Answer

Since you are 17 and already facing early weight loss, you should not do severe fasting in Paryushan without guidance from your parents and a qualified doctor.

In Jain Dharma, fasting is meant for self-purification, not harming the body. If the body is weak or health is at risk, you can still observe Paryushan through lighter tapas and spiritual practices.

What You Can Do Instead

You may consider gentle and safer options such as:

• Eat simple Jain food with discipline.
• Avoid junk food, outside food, sweets, fried food, and overeating.
• Do Chauvihar if your health allows: no food or water after sunset.
• Do Tivihar if Chauvihar is difficult: no food after sunset, but water may be allowed as per practice.
• Do Ekasana or Beasana only if your health permits.
• Increase prayer, samayik, pratikraman, svadhyay, and forgiveness.
• Practice control of anger, ego, lying, greed, and attachment.

Important Health Guidance

Because you are losing weight already:

• Speak with your parents or guardian first.
• Consult a doctor before doing any fast like upvas, ayambil, ekasana, or prolonged fasting.
• If you feel dizziness, weakness, fainting, chest pain, severe headache, or extreme fatigue, stop fasting and seek help.

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, bhav matters deeply. If your intention is pure, even a small discipline done with awareness can be spiritually meaningful.

Paryushan is not only about food fasting. It is also about:

• Forgiveness
• Humility
• Self-control
• Repentance
• Compassion
• Reducing passions

Takeaway

Do not force your body into a difficult fast while you are already losing weight. For you, a better Paryushan tapas may be: simple food, no junk food, prayer, pratikraman, forgiveness, and mental discipline. This is also a sincere way to observe Paryushan.