Paryushana Parva 2028: Date, History & Significance

Through the eight days the Kalpa Sutra is read publicly — the fifth day, Mahavira Janma Vanchan, recounting his birth, is a high point — and laypeople take on fasts of increasing severity: ekasana, upvas, attham (three days), and some the atthai (all eight days without food, only boiled water). Pratikraman, the ritual review and confession of faults, is done morning and evening.

On the last day, Samvatsari, the Samvatsari Pratikraman is performed collectively, and every Jain seeks and grants forgiveness with the words 'Micchami Dukkadam' — 'may all the wrong I have done be in vain' — to family, friends, strangers and all living beings. Pratikraman letters and messages go out across the community. Digambaras keep the parallel ten-day Das Lakshana beginning as this ends.

Paryushana means 'abiding' or 'coming together' — its origin is the rains-retreat (chaturmasa) of Jain mendicants, who during the monsoon stayed in one place to avoid harming the abundant small life of the wet season. The eight days concentrate the retreat's discipline for laypeople, and Samvatsari makes the year's account with all beings.

Source: Kalpa Sutra, Tattvartha Sutra and Jain conduct literature

The rains-retreat and the annual confession are among the oldest Jain practices, prescribed in the Kalpa Sutra (attributed to Bhadrabahu, c. 300 BCE); the public reading of the Kalpa Sutra during Paryushana became standard in medieval Shvetambara practice.

• Kalpa Sutra, Tattvartha Sutra and Jain conduct literature
• Jain community tradition and temple practice

1. Shvetambar Jains keep eight days of reflection: morning puja of the Tirthankara image, and daily sermons from the Kalpa Sutra.
2. On the fifth day the account of Mahavira's birth is read and the fourteen dreams of his mother Trishala are displayed.
3. The last day, Samvatsari, ends with the annual pratikraman, and forgiveness is asked of all living beings with 'Micchami Dukkadam'.

• Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, MP. Kalpa Sutra reading, graded fasts (upvas to atthai), twice-daily pratikraman, and the collective Samvatsari Pratikraman with Micchami Dukkadam.
• Jain diaspora. Kept fully in temples and centres worldwide; forgiveness messages exchanged across the community.

• Plain boiled food — Those not fasting eat simple food before sunset, with no root vegetables or green leafy vegetables in many families.

Paryushana Parva (Svetambara) is kept on the day when Dwadashi of Bhadrapada Krishna paksha prevails at sunrise. That day is Thursday, 17 August 2028. Dwadashi holds at sunrise only on this day.

at sunrise

Paryushana is the eight days ending on Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami (Chaturthi in some Shvetambara reckonings) — Samvatsari — in August or September. It begins on Bhadrapada Krishna Dwadashi or Trayodashi. The Digambara Das Lakshana Parva begins on the day Paryushana ends.

A lunar date: Dwadashi of the dark half of Bhadrapada drifts about 11 days earlier each solar year, then jumps back ~19 days when a leap (Adhika) month is inserted.