How to do varshitap

Varshitap is a very powerful and tough tapa, so it should always be done only with guidance of your Guru / Pandit and with proper health care. Below is the general Śvetāmbara śrāvak method, in very simple points:

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1. What is Varshitap?

• A long vrata of about 1 year (13 months 13 days).
• Pattern: 1 day Upvās (fast) – next day Besan / Ekāsan (eat) – then again Upvās – and so on, almost the whole year.
• It is done in remembrance of Bhagwān Ṛishabhdev (Ādināth) and His long fast, and to burn our own karmas.

You can read a basic explanation here

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2. When does Varshitap usually start and end?

(Śvetāmbara tradition – for laypeople)

• Start: Chaitra Shukla Ashtami
• End (Parṇā): Vaiśākh Shukla Tritiyā = Akṣay Tritiyā

Exact English dates change every year because it follows the lunar Jain calendar. You can see the traditional start/end note here

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3. Basic pattern (Śvetāmbara practice)

(A) Upvās day

• Only boiled water, usually:

- started after sunrise - stopped before sunset (as per your Guru’s instruction).

• No food the whole day.
• Spend more time in:

- Sāmāyik / Pratikraman - Swādhyāy (reading / listening to Jain scriptures) - Jin pūjā / Stavan / Jap (e.g. Navkār Mantra, Uvasaggaharam, etc.)

• Try to avoid:

- anger, ego, greed, deceit - gossip, TV, mobile time waste, etc.

(B) Besan / Ekāsan day (eating day)

Different people follow slightly different niyam; the common ones:

• Boiled water only (no fridge water, no raw water).
• Food only in day-time, not at night.
• Some do Besan – eat two times, sitting in one place.
• Some keep Ekāsan – eat one time, sitting in one place.
• Food is:

- as simple and satvik as possible, - prepared with proper Jain rules (no root vegetables, no green after sunset, etc., according to your sect’s niyam).

• Even on eating day, maintain good bhāv, not “party” mood.

(C) Special tithis

• If a Besan day falls on Chaudas or other special tithi, many traditions keep Upvās even on that day,

so sometimes there are two Upvās days back‑to‑back. Follow exactly what your Guru / Pañch / local tradition says.

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4. Daily spiritual routine (both days)

Try to maintain:

• Morning:

- Navkār Mantra, Sāmāyik, Pratikraman (short if needed), Prārthanā.

• Day:

- Swādhyāy (Jin-kathā, Tattvagyan), good company (sajjan-saṅg).

• Night:

- Alochanā–Pratikraman, Kshamā-yāchanā, sleep with Shubh bhāv.

Main goal: “Karma kṣay aur bhāv śuddhi” – not weight loss, not show-off.

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5. Parṇā (breaking the Varshitap)

• Done on Akṣay Tritiyā (Vaiśākh Shukla 3).
• Traditionally:

- Parṇā is done with ikṣurasa (ganna / sugarcane juice) in front of Bhagwān Ṛishabhdev / Ādināth’s idol (or picture if idol not available).

• Simple outline:

1. Do snātra / pūjā / stavan as per local niyam. 2. Take pachchakkhān from Guru or Pandit for Parṇā. 3. Sit with shānta, kṛtajña bhāv (gratitude) – no excitement, no show. 4. First take ikṣurasa, slowly, with dhyān of Bhagwān. 5. After some time, take very light food (no heavy/oily feast immediately).

Many do Parṇā at Hastinapur, Palitana, Kesariyaji, etc. where Ādināth Bhagwān’s tīrth is there, but it is not compulsory; bhāv is most important.

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6. Digambar / Śvetāmbara note

• Story level:

Digambar and Śvetāmbara granths differ in how long Ṛishabhdev Bhagwān actually fasted (about 6 months vs. 13 months etc.), but all agree He did very great tap and broke it with sugarcane juice.

• Practical vrata today:

- Varshitap with alternate-day Upvās–Besan is mostly a Śvetāmbara śrāvak practice. - Digambar shrāvaks also do many other long taps; exact name/niyam may differ, so always follow your own Guru.

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7. Very important cautions

1. Do NOT start Varshitap on your own.

- First take permission and detailed niyam from: - your Āchārya / Guru / learned Pandit, and - also check with a doctor, especially if you have any health issues.

1. If at any time health becomes serious:

- Stop the fast properly with pachchakkhān; health is also dharma.

1. Remember:

- Tap is for vinamratā, antar-shuddhi, mithyātva dūr karna, not for ego, not for social media, not for show.

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In short: Varshitap = one year of alternate Upvās and simple eating, with deep bhakti of Ādināth Bhagwān, under Guru’s guidance, to purify the soul and burn karmas.