Athāī (eight-day fast) is a very high Jain tapa. Keep it simple, pure, and within maryādā taken from your Guru or a knowledgeable shrāvaka.

Before starting

• Take pachchakkhān (formal vow): type of Athāī (with boiled water in day, or nirjal), time window for water, daily niyams.
• Do kṣamā-yāchanā and begin with Navkār Mantra.

Daily arādhanā (every day of the 8 days)

• Dev-darshan and Namokār Mantra jāp.
• Samayik (at least 48 minutes), Kayotsarga, and dhyān on the 12 bhāvanās (anitya, asaraṇa, saṁsāra, ekatva, anyatva, āsrava, saṁvara, nirjarā, loka, bodhi-durlabh, dharma, upaśama).
• Svādhyāy: sutras/pravachans appropriate to your tradition (e.g., Logassa, Uttarādhyayana selections, Tattvārtha ideas).
• Pratikraman (morning and evening) with alochanā and kṣamāpanā.
• Maintain māun (silence) for a fixed period; keep dravya and bhāva śuddhi.
• Offer seva/vandana to sādhus/sādhvīs if possible and do prāṇi-dayā (careful walking, gentle speech, careful use of water).

Do’s (maryādā)

• No food. Water only as per your pachchakkhān: always boiled/filtered, only in daylight, limited quantity.
• Sit/rest simply; avoid unnecessary travel and activity. Sleep minimally and on a simple bed/floor if you can.
• Avoid mobile/entertainment, business talk, and all gossip. Keep the mind in upayog (soul-focused awareness).
• Before and after drinking water (if allowed), chant Navkār Mantra 3 times.

Don’ts

• No water after sunset; no raw/unboiled water; no taste-seeking (rasa-tyāg).
• Avoid anger, pride, deceit, greed; avoid harming even the tiniest beings (care in bathroom, kitchen, lights, moving objects).

Sect-wise notes

• Śvetāmbara: commonly Athāī with only boiled water in daytime (within fixed hours).
• Digambara: often stricter; some observe nirjal Athāī or very limited boiled water only in daylight. Follow your ācārya/paramparā.
• Pratikraman sutras/order differ by tradition; keep to your sect’s vidhi. For a simple outline:

Health and guidance

• Undertake Athāī only if fit, and under guidance. If weakness arises, consult Guru/doctor and adjust maryādā rather than risking himsā to self.

Parṇā (ending the fast)

• Do parṇā at the exact time fixed in your pachchakkhān (usually the 9th morning/daytime).
• Begin with warm boiled water as per maryādā; chant Navkār 3 times before and after the first sip. Keep the first bhojan very simple and sattvik, without spice/oil; increase slowly over the next days.
• Do kṣamāpanā, dev-darshan, guru-vandan, and dedicate puṇya for sarva-jīva kalyāṇ.

May your Athāī be pure in dravya and bhāva, leading to saṁvara and nirjarā.