Answer

In Jain Dharma, Attham Tap means doing 3 consecutive Upvas—taking no food for three days, with proper religious discipline. Its importance is not “attraction” in a worldly sense, but spiritual purification, self-control, and weakening of attachment to the body and taste.

Explanation

3 Upvas / Attham is considered an important form of Tapasya because it helps the soul practice:

• Control over hunger and taste – reducing dependence on food and sense pleasures.
• Kashaya reduction – calming anger, ego, deceit, and greed.
• Karma nirjara – shedding previously bound karmas through austerity done with right faith and purity.
• Discipline of body and mind – learning patience, awareness, and inner strength.
• Devotional focus – spending more time in samayik, pratikraman, swadhyay, mantra, and bhavna.

In Jain tradition, fasting is meaningful only when it is done with right intention. If 3 Upvas are done for pride, show, competition, or worldly gain, the spiritual benefit becomes limited.

Spiritual Understanding

The purpose of Attham is to turn the mind inward. During fasting, a person remembers:

• “I am the soul, not merely the body.”
• “Hunger belongs to the body; peace belongs to the soul.”
• “Reducing desires helps me move closer to liberation.”

So, the true importance of 3 Upvas is not just not eating; it is practicing vairagya, ahimsa, self-restraint, and spiritual awareness.

Takeaway

Attham Tap / 3 Upvas is important because it strengthens self-control, reduces attachment, supports karma nirjara, and helps the soul move toward purity. It should be done with humility, proper guidance, and devotion.