Answer

Navkarsi means taking food or drink only after a proper time after sunrise, as per Jain discipline.

Navkarsi Pachkhan is usually taken in the morning after waking up and completing basic purity/ritual preparation, before the Navkarsi time begins or before eating/drinking.

How to do Navkarsi

A simple way to observe Navkarsi:

• Wake up early and remember the Navkar Mantra.
• Complete morning cleanliness.
• Do Samayik, Pratikraman, Navkar Mantra, or other daily prayers according to your capacity and tradition.
• Do not eat or drink anything until the Navkarsi time is completed.
• After the proper time, take food or water mindfully, with restraint and gratitude.

When to take Navkarsi Pachkhan

Navkarsi Pachkhan is taken:

• In the morning, after waking up.
• Generally after completing morning prayers or Pratikraman.
• Before eating or drinking anything.
• Ideally with awareness of the day’s sunrise time and your local tradition’s exact Navkarsi timing.

Important Note

The exact wording of Navkarsi Pachkhan and the exact calculation of time may differ slightly by Jain tradition, especially among Śvetāmbara Murtipujak, Sthānakavāsī, Terāpanth, and local gaccha practices.

So it is best to learn the exact Pachkhan wording from your Guru, Upadhyayji, Sadhviji, or knowledgeable elder in your tradition.

Spiritual Understanding

Navkarsi is not only about delaying food. It is a practice of:

• Self-control
• Discipline over taste and hunger
• Mindfulness before eating
• Reducing carelessness in daily life

Takeaway

Take Navkarsi Pachkhan in the morning before eating or drinking, observe the proper Navkarsi time after sunrise, and follow the exact method taught in your Jain tradition.