meanings: 1. Pari + ushan = all kinds + to burn = to burn (shed) our all types of karmäs . To shed our karmäs, we do twelve different types of austerities including fasting. 2. Another meaning of “ushan” is to stay closer. To stay closer to our own soul from all directions and to stay absorbed in our own-self (soul), we do Svädhyäya (self-study), meditation, austerities, etc., and 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. To ask for forgiveness is the toughest thing to do. Therefore, our great Ächäryas have said: “Kshamä Viram Bhushanam, Kshamäväni Michchhä Mi Dukkadam” - To ask for forgiveness is a great quality of the brave ones and if I have committed any mistake, knowingly or unknowingly, I ask for your forgiveness. There are several great aphorisms (Sutras) to ask for forgiveness with the unity of the body, speech and mind, and one of them is as follows: Khämemi Savve Jivä, Savve Jivä Khamantu Mi Meaning: I forgive all the living beings of the universe, and may all the living-beings forgive me for my faults. I do not have any animosity towards anybody, and I have friendship for all living beings. The process of shedding our karmäs really begins by asking for forgiveness with true feelings, and to take some vows not to repeat mistakes. The quality of the forgiveness requires humility (vinay - absence of ego) and suppression of anger. Svetämbars (one of the major two Jain sects) celebrate eight days of Paryushan and the last day is called Samvatsari. Digambars celebrate Dash-Lakshanä Parva for ten days starting on the last day of Shvetämbar Paryushan. They celebrate ten best characteristics of the soul: Kshamä (forgiveness), Märdav (Humility), Ärjav (straightforwardness), Shauch (content - absence of greed), Satya (truth), Samyam (restraint of all senses), Tapa (austerities), Tyäga (charity), Äkinchan (non-possessiveness) and Brahmachärya (celibacy).
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