Paryushan is the annual “self‑cleaning” time in Jain Dharma. Doing dharm (living the path) during these days matters because:

• Best time for inner purification: The atmosphere in the sangh, and the guidance of sadhus/sadhvis, make it easier to turn inward and remove sins (paap) and passions (kashaya).
• Fast shedding of karmas (nirjara): Practices like fasting, pratikraman, samayik, swadhyay, and pratyakhyan weaken and shed bound karmas more intensely than on ordinary days.
• Strengthening the three jewels (ratnatraya): Right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct get refreshed through study, reflection, and actual discipline.
• Cultivating the Ten Virtues: Forgiveness, humility, straightforwardness, contentment, truth, self‑restraint, penance, renunciation, non‑attachment, and celibacy are focused on and practiced more sincerely.
• Repairing relationships: Asking and giving forgiveness (Kshamapana—“Micchami Dukkadam”) cleans the heart, reduces enmity, and builds compassion (ahimsa) in daily life.
• Training in restraint: Limiting vijaya (food), vachan (speech), and vritti (possessions/activities) reduces new karmic bondage (bandh) and nurtures aparigraha.
• Deepening equanimity: Regular samayik and pratikraman stabilize the mind in upekṣha (samata), which is the core of Jain sadhana.
• Lifelong carryover: The habits formed—less anger, less greed, truthful speech, mindful eating—continue after Paryushan, uplifting the whole year.

Traditions:

• Shwetambar: Eight days called Paryushan, culminating in Samvatsari Pratikraman and universal forgiveness.
• Digambar: Ten days called Das‑Lakshan Parva, each day dedicated to one supreme dharma (uttam kshama, etc.). The purpose—self‑purification and nirjara—is the same in both.

In short: Do dharm during Paryushan to cleanse past faults, stop new bondage, awaken compassion and equanimity, and move a step closer to your true, pure Self.