It is the holiest 8-day festival in the annual Jain calendar followed by Shwetambar Jains. Similarly, Digambars follow Das Lakshana, a 10-day spiritual festival that starts when Paryushan ends, on the Samvatsari day.
This festival is important for Jains since it only comes once in a year. #Jain festivals are characterized by renunciation, austerities, study of the scriptures, repetition of holy hymns, meditation & expressing devotion for the Paramatma.
Not only underground vegetables but consuming of fresh vegetables & fruits is also prohibited during Paryushan. Everyday some or the other Tap is followed. In any tap, chauvihar is a must ie, No food or water after sunset until Navkarsi (48 minutes after sunrise) next day.
History of Pajjusan & Kalpasutra:
The original word for Paryushan is 'Pajjusan'. References are found in the Jain scriptures-Kalpa Sutra, Samvaayang Sutra, Nishith Sutra & Nishith Bhashya Churni. Preachings of Lord Mahavir were orally compiled into Agams by his disciples
Agams are divided into 12 & are called the Anga Agam - 11 Angas & 14 Pūrvas (12th Anga Drstivada is lost). However a detailed table of contents of Drstivada has survived in the 4th Anga Samavāyānga & Nandīsūtra. Some portions hv survived in Satkhandāgama & Kasāyaprabhrta as well.
From the 9th Purva of Drstivad is Pratyakhyan Pravd Purva, which is about Pachchhakhän - giving up, restraint, vows, detachment etc, Acharya Bhadrabahu prepared a chhedsutra (for monks & nuns only) named DASHASHRUTSKANDHA that has 10 chapters. Chapter no.8 is the KALPASUTRA
Originally called 'PAJJUSAVANA KAPPA, it focuses on the conduct of Monks during Monsoon. It commonly came to be known as KALPASUTRA or BARSA SUTRA as there are 1215 shlokas in this Moolsutra. It is recited during Pajjusan touching every aspect of the life of Chaturvidhi Sangh.
Pajjusana comes in the 3rd section of the Kalpasūtra called 'Sāmācārī' (saamaachari/Right Monastic Conduct) expressed as "vāsā-vāsaṃ pajjosavei" ie, to perform the Pajjusana rites during the peak of Chaturmas, which in those days was considered to be a month+20 days.
Farmers etc would often be compelled to refrain from their agricultural work during Rainy season. It was challenging to travel on roads, the added moisture caused an increase in the no. of insects & bugs in the environment, making it extremely difficult to travel w/o harming them
Learning of the sacred Agams was carried out only amongst the Sadhus initially. Then, in Vikram Samvat 523, King Dhruvsen of Anandpur, a capital of Gujarat lost his son & went into grief. He requested Acharya Kalaksuri to relieve him from grief. The days of Paryushana were close.
For the 1st time in public & chaturvidhi sangh, there was an oration about the importance & power of Pajjusana & the Shravan Paathan of Kalpasutra. His grief vanished after listening. Next year, he requested again for the discourse & since then this parampara has continued.
Kalpasutra has 291 Sutras (1215 shlokas) in total and is divided into 3 parts -
➡️ 200 sutras on the life of 24 Tirthankars
➡️ 23 Sutras on the succession of pupils of Tirthankar Mahavir
➡️ 68 sutras on the Aachar Jivan (Samachari) of the monks during monsoons
Monks should find a suitable place to stay before Chaturmas starts & stop Vihar. In case they donot find, a grace period of 50 days was given to keep looking for it.However if they don't find, on the 50th day they must do Pratikraman under a tree. This day was named as SAMVATSARI
Acharyas added days prior or post to this day & it became a festival. After performing Pratikraman, Jains seek forgiveness from all the creatures of the world whom they may have harmed knowingly or unknowingly by uttering the phrase - 'Micchami Dukkadam' or 'Khammat Khamana'.
A #Jain monk from #Gujarat Munishree Ajitchandra Sagar, just 34 years of age will attempt 'Sahastravdhaan' on 1st May 2024 at NSCI Stadium, Worli, Mumbai, #Maharashtra
What is Shahastravdhaan?
Shahastra (1000)+Avdhaan (memory)
#Thread
He will be asked 1,000 questions that he will attempt answering in sequence - from first to last!
