Lalit Garg
Paryushan Mahaparva, the most significant spiritual festival of Jainism, is being observed across the country with devotion, austerity, self-discipline, meditation and introspection. It is not merely an eight-day religious observance; it is a profound opportunity to awaken the soul, purify one’s life and restore harmony in human relationships. The concluding phase will be marked by Samvatsari on September 14, followed by Kshamapana and World Fellowship Day on September 15, when people seek forgiveness from one another and reaffirm the spirit of friendship. In essence, Paryushan is a beautiful spiritual journey—from self-purification to universal fellowship. The true meaning of Paryushan is to turn inward, become established in the self and cleanse the layers of passions, impurities and negligence that have accumulated within us. Most of human life is spent pursuing external achievements, desires, competition and worldly ambitions. We remain busy judging and changing the world, but seldom find time to look within ourselves. Paryushan teaches us to pause, introspect and discover our own inner reality. That is why practices such as meditation, austerity, scriptural study, Samayik, Pratikraman and Pratyakhyan become significant during these days. They provide an opportunity to transform life from within.
The relevance of Paryushan has become even greater in the world we live in today. Warmth in family relationships is gradually declining, social divisions are deepening, economic competition is pushing people into an endless race for more, and political rivalry often replaces dialogue with confrontation. Distrust, violence and terrorism between nations continue to challenge humanity. In such circumstances, the message of Paryushan is profoundly relevant: outer peace begins with inner peace. Unless human beings reduce anger, ego, greed, deceit, possessiveness, prejudice and hatred within themselves, lasting peace cannot be established in families, societies or the world. The central message of Paryushan is introspection. Pratikraman is the spiritual process through which this introspection takes concrete form. Prati means “back” and kraman means “to move”—thus, Pratikraman signifies returning to one’s true self by turning away from one’s mistakes. It means moving from falsehood to truth, from negativity to goodness, from negligence to awareness and from hostility to friendship. Mistakes are an inevitable part of human life; the real problem is our unwillingness to acknowledge them. The moment a person accepts a mistake, the possibility of transformation begins. But when one remains busy justifying one’s mistakes, the path to self-improvement closes.
Samvatsari represents the culmination of this process of self-purification. It invites us to review our conduct, thoughts and actions throughout the year and ask ourselves: Whom have I hurt? Towards whom have I developed resentment? Whose feelings have my words wounded? When did ego influence my behaviour? Where did anger, greed or insistence overpower my wisdom? Such introspection lightens the burden carried within. Seeking forgiveness is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of inner strength. It takes courage to acknowledge one’s own mistake and an even greater heart to forgive another. The concluding message of Paryushan is Kshamapana—asking for and granting forgiveness—and universal fellowship. It is not merely a ritual expression of Micchami Dukkadam, but a sincere resolve to remove bitterness and hostility from the heart. Forgiveness becomes meaningful only when it is genuine. If we seek forgiveness with our lips while resentment remains in our hearts, the process remains incomplete. Similarly, asking forgiveness does not make a person smaller; it makes the relationship larger and more meaningful.
Lord Mahavira’s eternal message—“Mitti me savva bhuesu, veram majjham na kenai”—“I have friendship with all living beings and enmity with none”—is immensely relevant to the contemporary world. The Bhagavad Gita too presents the ideal of Atmaupamya: seeing others as oneself and recognising their joys and sorrows as one’s own. The essence of both teachings is universal—to treat another person’s happiness and suffering as we would our own. At a time when bitterness and distance are increasing in personal relationships, Paryushan can offer a new perspective to families as well. Whether between spouses, parents and children, siblings, friends or colleagues, many conflicts can disappear if people begin to understand one another’s feelings instead of focusing solely on their own expectations. Everyone speaks of rights, but when duties and sensitivity receive equal importance, relationships become more harmonious. Forgiveness possesses the remarkable power to repair relationships and gradually rebuild even damaged trust.
The message of Paryushan should not remain confined to the Jain community. Non-violence, restraint, forgiveness, friendship and peaceful coexistence are universal human values. Religious beliefs may differ and forms of worship may vary, but respecting every human being is not the monopoly of any one faith. Violence cannot provide a lasting solution to any problem. It breeds revenge, and revenge gives birth to further violence. Dialogue, tolerance, forgiveness and friendship, on the other hand, create possibilities for genuine resolution. The world today is passing through an intense phase of economic, political and strategic competition. Nations are seeking greater power, markets are constantly pursuing expansion, and technology has given humanity unprecedented capabilities. But if technological progress is not accompanied by moral progress, development itself can become a source of danger. The world therefore needs not merely powerful nations, but sensitive nations; not merely prosperous societies, but societies committed to peaceful coexistence; and not merely successful individuals, but people guided by restraint, compassion and ethical responsibility. Paryushan offers precisely this balance: change yourself before attempting to change the world. When anger within is calmed, conflict outside begins to diminish. When ego is reduced, relationships become more natural. When greed declines, exploitation decreases. When friendship expands within, trust grows in society. Paryushan can therefore become not merely a religious observance but a movement for the moral renewal of individuals and society.
The true celebration of Paryushan will begin when the discipline of these eight days becomes a way of life for the rest of the year. The introspection of Samvatsari should not remain confined to a single day, nor should the spirit of forgiveness become merely an annual ritual. We should ask ourselves every day: Whom did I bring closer today? Whose pain did I understand? Which bitterness did I remove from my heart? This is the path of genuine self-elevation. Indeed, Paryushan is a spiritual dawn that awakens human beings from the sleep of negligence and leads them from the darkness of ignorance towards the light of awareness. If Samvatsari on September 14 awakens us to our mistakes, and World Fellowship Day on September 15 fills our hearts with forgiveness, compassion and friendship for all, it will be the true fulfilment of Paryushan. In today’s troubled world, if there is one force humanity needs most, it is the force of non-violence, forgiveness and peaceful coexistence. Paryushan Mahaparva provides a profound opportunity to carry this timeless message from the Jain tradition to every individual and, ultimately, to the entire world. |
