Bhadra Tap is generally done as:

1. How many days?

• Commonly: 3 days of tap.
• In some traditions, people extend Bhadra Tap into longer fasts done in Bhadra month (like 8-day Athai, 16 days, etc.), but when people say “Bhadra Tap” in normal talk, they usually mean the 3‑day form.

(Also see JainKnowledge Q&A on Bhadra Tap )

---

2. Basic way to do 3‑day Bhadra Tap

This is a simple Śvetāmbara‑style outline; exact method should follow your own guru / local maryādā.

(a) Pachchakhān (vow before starting)

• Go to derasar or sit in front of Bhagwan’s idol at home.
• Take pachchakhān:

- “I will do Bhadra Tap for 3 days according to my capacity – no food, only boiled water in daytime, with dharmānuṣṭhān (prayers, pratikraman, etc.).”

(b) Food / water rule for each of the 3 days

• No solid food at all.
• Only boiled water, and that too:

- only from sunrise to sunset, - freshly boiled (as per your sect’s rule, usually boiled same day).

• After sunset: nothing (no water, no food).

(c) Daily dharma routine Try to keep the body light and the day full of dharma:

• Morning

- Snān, wear clean simple clothes. - Recite Navkār Mantra, do Samayik if possible. - Do Pratikraman (or at least alochanā–pratyākhyān–kshamā‑yāchanā).

• Daytime

- Swādhyāy – listen to pravachan or read Jain granths as per your level. - Dhyan / Jap – Navkār jap, logassa, stavans. - Maintain maun (silence) as much as you can, avoid gossip, anger, TV, phone, etc. - Be very careful of ahimsā in walking, speaking and work.

• Evening

- Again Pratikraman (or short form if full not possible). - Kshamā‑yāchanā: mentally ask forgiveness from all beings. - Go to sleep early, with shubh bhāv (pure thoughts).

(d) 4th day – Parṇā (breaking the tap)

• In the morning, do prayer / Navkār / Khamāsan / Pratikraman.
• Take parṇā with boiled water first, slowly and with dharmic bhāv.
• Then take simple Jain food (no onion‑garlic, minimum spices, cooked fresh that day).
• Avoid celebrating with heavy food; keep vinay and saiyam (humility and restraint).

---

3. Important points

• Bhadra Tap should always match your health and capacity; do not copy someone else blindly.
• Best is to start after taking guidance from a Jain sadhu‑sādhvī or knowledgeable guru.
• Digambar / Śvetāmbara maryādā (details like water timings, which texts to read, etc.) may differ slightly, but in all traditions the main aim is:

- self‑control, - reduction of rāga‑dveṣa (attachment–aversion), - and karmā‑nirjarā (shedding of karmas) through tapa and pure bhāv.