25.10.2017 ►JAINA ►JAINA Gyan Panchami Special Newsletter

Jai Jinendra!

Today is the auspicious occasion of Gyan Panchami. Today is the last day of Diwali celebrations. Many of us must be fasting and most of the temples are conducting Gyan Pujan. JAINA acknowledges those who are fasting on these holy day.

All of you must have celebrated Mahavir Nirvan Divas popularly known as Diwali and New Year religiously. JAINA EC once again wishes you a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Warm Regards,
Gunvant Shah
JAINA President
10-25-2017

Gyan Panchami day is a popular festival of Jains. It is celebrated all over the country by the followers of Jainism. The fifth day after Diwali is known as Gyan Panchami. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the month of Kartik. Gyan Panchami is also known as "Laabh paacham" or "Jnan Panchami. " Gyan Panchami is celebrated as a day of honoring knowledge and the holy books.

Gyan meaning knowledge is regarded as the light of the inner soul. Gyan helps in realizing the difference between truth and false. It is the natural light and is thus called as the second sun and third Eye. Therefore the worship of Gyan Panchami is very necessary. It is a day of worship of pure knowledge.

State of North Carolina

Roy Cooper

Governor

Diwali 2017

By the Governor of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

WHEREAS, more than one billion people worldwide reverently observe the holy celebration of Diwali each year, and

WHEREAS, Diwali, the Festival of Lights which symbolizes the victory of dharma and good over evil, is one of the most celebrated festivals of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains; and

WHEREAS, Diwali id a time for dana (charitable giving) and sea (selfless service) by brining light in the of wisdom, knowledge, nourishment, and shelter to alleviate the tangible forms of suffering such as hunger, disease, and poverty;

WHEREAS, the shared Indian holiday of Diwali signifies a special time of peace and serenity, with the hope of building bridges of understanding and tearing down barriers of intolerance; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina wishes all our celebrants a joyful and prosperous Diwali this and every year;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October 17-21, 2017, as ‘DIWALI’ in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

Gyan Panchami mantra | 5 types of gyan in Jainism

This festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Kartik.

It is also known as ‘Saubhagya Panchami’ and as the ‘Labha Panchami’.

The Kayatsarga of 51 Logassa, 51 Swastikas, 51 Khamasanas and the Jap Pad of

‘Namo Nanassa’ - 20 Navakarvalis are performed on the day.

(5 years and 5 months, you can start from kartak sud pancham)

Procedure of Sud Pancham for each month:

First do Vaskep pooja on a religious book.
Take some vaskep in your right hand:
*Put it on the top right corner and say Matigyaan
*Then the bottom right corner and say Shrutgyaan
*Then bottom left corner and say Avthigyaan
*Then top left corner and say Manhaparyvgyaan
*Finally in the middle and say Kevalgyaan

Next you do 5 Swastic (Sathiya), put 5 Naivedh (Sweet) and 5 Fal (Fruit)
Then do 5 Khamasamna

This is last day of Diwali celebration for members of the Jain community. This festival in Jainism is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Kartik. It is also known as ‘Saubhagya Pachami’ and as the ‘Labha Panchami’.

Many Jains fast on this day. They do devavandan (offering veneration to the Gods). Holy recitation and meditation (Pratikraman) are carried out. On this day, many take a vow to do a fast every month on the fifth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon for continuous five years and five months.

Gyan is the light of the inner soul. It is a natural light. It is also a bright flame of life. We can’t see anything without its light. We can’t know even the difference between true and false Gyan is called the second sun and third Eye. So the worship of Gyan Panchami should be done.

Jainism is a Dharmic religion from ancient India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation.

The world of today is influenced, wrongly by the false knowledge, So the Samyak Gyan is necessary.

Gyan is the light of the inner soul. It is a natural light. It is also a bright flame of life. We can't see anything without its light. We can't know even the difference between true and false Gyan is called the second sun and third Eye. So the worship of Gyan Panchami should be done.

Members of the Jain community celebrate this day with a great joy and happiness. On this auspicious day students and scholars celebrate Gyan, the divine or transcendent knowledge or wisdom. For the Jains Gyan Panchami is the festival celebrated to recognise the importance of their scriptures. On this day women cleans their home. They then prepare for special Pooja and Jap path in their respective houses. Rituals that involve books and writing instruments are performed with great reverence. Prayers are also recited during the festival for proper guidance to acquire the right knowledge. All the temples are decorated with lights on this day. During the festival all the holy books and scriptures are laid out on a table. Elaborate Poojas are performed on the scriptures, and also on blank papers and unsharpened pencils. Blank papers and pencils are also distributed by many temples on this day.

The Kayatsarga of fifty one Logassa, fifty one Swastikas, fifty one Khamasanas and the Jap Pad of `Namo Nanassa` and twenty Navakarvalis are performed on this day. It is believed that by celebrating this festival all the bad results of Karmas are destroyed.

The following shloka is sung on this day.

Samkit Shrddhavantane Upanue Gyan Prakash,
Pranamu Pad ha; Tehana, Bhav Dhari Ullas

On the day of Gyan Panchami many people observe fast. The fast is observed without speaking any words, i.e. with keeping totally silence. It is done to achieve happiness, good luck, knowledge and omniscience later on. People also do Devavandan i.e. offering veneration to the Gods. Holy recitation and meditation (Pratikraman) are also carried out. Many people also take a vow on this day to observe fast every month on the fifth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon for continuous period of five years and five months. As a result, the knowledge covering Karmas is destroyed. The foolish or ignorant can become wise. In past, Vardatt and Gunamanjari had done something against it. So they had to face the results of their sins. This is a famous story.

Jainism - a religion from ancient India- teaches us that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. The world of today is influenced, wrongly by the false knowledge, so the Samyak Gyan is necessary.

Gyan Panchami is also celebrated as `Jaya Panchami`, `Pandava Panchami and `Sri Guru Govind Singh Jayanti`.