Jain Center of Southern California
Jain Center will celebrate Shree Adinath Janam and Diksha Kalyanak on Saturday, March 14, which is the Kalyanak day and Varshitap Prarambh day. We hope that this auspicious day inspires our community and Sangh to start their Varshitap.
Program details are as follows:
- 9:00am - 10:00am: Snatrapuja with Nakro - $101
- 10:00am - 12:30pm: Panch Kalyanak Puja with Nakro - $51 for each puja
- Followed by: Aarti, Mangal Divo, Shanti Kalash per Gheeboli
- 12:30pm - 2:00pm: Ekasana for sponsorship of $1,001 (whole, partial or multiple sponsorship are accepted)
If you plan to do Ekasana, please feel free to write your name on the notice board.
Please contact:
Padma Shah (for puja matters)
(714) 670-7854
Urvashi Shah (for sponsorship and kitchen cooking volunteers)
(310) 326-5685
One of the most auspicious religious festivals is soon approaching on Friday, March 27 through Saturday, April 4 which signifies the days of Ayambil Oli, where we have approximately 50 people doing the full 9 days of Ayambil Oli and about 125 to 150 people doing Ayambil on weekends. We hereby present you an opportunity to sponsor the upcoming 9 days of Ayambil Oli. Sponsorship opportunities are as follows:
- 9:30am onwards: Navpadji Puja on Saturday, March 31, 2015
- $500 for each weekday Ayambil Sponsorship
- $1,000 each for Saturday and Sunday Ayambil Sponsorship
- $101 for Snatrapuja
- $51 for Puja (Total of 9 available)
- Asthprakari Puja, Aarti, Mangal Divo, Shahti Kalash per Ghee boli.
Grocery purchases, cooking, serving and cleaning for the entire Oli will be done by Jain Center volunteers and part-time hired help. We encourage all members to come forward and sponsor this auspicious occasion. As per our policy we shall try and accommodate as many sponsors as possible. Thank you for your continued support. Please contact: Dr. Mahendra Shah (714) 757-9490 [email protected] Ketan Parekh (714) 299-6789 [email protected] Padma Shah (for Puja matters) 714-670-7854 [email protected]
The significance of Ayambil Oli:SIDDHACHAKRA IS THE WHEEL OF PERFECTION
This mandala of the Siddhachakra is the purest form of meditation. There are nine points of energies, which are harmonized in one mandala.
1. In the centre is the Arihant
2. On the top of the Arihant is Siddha
3. On the right side of the Arihant is Acharya
4. Below Arihant is Upadhyaya
5. On the left of the Arihant is the Sadhu
6. Between the Siddha and Acharya represents faith (Darshan)
7. Between the Acharya and Upadhyaya represents knowledge (Gyan)
8. Between the Upadhyaya represents conduct (Charitra)
9. Between the Sadhu and Siddha represents penance and forbearance (Tap)
The Navpad Ayambil Oli, which last for nine days, is performed twice a year. The first Ayambil Oli comes in the bright fortnight of Chaitra month (March/April) and the second during the bright fortnight of Aaso month (October). During these nine days of Ayambil Oli, Puja, Holy Recitation, Mediation and other Rituals in honor of Navapad or Siddhachakra Aradhana takes place. If Ayambil Oli is done every year twice - nine days each time means for four and half years (in total eighty one days), then it is said that one has completed Navapad Oli.
Ayambil is done by having only one meal a day of plain food which is devout of any special taste and spices, which is boiled or cooked without oil/ghee, spices and also milk, curd, green and raw vegetables are not consumed. Ayambils may be restricted to one kind of grain per day. Navpadji Oli Tap are considered to be Shaswati, meaning permanent. It means Navpad Oli celebration exists in all time cycles (past, present and future). During these days, everyday worship is to be offered to the Navpad or nine pads of Siddhachakra - which are Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya, Sadhus (Panch Paramesthi), Darshan (Faith), Gyan (Knowledge), Charitra (conduct) and tap (Penance).
Each Pad in the Nav Pad gives eternal happiness to the soul if it is worshipped with inner heart. For many of us who are working during the day, it may not be practically possible to do Ayambil on every day. And if you are unable to do Ayambil everyday.
Then please try to do at least the following:
- Do Ayambil for one day or as many days as you can
- Do Chauvihar as many days as possible
- And do maximum Aradhana that you can
The Ayambil diet is like a detoxification. If nothing else the diet eaten during Ayambil is beneficial for our health and will also help reduce our own carbon footprint. Ayambil give us an opportunity not only to practice Jain conduct to a greater degree than normal but also to revitalize and strengthen our faith in Jain Religion.
