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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
of and meditation upon the ten differentia of dharma, viz., forgiveness, humility, etc. Phālguna Šu. 8 to 15: Phālgunī Āstāhnika. Caitra Kr. 9: Birthday of Lord Rşabha, also anniversary of his renunciation (tapaḥ-kalyāņaka). Caitra Śu. 5 to 14: Caitrī Dasa-lākṣaṇī-parva. Caitra Šu. 13: Birthday of Lord Mahāvīra. Vaišākha Śu. 3: Akşaya-trtīyā, the day when Lord Rşabha broke his first one-year fast at Hastināpura with sugar-cane juice offered by the prince Śreyāṁsa. Vaišākha Su. 10: Anniversary of enlightenment (kevala-jñāna) of lord Mahāvīra. Jyestha Śu. 5: Śruta-pañcami, the day on which the first instalment of the redacted canon was installed, worshipped and put forth for public use. The śāstras (scriptures) are especially worshipped on this day. ĀRādha Śu. 8 to 15: Āsādhī Āşļāhnika. Āşādha Śu. 15: End of the year; end of the Astāhnika; beginning of the cāturmāsa or Varșā-yoga, the four month's rainy season retreat. The day is also known as Guru-pārņimā, because Lord Mahāvīra, after attaining kaivalya and becoming an Arhat, made his first disciple in the person of Indrabhūti Gautama, the Ganadhara, and thus became the guru, the teacher. The day is made an occasion for especially venerating one's gurus, religious preceptors and teachers.
