Digambar Paryushan (the 10-day Paryushan Parva)

• What it is: A sacred period of 10 days dedicated to self-purification, penance, and spiritual reflection. The last day is Samvatsari, the day of forgiving others and asking forgiveness for any harm done, knowingly or unknowingly.

• When it happens: It falls during the Jain religious month (the exact dates vary each year according to the lunar calendar). Digambar communities observe a 10-day frame that culminates in Samvatsari.

• General structure and practices (Digambar emphasis):

- Daily practices: prayer, meditation, and study (swadhyan) of Jain scriptures; remembrance of the Tirthankaras; chanting and bhakti. - Pratikraman: regular recitation of confession and repentance for past wrongdoings; often performed daily, and more elaborately during Paryushan. - Fasting or reduced eating: many observe some form of fasting or light meals on multiple days as a means of self-control and discipline. - Samayik and Fivefold Sadhana: many followers perform Samayik (a 48-minute meditation focusing on mindfulness, right perception, and ethical conduct) and undertake charitable acts (dana), along with following ahimsa (non-violence) more strictly. - Charity and seva: emphasis on helping others, giving to those in need, and supporting temple or community service. - Scriptural study: reading and reflection on Jain teachings, often focusing on ethics, self-restraint, and detachment.

• Samvatsari (the last day): A key feature of Digambar Paryushan. It is the day of forgiveness (Kshama) where individuals seek forgiveness from others and offer forgiveness to anyone who wronged them. It marks the purification and renewal of ethical commitments.

• Differences between Digambar and other traditions:

- The core goals (self-purification, forgiveness, ahimsa) are shared, but the calendar, the emphasis on certain practices, and the specific ritual foods or fasting patterns can differ between Digambar and Śvetāmbār tradition. If you want precise day-by-day rituals as practiced in a particular Digambar community, those details can vary by region and sub-tradition.

If you’d like, I can share more about a specific Digambar community’s Paryushan schedule or provide exact day-by-day practices for a given year.