Mahavir Janm Kalyanak Puja, Ekasana and Cultural Program - Sunday, April 5, 2015Please note that our Shree Mahavir Janam Kalyanak Celebrations and General Body Meeting will take place on Sunday, April 5th 2015. According to the lunar calendar, Bhagvan Mahavir was born on Chaitra Sud 13 which is on Tuesday, April 2, 2015. We will celebrate the actual day with Snatrapuja with Nakro of $101, Asthprakari Puja, Aarti, Mangal Divo and Shanti Kalash with Ghee Boli. Shree Mahavir Janma Kalyanak will be celebrated at the Jain Center with its usual festivity and fervor on Sunday, April 5. The program will be as follows:
- 9:00am - 10:00am: Snatra Puja (with Nakro of $101)
- 10:00am - 12:30pm: Shree Mahavirswami Panch Kalyanka Puja (Total of 5 Pujas. Each puja with nakro of $51. Gheeboli will be conducted for Asthprakari Puja, Aarti, Mangal Divo and Shanti Kalash)
- 12:00pm - 2:00pm: Ekasana
- 2:00pm - 5:30pm: Children's Cultural Program and General Body Meeting
- 5:30pm - 6:30pm: Swamivatsalya Dinner
Please note that dinner will be served till 6:30pm so everyone can finish dinner before sunset and avoid Ratri Bhojan. Please RSVP ahead of time so we can make necessary arrangements. A separate email will be sent for RSVPs in the near future. For full or part sponsorship of Ekasanas or Swamivatsalya Dinner, they are all welcome. Sponsorships are as: Ekasana $701, Swamivatsalya Dinner $3,101 Please contact: Padma Shah (for Puja matters) 714-670-7854 [email protected] Vipul Udani (for sponsorship) (213) 925-9453 [email protected]
Shree Simandharswami Janam Kalyanka - Tuesday, April 14, 2015Shree Simandharswami Janam Kalyanak falls on Chaitra Vad 10, April 14, 2015. Shree Shimandharswami presently resides at Maha Videh Kshetra. We will celebrate this day with Pujas and Ekasana on Chaitra Vad Amash, Saturday, April 18, 2015. Pledge opportunities are as follows:
- Snatrapuja $101
- Puja (total of 20) at $31 each
- Asthprakari Puja, Aarti, Mangal Divo, Shanti Kalash per Ghee Boli
- Ekasana $701
Please Contact: Padma Shah (for Puja matters) 714-670-7854 [email protected]
Varshitap Parna - Tuesday, April 21, 2015We will have Varshitap Parna on Vaishkh Sud 3, Akhatrij on Tuesday, April 21. All the Tapsvis who are doing Varshitap or Varshik Tap, please accept this as an invitation from JCSC to come for Parna. We will celebrate Parnas during the following time:
- 8:00am - 10:00am: Navkar Mantra Jaap and Snatra Puja
- 10:00am onwards: Varshitap Parna with Ikshu Ras (Sugar-Cane Juice) followed by Bhathu
Please send your name, phone number, and e-mail address to Hemendra Doshi.
This is the auspicious day when Shree Rushabhdev Bhagvan did parna with Ikshu Ras after his year-round fasting.
The following sponsorships are available:
- For Ikshu Ras (Sugar-cane Juice): $501
- For Bhathu to community members: $751
Please contact:
Hemendra Doshi
(562) 809-6066
What is Varshitap and its significance:
In Varshitap, a person does fasting for one day, and observes Biasana for one day. Sometimes, between such days, fasting has to be done for two days continuously. This austerity (Tap) must be observed from the 8th day of the Krishna Paksh (the black fortnight) of Chaitra month to the Akshay Tritiya (the 3rd day) of the bright fortnight of the Vaishak of the next year.
This austerity is broken (Parna) by taking sugar-cane juice (Ikshu Ras). It is also considered auspicious for people who help feed the sugar-cane juice to the person who has done the fasting (Tapasvi).
According to scriptures, our first Tirthankar - Rishabhdev Bhagwaan (also known as Aditnaath Bhagwaan) performed the Parna on this day Akshaya Tritiya) after fasting for 13 months and 13 days continuously. Also mentioned are his great grand sons, Hastinapura’s King, Som Prabha and his younger brother, Shreyans Kumar. When Rishabhdev Bhagwaan broke his year-long fast, a rain of jewels and flowers started falling and scintillating climate surrounded the atmosphere.
Very soon we are going to celebrate the anniversary of our Derasar. JCSC EC and the Anniversary Planning Committee are working hard to arrange a spiritual and joyful program.
We will start our celebration accordingly:
- Friday, May 15: Dinner and Bhakti Bhavana
- Saturday, May 16: Procession, 18 Abhishek and Cultural Program
- Sunday, May 17: Sattarbhedi Pooja and Dhwaja Channing Ceremony
JCSC has invited a talented artist from India for this event, Vidhikar Shri Ashish Mehta. A detailed program along with the invitation will be emailed to you soon. This is going to be very uplifting and joyful celebration! Please save these dates on your calendar.