Meaning of Paryushan

The word “Paryushan” has several different meanings:

     Pari + ushan = all kinds + to burn = to burn (shed) our all types of karmas. To shed our karmas, we do twelve different types of austerities including fasting.

     Another meaning of “ushan” is to stay closer. To stay closer to our own soul from all directions and to stay absorbed in our own-self (soul), we do Svadhyaya5 (self-study), meditation, austerities, etc.

Pari + upshamana = upshamana means to suppress, to suppress our passions (kashayas – anger, ego, deceit and greed) from all directions.

Therefore, the real purpose of the Paryushan is to purify our soul by staying closer to our own soul, to look at our own faults, to ask for forgiveness for the mistakes we have committed, and take vows to minimize our faults. We try to forget about the needs of our body (like food) and our business so that we can concentrate on our-self.