Answer

In Jain Dharma, a day is commonly divided into 4 prahars and a night into 4 prahars.

• 1 prahar = about 3 hours
• So, 8 prahars = 24 hours

There are usually no special separate names for prahars beyond:

• 1st prahar
• 2nd prahar
• 3rd prahar
• 4th prahar

Their timings change with sunrise and sunset, so the exact clock time is not fixed.

Explanation

Day prahars

• 1st prahar of the day: from sunrise to 3 hours after sunrise
• 2nd prahar of the day: from 3 to 6 hours after sunrise
• 3rd prahar of the day: from 6 to 9 hours after sunrise
• 4th prahar of the day: from 9 hours after sunrise to sunset

Night prahars

• 1st prahar of the night: from sunset to 3 hours after sunset
• 2nd prahar of the night: from 3 to 6 hours after sunset
• 3rd prahar of the night: from 6 to 9 hours after sunset
• 4th prahar of the night: from 9 hours after sunset to sunrise

What a Shravika can do in each prahar

1st prahar of day

• Wake up early
• Cleanliness and self-discipline
• Navkar Mantra meditation
• Daily vow remembrance
• If possible, Snatra puja / Chaitya vandan / Samayik

2nd prahar of day

• Household duties with care and ahimsa
• Cooking with purity and less violence
• Avoid carelessness in speech and action
• Be mindful of water, fire, and small जीवs

3rd prahar of day

• Svadhyaya: study of Jain scriptures
• Charity, service, and helping others
• Temple visit if possible
• Prayer, japa, and reflection

4th prahar of day

• Finish necessary work peacefully
• Keep food and conduct disciplined
• Avoid unnecessary violence, haste, and harsh speech
• Prepare for evening spiritual practice

1st prahar of night

• Pratikraman if possible
• Reflect on the day
• Seek forgiveness for mistakes
• Keep the mind calm and light

2nd prahar of night

• Rest, silence, and inner stability
• Avoid gossip, anger, attachment, and wasteful activity
• Keep the atmosphere sattvic and peaceful

3rd and 4th prahar of night

• Sleep early if possible
• Maintain restraint and awareness
• Avoid worldly distractions
• Begin the next day with purity

Spiritual Understanding

For a shravika, prahars are not only time divisions. They remind us that:

• the whole day should be lived in dharma
• spiritual practice should continue from morning to night
• ahimsa, संयम, तप, and भक्ति should be part of daily life
• householder life can also become a path of purification

A shravika’s ideal is to:

• reduce violence
• practice restraint
• do devotion regularly
• keep the mind pure
• live with compassion, humility, and discipline

Takeaway

The simplest way to remember prahars is:

• 4 prahars in the day
• 4 prahars in the night
• each prahar = about 3 hours

As a shravika, try to fill every prahar with:

• Navkar
• ahimsa
• svadhyaya
• pratikraman
• service
• restraint

If you want, I can also make a full Jain shravika daily timetable from sunrise to sleep in a very simple chart.