Jain festivals like ‘Ashtaanhikaa Parva (Festival)’, ‘Das Lakshan Dharma Parva’ etc. are the festivals of austerity, continence and worship of pure soul (Siddha and/or Shuddhatma). Jain festival are also called great festivals as these festivals teaches us how to conqueror senses (Indriya), passions (Kashaya) and desires (Ichchhaa). Jinendra Bhagwan has already conquered these vices and achieved a wonderful state of perfect faith, perfect wisdom, complete selflessness and eternal bliss. These festivals worship and praises Jinendra Bhagwan and his right followers (Parmesthi) for this remarkable triumph. Jain festivals are not of materialistic enjoyment or amusement. Materialistic enjoyment needs always foster worldly miseries (Moh-Raag-Dwesh) and bondage (Karma) for all
times to come.
JAIN FESTIVALS ARE OF TWO KINDS
- Eternal
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They may also be called as permanent and temporary.
A. Eternal (Permanent Festival)
The permanent (eternal) festivals are related to spiritual thoughts and are neither related to any person nor to any specific event. These festivals are celebrated eternally as there is no beginning or end of Jain philosophy. The great festival of ten virtues, i.e. ‘Das Lakshan Maha Parva’, is one such eternal festival. It is related to soul’s natural traits (qualities) of supreme forbearance and so on; which emerges in soul as a consequence of the termination of impure (contrary) modes like anger etc. Another such festival ‘Ashtaanhikaa Parva’ in which eternal statues of Jinendra Bhagwan is worshipped in Nandiswar Dweep. Following are the list of more eternal festivals:
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It comes three times in a year and is celebrated from Mahaa Sud 5-14, Chaitra Sud 5-14 and
Bhadarva Sud 5-14.
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Ratnatray Vrat Parva
It comes one time in a year and is celebrated from Bhadarva Sud 13 to Bhadarva Sud 15.
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It comes one time in a year and is celebrated on Bhadarva Vad 1
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It comes three times in a year and is celebrated from Faagan Sud 8-15, Ashaadhh Sud 8-15 and Kaartak Sud 8-15.
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Every months Aathham and Chaudash are celebrated as pious days
B. Periodical (Temporary Festival)
The periodic festival are related to a particular person and/or to a particular event. These festivals are time span specific and changes as time cycle continues. The temporary festivals are of two kinds:
(i) Those related with a particular person
The festivals of ‘Deepawali’, ‘Mahaveer Jayanti’, ’24 Tirthankar Bhagwan’s Kalyanaks’ are the festivals that are related to persons. ‘Deepawali’ and ‘Mahaveer Jayanti’ are, respectively, related to Mahaveer’s salvation and birth. ‘24 Tirthankar Bhagwan’s Kalyanaks’ are related to 5 pious events in the lives of present time cycle Tirthankar Bhagwan. Following is a representative list of festivals that has relevance with some particular persons:
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Audiobooks on Mahapuran (24 Tirthankar Stories)
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5 pious events (Kalyanaks) in the lives of present cycle Tirthankar Bhagwans
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Akshaya Tritiyaa
First Aahaardan of Shree Rushabhdev monk (Vaishaakh Sud 3)
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Birth of Prince Mahaveer (Chaitra Sud 13)
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Veer Shaasan Jayanti (Mahaveer Bhagwan’s First Sermon) (Ashaadhh Vad 1)
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Mahaveer Bhagwan's Nirvan Kalyanak - celebration of Mahaveer Bhagwan becoming Siddha and Gautam Gandhar's Keval Gyaan Din (Aaso Vad 30)
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Shree Kundkundaacharya was ornated with Aacharya title (Maagshar Vad 8)
(ii) Those related with some specific event
The festivals of ‘Akshaya Tritiya’, ‘Shrut Panchami’, ‘Rakshaa Bandhan’ etc. are classified as the festivals, which are related to specific famous sacred events. These festivals are related events that glorified the importance of Dev-Shastra-Guru. Following is a representative list of festivals that has relevance with some particular event:
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Completion of Shree Shatkhandaagam's scripture (Jeth Sud 5)
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Saving Shree Akampanaacharya and 700 monk from atrocious fire by Shree Vishnukumar monk in Hastinapur (Shraavan Sud 15)
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Completion of Veer Samvat on pious Niravan of Shree Mahaveer Bhagwan (Aaso Vad 30)
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Auspicious starting of new year (Kaartak Sud 1)