{{Short description|Most important festivals for the Jains}} {{POV|date=September 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox holiday | holiday_name = Paryushan Parva | type = Jain | nickname = Paryushan Parva | longtype = | image = | caption = | observedby = Jains | celebrations = | observances = fasting, going to the Jain Temple | relatedto = Samvatsari | date = August or September | date2026 = 8 September (Tue) – 15 September (Tue)<ref>{{Cite web | title=YJA Calendar | url=https://www.yja.org/jaincalendar?fbclid=PAAaYCU0ek0Ung2JkQIISxbeqcyTckGLu29LL-O6gas0H9jlexP_m0CQz2V7w}}</ref> | duration = 8 days }} {{Jainism}}
'''Paryushana''' is an annual holy event in Jainism and is usually celebrated in August, September, or October in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapad's Shukla Paksha.<ref name=SC/> Jains increase their level of spiritual intensity, often using fasting and prayer/meditation to help.<ref>{{citation |last=Roy|first=Christian |title=Traditional festivals: a multicultural encyclopedia, Volume 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IKqOUfqt4cIC&pg=PA356 |year=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1-57607-089-1|page=356}}</ref><ref name=times>{{citation |work=The Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Paryushan_Parva_festival_of_forgiveness/articleshow/3441433.cms |title=Paryushan Parva, festival of forgiveness |author=Dhanpal Jain|date=4 September 2008 }}</ref> The five main vows are emphasized during this time.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} There are no set rules, and followers are encouraged to practice according to their abilities and desires. However, the conduct of ascetics and lay-followers during the festival is largely governed by the Paryushana-Kalpa within Bhadrabāhu's Kalpa Sūtra.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobi |first=Herman |title=Kalpa Sutra |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/020431/35}}</ref> The event lasts for eight days and ends with the celebration of {{lang|sa-Latn|Samvatsari}} (forgiveness day).
== Meaning == The word "{{lang|sa-Latn|Paryushana|italics=no}}" means "abiding and coming together". It is a time when the Jains take on vows of study and fasting.<ref>{{citation |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/Jain-festival-of-Paryushan-finds-many-admirers/articleshow/53953444.cms |title=Jain festival of Paryushan finds many admirers |work=The Times of India |date=1 September 2016 }}</ref><ref name="pluralism.org">{{Cite web |title=Paryushana and the Festival of Forgiveness {{!}} The Pluralism Project |url=https://pluralism.org/paryushana-and-the-festival-of-forgiveness |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=pluralism.org |language=en}}</ref>
== Observances == Jains observe Paryushana for eight days.<ref name="pluralism.org"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Cort |first=John E. |url=http://archive.org/details/jainsinworldreli0000cort |title=Jains in the world : religious values and ideology in India |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-513234-2 |pages=147}}</ref> Almost all Jains see participation in Paryushana as a duty.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cort |first=John E. |url=http://archive.org/details/jainsinworldreli0000cort |title=Jains in the world : religious values and ideology in India |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-513234-2 |pages=144}}</ref>
=== Sermons === During the first three days, sermons are based on the Paryushana Stahnika Vyakhyana, explaining the duties of Paryushana and annual duties. Explanations draw on stories of exemplary figures in Jain history.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cort |first=John E. |url=http://archive.org/details/jainsinworldreli0000cort |title=Jains in the world : religious values and ideology in India |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-513234-2 |pages=148}}</ref>
The five duties of Paryushana are not killing, affection for fellow Jains, statement of annulling faults in the past year, a three-day fast, and pilgrimage.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cort |first=John E. |url=http://archive.org/details/jainsinworldreli0000cort |title=Jains in the world : religious values and ideology in India |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-513234-2 |pages=149–150}}</ref>
Starting on the fourth day, ascetics of the Śvetāmbara Murtipujaka tradition recite the ''Kalpa Sūtra'', which includes a recitation of the section on the birth of Mahavira on the fifth day. Some Śvetāmbaras recite the ''Antagada Sutra'', which details the life of 90 great men and women who attained ''moksha'' during the eras of the 22nd Tirthankar Neminatha and 24th Tirthankar Mahavira.<ref name="times" />
=== Fasting === {{Main|Fasting in Jainism}}
During Paryushana, Jains usually observe a fast. The span of the fast can last from a day to 30 days or more. In Śvetāmbara tradition, śrāvakas (laypeople) fast by having only boiled water that may be consumed between sunrise and sunset only.<ref name=hindu>{{citation |work=The Hindu|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/13/stories/2007091353590500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107050613/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/13/stories/2007091353590500.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 November 2012|title=Jains pray for peace, brotherhood |date=13 September 2007 }}</ref>
