Answer

In the Digambara tradition, the festival corresponding to Paryushan is usually called Das Lakshan Parva. It is observed for 10 days, focusing on the ten supreme virtues of the soul.

The main practices include:

• Observing the Ten Dharmas — one virtue each day
• Fasting and tapasya
• Samayik — meditation and equanimity
• Pratikraman / Pratyakhyan — repentance and vows of restraint
• Svadhyay — study of Jain scriptures
• Puja and Abhishek of Tirthankar idols
• Listening to pravachan from monks, aryikas, or scholars
• Renunciation of harmful habits
• Charity and seva
• Kshamavani — asking forgiveness at the end of the festival

Explanation

The central focus of Digambara Paryushan / Das Lakshan Parva is inner purification. Each day is dedicated to one of the Das Lakshan Dharma:

1. Uttam Kshama — supreme forgiveness
2. Uttam Mardava — supreme humility
3. Uttam Arjava — supreme straightforwardness
4. Uttam Shauch — supreme purity or contentment
5. Uttam Satya — supreme truthfulness
6. Uttam Sanyam — supreme self-restraint
7. Uttam Tap — supreme austerity
8. Uttam Tyag — supreme renunciation
9. Uttam Akinchanya — supreme non-possessiveness
10. Uttam Brahmacharya — supreme celibacy or purity of conduct

Common practices during these days include:

• Fasting: Some people observe complete fasts, one-meal fasts, eating only simple food, or giving up favorite foods.
• Ratri-bhojan tyag: Avoiding food after sunset.
• Jiv daya: Extra care to avoid harming living beings.
• Temple worship: Performing Jinendra Bhagwan’s puja, abhishek, and devotional recitation.
• Scriptural reflection: Studying teachings on soul, karma, non-violence, restraint, and liberation.
• Meditation: Practicing calmness, detachment, and awareness of the soul.
• Vows: Taking temporary vows to reduce violence, falsehood, anger, greed, pride, and attachment.
• Forgiveness: Letting go of anger and asking forgiveness from others.

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, Das Lakshan Parva is not mainly a social festival. It is a festival of the soul.

Its purpose is to weaken passions such as:

• Anger
• Pride
• Deceit
• Greed
• Attachment
• Aversion

By practicing forgiveness, humility, restraint, austerity, and renunciation, a person moves closer to the true nature of the soul, which is pure, peaceful, and full of knowledge.

Kshamavani

At the end of Das Lakshan Parva, Digambara Jains observe Kshamavani, the day of forgiveness.

People say words such as:

“Micchami Dukkadam” or “Uttam Kshama”

This means they seek forgiveness for any hurt caused knowingly or unknowingly through thought, speech, or action.

Takeaway

Digambara Paryushan, known as Das Lakshan Parva, is a sacred period of self-purification. Its practices are centered on forgiveness, restraint, fasting, scripture study, meditation, worship, and inner transformation through the ten supreme virtues.