Samvastsari - The Last Day of Paryushan

The final and the most important day of Paryushan is Samvastsari. Samvastsari Pratikraman is done by most of the Jains in a group before the sunsets. It is a ritual of asking forgiveness from the teacher which is widened in scope to include family, friends and all other living beings present on the world. The culmination of confession is receiving forgiveness from all living beings and also granting forgiveness to all. This ritual of forgiveness is sometimes called the rite of "universal friendship". The spirit of the day is contained in the verse:

"KHAAMEMI SAVVE JEEVA

SAVVE JEEVA KHAMENTU ME

METTI ME SAVVE BHUYESU

VAIRAM MAJHAM NA KENAI"

Which means : I forgive all living beings from the bottom of my heart without any reservation who may have caused me any pain and suffering either in this life or previous lives, and I beg for the forgiveness from all living beings from the bottom of my heart without any reservation to whom I may have caused pain and suffering in this life or previous lives, knowingly or unknowingly, through my actions, talks or deeds. Let all living beings know that I have friendship with everybody and I have no revenge (enmity) towards anybody.

Paryushan Parva - 2

Beginning on the fourth day of Paryushan, it is customary for Murtipujak Shwetambar to read the Kalpa Sutra, a scripture which recounts the life of Lord Mahavira - the 24th Tirthankar of the Jains. On the fifth day Mahavir Janam Vanchan (Birth reading of Lord Mahavir) is read out by the monks, which says the 14 dreams of his mother before his birth,

• Dream of an elephant
• Dream of a Bull
• Dream of a Lion
• Dream of Laxmi
• Dream of Flowers
• Dream of a Full Moon
• Dream of the Sun
• Dream of a large Banner
• Dream of a Silver Urn
• Dream of a Lake filled with Lotuses
• Dream of a Milky-White Sea
• Dream of a Celestial Vehical
• Dream of a heap of Gems
• Dream of a Fire without Smoke

followed by the story of his birth, life and liberation (Nirvana). It also recounts the lives of other Tirthankara and the rules of Paryushan.

Derasar's (Jain Temples) are decorated with flowers, leaves, candles, sandalwood and rangolis (which is called as Aangi) during all days of Paryshun. The fifth day of Paryushan during which Mahavir Janam Vanchan is read from the Kalpa Sutra, Derasar's are specially decorated with great Aangi's in the evening.

I'm posting some of the snaps of Aangi decorated in a near by Derasar from my home that I took today (Fifth Day of Paryushan)

Paryushan Parva

Paryushan - The festivals of Jains meaning "abiding" or "coming together" starts somewhere in the mid of the rainy season from Shravan Vad 12 till Bhadrapad Shudh 4 which lasts for 8 days (shwetamber). It is also a time when the laity take on vows of study and fasting with a spiritual intensity similar to temporary monasticism. Paryushan concludes with a time of confession and forgiveness for the transgressions of the previous year.

These 8 days are said to be the most auspicious days for the Jains. Unlike the festivals of other religion where it is celebrated with fun and flare, the festival of Paryushan ordains the jains to observe the universal supreme virtues in daily practical life with meditation and prayer which provides an opportunity for looking within and towards the teachings of the Tirthankars for the guidance. Besides assuring a blissful existence in this world and the other world for every living being, it aims at the attainment of salvation - the supreme ideal for mundane soul. The devotees observe the 8 days of Paryushan with different kinds of "Tapasya" and "Upasana". One cannot consume any fruits or even a grain in our upvaas. The upvaas can be of any numbers depending upon the will power of the person. They may be of a day or two or 8 days, 16 days, and even for 31 days. To live without food for such a long time seems to be difficult. But the person who observes fasts for so many days feels like living in a sea of energy. Our body gains energy indirectly from the food we eat, while we gain direct energy from the cosmic energy that flow into us through the medulla oblongata at the bottom of the brain. But as I earlier mentioned this kind of acceptance of energy depends upon the will of the person and the mental set-up. The greater the will, the greater would be the flow of energy.

During the days of Paryushan Jains often take time off from work and eat a much simpler diet in addition to their routine diet. They avoid eating roots like potatoes, onions, garlic, green vegetables, etc. which entails killing the entire plant. People become conscious, rather I would say extra conscious while observing all these so as they commit as minimum sins as possible. We forbid ourself to abide to things like eating and drinking during the day time as nothing is allowed after the sunset. It's a perfect time to reflect and retrospect on the way I breathe my life. Hope we continue this way for the rest of 357 days of the year and respect the lives of other living beings as much as we do for ours....