The variety of questions will include tricky Maths & Science Q&A, passages from Jain scriptures, Bhagavad Gita, quotes, poems etc. (2)
Apart from this, 15 processes will happen simultaneously around him. Like, he will have to remember the times the bell rang for a specific Avdhaan, touch of cowries to his hand or leg, touching marbles in a basket without seeing it, photo memory etc (3)
All were Brahmins & took monk initiation under Lord Mahavir & followed Jain dharma
#Thread 👇🏼
All 11 were profound scholars of philosophy. All had their own secular beliefs regarding the soul, the divine, heaven, hell, salvation, sin, virtue etc. Hence before taking initiation they solved their doubts with Lord Mahavir & on being satisfied took initiation from him (2)
11 Ganadhars & their Doubts:
1) Indrabhuti: Existence of Soul? 2) Agnibhuti: On Karma? 3) Vayubhuti: The body is Jiva or different from Jiva? 4) Vyakta: Five material elements are real or unreal? 5) Sudharmā: If Jiva will be of the same kind or different in next birth? (3)
'Shree Vardhaman Shakrastav Stotra' is a collection of 273 Adjectives that emerged spontaneously from the heart of Shakrendra (Indra) Maharaja when he comes to know of Tirthankar's birth.
Sharing some interesting Adjectives in this #Thread 👇🏼
This stotra was virtually gifted by Shakrendra to Acharya Siddhasen Divakar Surishwarji in the 5th century CE for benefit of mankind. It was lost in the passage of time & rediscovered by Shri Chinubhai Ratilal Doshi from the Ancient Gyan Bhandar in Kavi #Jain Tirth, #Gujarat
3. The word SHAKRASTAV means 'Shakra' (Shakrendra, ruler of 64 Indras of Heaven)+'Stav' (Stavan/hymns) in praise of Lord. The 273 Adjectives are divided into 11 paragraphs known as ‘Alavas’
Who laid 78000 Gold coins to buy 4 yards of land to cremate the bodies of #Sikh Guru Gobind Singh's 2 sons & his mother in 1704 CE; who were executed & denied last rites as they refused to convert into #Islam
#Thread
Seth Todarmal was born in an Oswal #Jain Shwetambar family in Punjab (exact city vary in diff sources) & his ancestors were wealthy Traders. In 1630CE, Emperor Shah Jahan promoted him to the post of Diwan-cum-Faujdar in Sirhind, Punjab. (A biopic on him was released in 2023). (2)
In 1658, as soon as Aurangzeb got the throne, he replaced all the bureaucrats with Muslims. He dismissed Diwan Todarmal & appointed Wazir Khan. Hence, Todarmalji stayed in his Jahazi Haveli at Sirhind & continued his business. (3)
#Thread on #Saraswati mata - the Goddess of Knowledge
Also known as Shrut devi/Jinvani mata in #Jainism
Oldest idol of Saraswati (132CE) with an inscription was excavated from Jain Stupa @ Kankali Tila, Mathura #UP. Donated by a Jain metal worker. She holds Jinagam & a mala (1)
10th Century idol of #Jain Saraswati Devi with Tirthankar on top from Pallu, Bikaner, #Rajasthan. Currently on display at Ajmer Museum. The iconography shows Kamandal, mala and Jinagam in her hands (2)
#Jain Saraswati dated 1010CE discovered from excavation at Bir Chhabili Tila, Fatehpur Sikri, #UttarPradesh. The idol is in Tribhanga posture with 2 Jina idols sitting on both sides at the top (3)
He was born in 1782, to Seth Amin Chand & Roopa Bai at Bombay. Amin Chand had migrated from Khambat to Bombay in 1758 at the age of 13 where he started jewellery business. There he built a griha jinalay.
#Thread #SundaySpecial
But when he died, the family was left behind in a critical financial condition. His eldest son Nemi Chand started brokerage & paid off father's debts but died young at 31. Within 5 years Motichand developed business to great heights & became a millionaire (2)
His business ventures spread far & wide. He slowly acquired a fleet of 40 ships operating from China to Bahrain. He, thus, broke the monopoly of the British & became a shipping magnate. His reputation spread to Arab countries, to Java-Sumatra, China & Sri Lanka (3)