Paryushan is the most spiritually intense and philosophically profound festival in Jainism—a time not of external celebration but of deep inner work. Lasting eight days for Shwetambar Jains and ten for Digambar Jains, Paryushan is a sacred period of fasting, reflection, self-discipline, and immersion in the soul’s true nature. The name itself means “to stay close,” signifying a return to the self, to stillness, and to the eternal truths that lie beneath the distractions of everyday life.
Unlike festivals marked by feasting or festivity, Paryushan is ascetic in nature. Devotees often undertake partial or complete fasts, withdraw from worldly activity, and devote themselves to scriptural study, introspection, and spiritual austerity. It is a period when laypeople mirror, as closely as possible, the path of the monks and nuns—striving toward detachment, non-violence, and purification of karma.
At the heart of Paryushan is the pursuit of atmasiddhi, or self-realisation. Jain philosophy views the soul as inherently pure, radiant, and free, but weighed down by karmic particles—subtle matter attracted by passions such as anger, pride, deceit, and greed. During Paryushan, one consciously sheds this karmic weight through tapas (austerity), swadhyaya (study), pratikraman (confession and repentance), and dharma dhyan (spiritual contemplation).
The festival culminates in Samvatsari, the Day of Forgiveness, when Jains utter the phrase micchami dukkadam—a request for pardon from all living beings for harm caused knowingly or unknowingly in the past year. This act is not merely interpersonal; it is metaphysical. Forgiveness becomes a way to dissolve karma, restore harmony, and reaffirm the principle of ahimsa—non-violence in thought, word, and action.
Scripture plays a vital role during Paryushan. Texts such as the Kalpa Sutra are read and expounded upon in daily gatherings. These ancient writings recount the lives and teachings of the Tirthankaras—enlightened beings who have transcended the cycle of birth and death. Their stories are not mythic in the conventional sense, but instructional—a blueprint for self-conquest, self-knowledge, and liberation.
Aesthetic expressions during Paryushan are marked by restraint and sacred intention. Temples are cleaned and minimally decorated, lamps are lit with quiet reverence, and the atmosphere is imbued with silence and sacred sound. The rituals are precise, the chants meditative, and the gestures deliberate—each an offering to the soul’s awakening.
Philosophically, Paryushan is also a time to contemplate anekantavada, the Jain doctrine of many-sided truth. It teaches that truth is vast and multifaceted, and that humility is essential in both spiritual pursuit and daily conduct. This becomes especially vital in a time of reflection, where the goal is not to judge others but to dissolve one’s own ego and delusion.
Paryushan is ultimately a festival of lightness—not the kind that comes from celebration, but the kind that follows release. It is a time to lighten the karmic load, to let go of injury and pride, and to remember the brilliance of the soul beneath all coverings. In its silence, it sings of freedom. In its simplicity, it reveals the depth of truth. And in its end, it offers a beginning—a fresh alignment with the path of liberation.
