Experiences with Paryushan and Das Lakshan
“The most challenging thing during Paryushan is peer pressure. If you eat out regularly with your colleagues or friends, it can be awkward if you suddenly have to explain why you can’t eat root vegetables. I usually cook my lunches, and if I have to eat out, I’ll eat salads.”
Kushal Shah
“The first 3–4 days of your atthai will feel really challenging, but if you persist through that 3rd or 4th day, it goes by so quick. No taap is easy, so if your mind is set, don’t let anything else make you weaker. The strength all lies in the mind!”
Yashwee Kothari
“Paryushan is the most important event for Jains. A spiritual atmosphere is created among people who celebrate this holy parva for the upliftment of their souls. People perform Pratikraman, Samayik, and also go to listen Vyakhyan given by Jain monks. They fast in different ways. All these are done to seek forgiveness for all offenses done knowingly or unknowingly. During such times, at a place miles away from your homeland, balancing your professional life and spiritual side is very difficult. As people don’t experience a spiritual environment which they may be used to back in India, it becomes a very challenging task to preserve and conserve their culture and values.”
Prasham Shah
“Practicing restraint is one the hardest things for me. Not everyone can fast completely for eight or 10 days, but everyone can put a hold on something. Make small goals for yourself and restrain yourself on one more thing every year. For example, if you eat meat, then don’t eat it for the Paryushan/Das Lakshan time. Today, not every part of religion is feasible for each person, so we need to bend the rules to make them fit to today’s society. As long as we don’t completely alter the meanings of rituals and traditions, in my opinion, the extra wiggle room is perfectly fine.”
Vipasha Jain
“I came to Little Rock, Arkansas for my Master’s in 2016, during Paryushan. I was surprised to find no Jains living in the area and to be the only international student in my cohort. We had a multicultural class, and our professor asked about everyone’s religion. My classmates were surprised when I wrote down Jain. A lot of them were aware of Hinduism but had never heard of Jainism. That day, I shared what Jainism meant, how the religion started, and our beliefs. People were amazed and really intrigued by our religion. Since that day, all of the faculty members and fellow students had great admiration for our religion.”
Kinnari Stra
“Paryushan is the time of year I feel most connected to my roots. Paryushan reminds me the teachings of Jainism as one of the most peaceful, practical, and scientific religions. I have had the privilege to experience Paryushan in the best way possible during my childhood in India. I was also fortunate enough to be sent to different towns in India for three years to conduct Paryushan activities where Jain monks were not present. However, the past few years have changed my experience, as I am looking inwards more. I have started practicing single day fasting on every chaudus and changing my food habits to align with religious beliefs but also with health benefits. I wish everyone an incredible and enlightening Paryushan!”
Nilay Chheda
“During Paryushan, the hardest part of the whole week is maintaining mental toughness and resisting temptation. One week of restrictions can feel like a year, which is why it is hard for most second-generation Jains. The good thing is that people should embrace the week while it is happening, because it is one week during the whole year focused on shedding sins and cleansing one’s soul. It is rewarding to do something during this week. Tips I would give for college students are to try and visit a temple every day of the week if possible; if not, then at least pray every morning and night. Partial fasting is something students do a lot because total fasting takes a toll on a student’s body. Also, try to practice Jainism in simple ways like not walking in grass and not eating after sundown.”
Rishi Shah
“Paryushan was a tradition in my family growing up, and it brought us all together to show us what we were capable of. Paryushan showed me that with perseverance, you can fight through anything.”
Parita Shah
“Paryushan/Das Lakshan is a time for me to reflect on the year so far. It provides a great opportunity to strengthen my ties to Jainism that I sometimes forget, don’t make time for, or overlook during the rest of the year. From performing Pratikaman to seeking forgiveness from others, it provides a wholeness to me. It’s a time of coming together with the feeling of a strong sense of community. It’s also a great point to see how New Year’s resolutions are going!”
Rishabh Kodia
“As a kid, my parents enforced the seemingly arbitrary rules of Paryushan. After detaching myself from the rituals, bidding, and celebrations, I began to see these eight days in a different light. I believe that one of our core principles is to release the ego. Our ego motivates us to draw attention to ourselves and our deeds so that we might feel elevated amongst our peers. Paryushan is a time where we are supposed to reflect on ourselves, and the impact of our actions on others. However, the majority of people I speak with are more interested in other people’s fasting routines, diets, donations, etc. It saddens me to see people preaching one set of values while so brazenly practicing the opposite. There is no need to speak or even think about what someone else is doing if you are wholeheartedly concentrated on your own improvement. Fasting during Paryushan and saying Micchami Dukkadam have no impact on their own if these actions are not accompanied by the correct intention.”
Vishal Shah
“Often when confronted with daunting and discouraging dilemmas, we seek solace in religion. But Jainism provides us far more than its socio-spiritual, compassionate principles. Annually, we get the chance to uplift ourselves, and this chance comes in the form of Paryushan. During these eight days of purification and forgiveness, we come closer to our souls through meditation, introspection, and dharmic study. On the first day of Paryushan last year, I opened up a book that enumerated the core teachings of Jainism, and the chapter on cosmology, in particular, showed me that my mundane life is connected to something far more substantial. Alone yet surrounded by a millennium of thinking, I was gratified to feel more connected to my religion.
As we near Paryushan, it is important to recognize that an atma has no needs, unlike the mind and body. Rituals such as fasting and other ascetic activities are aimed to help us control our worldly desires, and in essence, bring us closer to our true, self-sustained, and ebullient forms. In order to survive Paryushan amidst outside interferences, most notably school and work, I strive to do as much as I am able. If I cannot fast, I’ll try to limit what I consume and try to eat vegan meals instead. If I don’t get a chance to do samayak, I’ll read about Jainism throughout the day.
Whether you perform a ritual exactly or practice its fundaments, recognizing the meaning behind the ritual is highly necessary. During the last stretch of an upvas when all I was craving was a seven-layer burrito, I kept morale up by recognizing that fasting was not only building my discipline but also benefitting my body — as various studies show — by detoxifying, enhancing digestion, and improving cognition. By studying Jainism through a curious, even skeptical lens, I’ve been able to follow Jainism in a resonating way. Besides, only by profoundly questioning our faith can we grow, and I highly encourage you to do so this Paryushan.
Stuti Shah
“I joined my sangh’s Sunday class when I was very young. Jain class has made me more connected to Bhagwan and created a safe place I look forward to attending.
Being a Jain, I have practiced and followed Paryushan for many years. For me, Paryushan is a time when I ask for forgiveness and challenge myself by doing more taap, making sacrifices, and giving daan. We forgive those who have done wrongful things to us, but bigger than that, we seek forgiveness from those whom we have hurt knowingly or unknowingly.
At home, I fast for one day and also do Samayik and Pratikraman. Although I only fast for one day, it teaches me how important it is to give things up. It is very important to practice sacrifice, even if it is only for one day. It teaches you the value of all the resources around us and how lucky we are. When we do Samayik, we ask God and those, human and non-human, who we have done wrongful things to, for forgiveness. Although some of those living beings will never know you are asking for forgiveness from them when you are doing Samayik, it is the fact that you are asking for forgiveness that will help you attain the true Jain attributes.”
Suhani Lodha
