Paarna Celebration 2024

आज का दिवस भव्य है, अनमोल है,
आज हवा में नई उमंग है

आज हृदय में एक नई तरंग है

एक ओर लुभावना संसार है,
जिसने बिछाया तृष्णा का जाल है

जिसमें उलझे न जाने कितने बेहाल हैं,
और दूसरी ओर हैं हम भक्त जन

जिनके पास गुरुवार की आज्ञा का बल है,
अवलोकन की तलवार है, और संयम की ढाल है

तो आज हवा में नई उमंग है,
आज हृदय में एक नई तरंग है

Because this is a celebration

To rise in Love with Sanyam, To flex our muscles of introspection

And to sing our hearts out with Bhakti, All in our Sadguru’s aura..!
– Avneesh Prabhu

This was the devotion-filled poetry that marked the jubilant inauguration of this year’s Paryushan Parv at SRM. While all four of the foundational pillars of SRM – Prem (Love), Seva (Service), Sanyam (Discipline), and Sadhana – are equally important on a seeker’s spiritual journey, each becomes slightly more prominent on certain special days of the year. During the 8 days of Paryushan Parv, celebrated annually in the months of August-September, the tide turns towards Sanyam and Sadhana, as SRM rejoices in its 3rd and 4th pillars with meditative fervor.

A Haven for Spiritual Retreat

This year, the celebrations began on 12th September in Ashok Vihar, Delhi. Paryushan literally means “abiding and coming together”. It is a time when Jains all over the world come together to take on vows of austerities, spiritual study, and fasting. And so did seekers at SRM. However, being a spiritual organization, spirituality remained at the forefront of every activity. The daily routine, designed with utmost love by the Master, gave seekers the much-needed opportunity to withdraw from worldly thoughts and turn within.

Imagine this – you start your day with Dev Vandan (expressing gratitude to Guru and God), YogaYog and meditation; dedicate the morning to studying Shrimadji’s profound poetic composition Kaivalya-Beej Kya, and soaking in wisdom from spiritual stories; spend the afternoon doing Ekasana Tap (having the only meal of the day in silence) with fellow seekers, followed by a quiz game that brings out your inner Saubhag Bhai. And all this while, your heartbeat keeps getting louder with anticipation every passing second, reaching a crescendo as the clock turns half past seven when you are graced by the presence of your Pratyaksh Sadguru. And you repeat this for 8 consecutive days. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Indeed, it was a dream come true for the blessed seekers who were brave enough to let go of their worldly responsibilities to fulfill their highest duty – towards their own Self.

Speaking of dreams…

Kalyan Katha, and a Magical Evening

Following on from last year’s Veer Katha, Sri Guru unveiled yet another secret gift – Kalyan Katha, a series of stories of transformation, devotion, and faith of exceptional beings under Lord Mahavir’s regime as a Tirthankar. These stories transported everyone to the beautiful era of Lord Mahavir, and, more significantly, filled us with plenty of inspiration to transform our own lives.

But what transpired on September 16th was even more magical. The 5th day of Paryushan Parv is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti, and it is customary in Jain tradition to remember and celebrate the 14 auspicious dreams that Queen Trishala saw before giving birth to Lord Mahavir. SRM Bhakti Team presented a mesmerizing musical rendition of these 14 dreams. And if that wasn’t enough to take everyone’s breath away, Sri Guru raised the energy in the Satsang hall to a whole new level by explaining the spiritual interpretation of each of the 14 symbols in Maa Trishala’s dreams – qualities that every true seeker must strive for. She also inspired every seeker to pick any 2 dreams, and gave actionable steps for turning them into reality. No words would do justice to the excitement that coursed through the hall that evening – it was as if Lord Mahavir was born again, in the hearts of everyone present to witness this spellbinding evening!

Kshamapana Mahaparv

The next day was all about giving and seeking forgiveness. Shrimadji writes – “Forgiveness is the grand gateway to liberation”. For hundreds of seekers, the gates of Shah Auditorium in Delhi became the “grand gateway” to liberation from the chains of the past, as SRM celebrated its 11th Kshamapana Mahaparv event. The 2 hour guided meditation session by Sri Guru brought to the surface many deeply buried emotions of hurt and resentment. After the meditation, the lightness in the environment was tangible, as seekers glowed with smiles on their faces, and love in their hearts.

True Discipline is Effortless

On the final evening, Sri Guru guided the seekers into yet another intense meditation, which elevated many to a different plane of existence, taking them many steps closer to realizing their true Self. The festival concluded with Parna Celebrations, honoring seekers who displayed exemplary levels of discipline and self-control throughout the 8 days.

In one of the key Satsangs of this Paryushan Parv, Sri Guru explained the 3 kinds of impurities that conceal our true pristine nature – bodily impulses, impure thoughts, and negative habits. Effortless discipline cures the body of its impulsive nature, Satsangs and contemplating on the teachings of a Guru purifies thoughts, and Yogic meditation techniques help us emerge victorious in what often feels like a futile battle against our habits. These 8 days of Paryushan were the perfect amalgamation of all three remedies, and the blessed seekers who were in attendance have come out reborn as higher and purer versions of themselves.

No amount of gratitude and reverence is enough for auspicious days like these that remind us how effortless discipline can be, and for a Pratyaksh Sadguru who somehow never fails to find new and unique ways to show us just how joyful the ride to divinity can be..!