Paryushana

Paryushana (or Paryusan) is one of the two most important festivals for the Jains, the other being Diwali. Normally Svetambara Jains refer it as Paryushana, while Digambara Jains refer it as Das Lakshana. Paryushan means, literally, "abiding" or "coming together". It is believed that all the devas do Ashtprakari Puja of Tirthankara and it takes them 8 days to do this ashtaprakari puja. this is called Ashtanhika Mahotsav, so at the very same time Jains celebrate it as Paryushan. It is also a time when the laity take on vows of study and fasting with a spiritual intensity similar to temporary monasticism. The duration of Paryusana is for 8 or 10 days and comes at the time when the wandering monks take up temporary residence for four months of monsoon. In popular terminology, this stay is termed chaturmasa because the rainy season is regarded to be about four months. For this minimum duration, Paryushana must be initiated by Panchami (fifth day) of the Shukla Paksha phase of the Bhadrapada month. In the scriptures it is described that Lord Mahavira used to start Paryushana on Bhadrapada pak sha panchami. After Mahavir, nearly 150 years Jain Samvatsari was shifted to Chaturthi (4th day of Bhadrapada of Shukla phase. Since 2200 years Jains follows Chaturthi.