By: Anish Visaria, Yashvi Shah Introduction Adinath, Aadeshwar, and Rushabhdev are all ways in which Jains address the first Tirthankar. Not only does he have many names, but there are many takeaways we can gain from some of the key milestones in his life. …

By: Suryaraj Jain As the leaves turn from bright green, to orange and yellow, then finally turning brown, we all understand by then that the season of Autumn is upon us. With that comes one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States; Thanksgiving. A day known in history…

Written by: Nishi Shah, Anish Visaria, and Rihi Jain In Jainism, individuals perform twelve kinds of austerities (tapasya) to eradicate their karmas by reducing their inner passions (kashayas) of anger, ego, deceit, and greed. There are six external austerities and six internal austerities. Some examples of internal austerities include meditation…

Written by: Suryaraj Jain, Rikhav Shah, and Nami Jain Growing up, many of us watched our favorite superheroes in Marvel and DC comics. Each one of the superheros have unique superpowers but are also regular people with jobs and a family. This gives them many redeeming qualities that allow viewers…

By Harshita Jain Each year on Samvatsari, the eighth and final day of the festival of Paryushan, Jains say the words “Michhami Dukkadam” to each other, which translates to “I sincerely ask for your forgiveness,” in the spirit of addressing wrongdoings in the past year and letting go of grievances…

Overview If there is a single prayer or sutra that describes the essence of Jainism, then it is the Navkar Mantra. The Navkar Mantra on a basic level is simply the five-fold salutation to the five spiritual entities (panch-parmeshthi) of the universe. On a deeper level, the Navkar Mantra contains…

Mishi Jain As Jains, we aspire to practice nonviolence by respecting the inherent value and dignity in even the smallest of organisms. Most frequently, this principle of nonviolence presents itself through our vegan and vegetarian diets. This principle may also show up in small and intentional ways, like avoiding walking…

Written by: Anish Visaria, Bhuvni Shah, Jainik Shroff, Khushi Doshi, Vaarin Shroff What is Navpad Oli? Navpad Oli is a nine-day period occurring twice a year during the Chaitra (March/April) and Ashwin (September/October) months to pay respect to the nine pads (supreme entities of the world). The nine pads include…

Sheily Shah It is Sunday morning after the final Closing Ceremony. The halls of the hotel are filled with chatter, laughter, and tears. Attendees are wearing their new YJA Convention t-shirts, and after the all-nighter, they have a frenzied energy. …