Answer

In Jain Dharma, doing 10 upvas is considered a powerful form of tapasya—spiritual austerity. Its importance is not only in fasting from food, but in reducing attachment, controlling desires, purifying karma, and strengthening the soul’s discipline.

Explanation

Upvas means staying close to the soul by withdrawing from bodily pleasures and worldly cravings. When a person performs 10 upvas with proper faith, discipline, and inner purity, it helps in:

• Karma nirjara: Shedding previously bound karmas through austerity.
• Self-control: Training the mind and senses to remain calm without dependence on taste and food.
• Detachment: Reducing attachment to the body and material comforts.
• Spiritual focus: Giving more time to samayik, pratikraman, swadhyay, mantra jaap, and bhavna.
• Inner strength: Building patience, tolerance, and determination.

In Jainism, the value of upvas depends greatly on the bhav—the inner intention. Fasting with anger, pride, show-off, or expectation of praise is not spiritually fruitful in the same way as fasting with humility, forgiveness, and awareness.

Spiritual Understanding

The true purpose of 10 upvas is to move from body-centered living toward soul-centered awareness. During tapasya, one should try to avoid harmful thoughts, harsh words, anger, ego, gossip, and attachment.

Along with not eating, one should cultivate:

• Ahimsa
• Forgiveness
• Equanimity
• Humility
• Devotion toward Arihant, Siddha, Sadhu, and Dharma

Takeaway

Doing 10 upvas is spiritually important when done with right faith, right intention, discipline, and inner purity. It is a noble tapasya that helps the soul reduce karmic bondage and progress toward liberation.