Paryushan (Paryushan Parva) is a major Jain festival for self-purification, repentance, and spiritual discipline.

Key points about 10-day Paryushan (common in many Shwetambar communities)

• Duration: Typically observed for 10 days. Digambar communities may observe 8 days (and some variations exist in local customs).
• Last day: Samvatsari, the forgiveness day, when Jains seek forgiveness from all beings and offer it to others.
• Core practices (each day or as you choose to observe):

- Samayik: a short, focused meditation on right conduct (usually 48 minutes or a fixed time). - Pratikraman: reflection and repentance for past wrong actions, with a formal prayer of forgiveness. - Five main vows (or upholding them more strictly during this period): non-violence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), non-possessiveness (aparigraha). - Swadhyay: study of Jain scriptures and spiritual texts. - Upvas or vrata: fasting or partial fasting on many days, often with reduced meals or abstaining from certain foods. - Kayotsarg or mental contemplation: deep relaxation and contemplation of the soul, sometimes practiced on specific days. - Seva and sangh activities: participating in community prayers, discourses, and collective worship.

• Daily rhythm: many adherents begin with prayers at dawn, perform samayik, do pratikraman, read or recite Jain sutras, and observe fasting patterns as they feel appropriate.
• Samvatsari (the last day of Paryushan for many): a special forgiveness ritual in which people ask forgiveness from others and grant forgiveness to all living beings; many people also confess specific misdeeds and resolve to improve.

Differences between Digambar and Shwetambar approaches

• Timing and emphasis: Shwetambar communities commonly observe a 10-day Paryushan culminating in Samvatsari; Digambar communities may observe an 8-day period or follow a different sequence of days and rituals.
• Ritual texts and practices: the exact prayers, sutras, and prayers recited can differ between the two traditions. The spirit—self-purification through forgiveness, restraint, and study—remains the same.

Simple guidance to start

• Decide duration: if you follow the common Shwetambar practice, plan for 10 days and mark Samvatsari at the end.
• Plan daily: set aside time for samayik (even 30–60 minutes if a full 48 minutes is not possible), small pratikraman, and some study or reflection.
• Fasting and diet: consider a lighter fast or partial fasting on several days, and avoid foods that are difficult to digest or distracting.
• Forgiveness day: on Samvatsari, make a conscious effort to forgive and seek forgiveness from all beings, and note any personal misdeeds you want to rectify.

If you’d like, I can provide a simple day-by-day outline for a practical 10-day plan or share short prayers and mantras used during Paryushan.