=== Requesting forgiveness === {{See also|Micchami Dukkadam|Kshamavani}} At the conclusion of the festival, śrāvakas request each other for forgiveness for all offenses committed during the last year.{{sfn|Doniger|1999|p=555}}<ref name=hindu /> Forgiveness is asked for by saying "Micchami Dukkadam" to each other. This translates to: "If I have caused you offence in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought word or deed, then I seek your forgiveness".<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The Indian Express|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Request-for-Forgiveness/355457/|title=Request for Forgiveness|author=Preeti Srivastav|date=31 August 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001054813/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Request-for-Forgiveness/355457/|archive-date=1 October 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
== Date == The date for Paryushana is Bhadra shukla panchami. For this duration, Paryushana must be initiated by panchami (the fifth day) of the shukla paksha phase of Bhadra. The last day is called Samvatsari, short for Samvatsari Pratikramana. Due to computational and other differences, there can be some minor differences among various sects. It comes at the time when the wandering monks take up temporary residence for the monsoon period or "cāturmāsa" ("four-month"). Because at this time the monks have settled in the town for a longer duration, it is time for the householders to have an annual renewal of the faith by listening to the statement of the Dharma and through meditation and vratas (self-control). Śvetāmbaras celebrate an eight-day festival that ends with Bhadrapada shukla chaturthi.{{sfn|Doniger|1999|p=555}}
It is believed that the devas (heavenly beings) do an eight-part puja (worship) of the tirthankaras, which takes eight days. Śvetāmbara Jains celebrate this period as Paryushana.
== Closure == Slaughter houses are kept closed for one to eight days during the Paryushana festival in Indian states that have a large Jain population, including Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.<ref>{{cite news|last1=POKHAREL|first1=KRISHNA|title=Why Mumbai Is Banning Meat This Weekend|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/09/11/why-mumbai-is-banning-meat-this-weekend/|access-date=11 September 2015|agency=Wall Street Journal|date=11 September 2015}}</ref> On 14 March 2008, the Supreme Court held that the ban on slaughterhouses in Ahmedabad during Paryushan festival was legal. The court noted:<ref name=SC>{{citation|last1=Katju|first1=Justice Markandey|title=Supreme Court Judgement regarding Closure of Slaughter houses during Paryushan|date=14 March 2008|url=http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=30874|publisher=The Supreme Court of India}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> {{blockquote|In a multi-cultural country like ours with such diversity, one should not be over sensitive and over touchy about a short restriction when it is being done out of respect for the sentiments of a particular section of society. It has been stated above that the great Emperor Akbar himself used to remain a vegetarian for a few days every week out of respect for the vegetarian section of the Indian society and out of respect for his Hindu wife. We too should have similar respect for the sentiments for others, even if they are a minority sect. (para 74)}}
== See also == {{Commons category}} * Mahavir Janma Kalyanak * Ratnatraya * God in Jainism * Jain cosmology * Sallekhana * Jain festival
== References == === Citations === {{reflist|30em}}
=== Sources === * {{citation |editor-last=Doniger |editor-first=Wendy |editor-link=Wendy Doniger |title=Encyclopedia of World Religions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZP_f9icf2roC |date=1999 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |isbn=0-87779-044-2 }} * {{citation |last=Jain |first=Champat Rai |author-link=Champat Rai Jain |date=1917 |title=Ratnakaranda Sravakachar of Acharya Samantabhadra }} * {{citation |last=Jaina |title=Pratikraman |date=1992 }} * {{citation |last=Nirvana Sagar |title=Pratikramana-sutra |date=1986 }} * {{citation |last=Sangave |first=Vilas Adinath |author-link=Vilas Adinath Sangave |title=Jain Community: A Social Survey |url={{Google books|FWdWrRGV_t8C|plainurl=yes}} |date=1980 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |location=Bombay |edition=2nd |isbn=978-0-317-12346-3 }}
== External links == * [http://www.jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/paryusan.html ''Paryuṣaṇ'' on JAINpedia] * [http://www.jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/dasa-laksana-parvan.html ''Daśa-lakṣaṇa-parvan'' on JAINpedia] * [https://parasdham.org/parvadhiraj-paryushan-2018/ Paryushan Pravachan by Jain Muni Rashtrasant Pujya Namramuni MS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909185256/https://parasdham.org/parvadhiraj-paryushan-2018/ |date=9 September 2018 }}. {{Jainism Topics}}
Category:Jain festivals Category:Religious festivals in India