Paryushana 2023: Date, History, Significance, Story & more.

Paryushana Quick Facts

History of Paryushana

Paryushan festival is an important festival of Jain society. Jains celebrate Paryushan festival in Bhadrapada month. The Paryushana of the Svetambara sect lasts for 8 days. On the 8th day, Samvatsari Mahaparva, an important festival of the people of Jainism, is celebrated. Fasting is observed on this day as much as possible. Apology festival is celebrated at the end of Paryushan festival. After that, the people of Digambar sect celebrate Paryushan for 10 days, which they address by the name of 'Daslakshan Dharma'.

The history of Paryushan festival is very ancient according to Jainism. The festival means "the gathering of the family" in Shramana language and is considered a festival of the military and spiritual instincts of the members of the Jain community. The basic conduct and practices of Paryushana Parva date back to the life time of Jain Tirthankara Lord Mahavira. It is believed that Lord Mahavira gave his latest teachings during this festival and propounded the main tenets of Jainism. Such is the importance of Paryushan festival that it has been celebrated as a religious festival by the members of the Jain community for a long time. This festival is dedicated to important principles like non-violence, truth, non-violence, celibacy and anekantvad. During the Paryushana festival, people of the Jain community follow the messages of various acharyas and gurus and purify themselves through spiritual practices and vows. In addition, on this occasion, members of the community engage in bhajans, kirtans, discourses and prayers with each other to resolve disputes, explain the importance of kindness and forgiveness, and promote military and strategic alliances. Are.

Significance of Paryushana

A famous story related to the Paryushana festival is that of "the bird and its children". This story tells that a little bird lived on a tree with its chicks. During the Paryushana festival, the bird and her children observe the rules of fasting and fasting. One day, being very hungry, the bird flew down to the tree to eat a fruit. Just then a bear came and asked the bird to eat its children standing near it. The bird became very sad, but told the bear that she was observing the Paryushan festival and during the fast she could not harm others in any way. At this, the bear apologized to the bird and released her children. He later returned to the bird and said that he had realized the importance of the Paryushana festival and non-violence. He understood that every living being has an important role to play and we should have kindness and compassion towards all living beings. This story tells that Paryushan festival is an occasion when we should understand the importance of non-violence, kindness, and tact and always have respect and love towards others.

How to celebrate Paryushana

The way of celebrating Paryushana may vary slightly according to different sects and masters of the Jain community, but here are some of the main elements that are usually observed during Paryushana:

p>Fasting (Vrat): During the Paryushan festival, people of the Jain community observe regular fasts. This encourages them to stay away from grains, fruits, and spicy foods. Some people also observe nirjal upavas (fasting without water).

Idol immersion: During the Paryushan festival, idols of various gods and goddesses are installed in Jain temples. These idols are immersed at the end of the Paryushan festival. It symbolizes the teachings of the Acharyas that we should see everyone equally and remove mutual discrimination. have to follow. In this they have to follow the teachings imparted by the Acharyas, in which values such as non-violence, truth, aparigraha, brahmacharya and anekantavada are followed.

Pooja: > People fasting in Paryushan festival take an active part in worship, discourse, and religious activities. They visit temples and perform darshan, bhajan, aarti and puja of the Lord.

Spiritual study: On this occasion, the Vrati perform spiritual study, such as reading holy texts Lessons and lectures of. This develops their spirituality and knowledge.

Seva:During the Paryushan festival, the fasting people give importance to the spirit of service. They are active in charity and kindness, such as helping poor people, donating food, planting trees, donating water, etc.

Tradition and customs of Paryushana

Paryushana Parva is an important festival of the Jain community that celebrates the importance of self-control, spirituality, and cleanliness. This festival is an important paradigm of Jainism and serves as an ideal form of righteousness for the members of the community. During the Paryushan festival, people of the Jain community observe various rituals, which reflect their spirituality and austerity. In Paryushana, members of the Jain community moderate their dietary requirements and do not consume special food items. It is a means of achieving the purification of their body, mind, and soul. Some people eat once, while others have a solitary fast where they only consume water. Thus, they attain physical and mental sobriety and make progress in their spiritual practice.

During the Paryushan festival, members of the Jain community engage in spiritual self-study. They recite sacred Jain texts and listen to lectures on religious texts. It develops their spirituality and wisdom and provides them with religious guidance. Water donation is also an important custom during the Paryushan festival. In the Jain community, there is a practice of water donation, in which people wear clothes of water, flow with water guns, and chant water to signify religious actions. This shows the importance and primacy of water and promotes the spirit of water conservation. In addition, members of the Jain community give importance to charity and service during the Paryushan festival. They help and contribute to the poor people, food donation, tree plantation, cleanliness campaign in the forest, and conservation of natural resources. It manifests service and generosity to the community through charity and service. The rituals of the Paryushana festival provide important teachings of spirituality, abstinence, cleanliness, and service to the members of the Jain community.

More info about Paryushana

There have been various changes in celebrating the Paryushana festival which have been effected in the Jain community over time. During the Paryushana festival, members of the Jain community are now encouraged to learn more about the lives of the Jain Tirthankaras and their lectures. Through this, they study the important teachings and principles of Jainism and try to engage in their practice. With the availability of the Internet and digital technologies, there has been an increase in the number of spiritual webinars and organizations. During Paryushan Parva, through webinars and organizations, members of the Jain community seek spiritual knowledge, discuss religious texts and share experiences with other members of the community. Shravak-Shravika Sabhas are held during the Paryushana festival, where members of the Jain community interact with each other to discuss spirituality, abstinence, cleanliness, and water conservation. These gatherings strengthen the bonding and spirituality among the members of the Jain community. On the basis of Paryushan festival, various initiatives are taken to reduce pollution among the members of the Jain community. They are conceptualized to follow religious orders and rules to reduce pollution and they are encouraged to solve problems like pollution.

These changes are visible in the celebration of the Paryushan festival, which prompts members of the Jain community to understand and embrace the importance of spiritual salvation, cleanliness, and environmental protection. Through these changes, Paryushan festival is an important sign of awareness and change in the society.

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