The Day After the Last Virtue

The ten days of Das Lakshana Parva move through their virtues, one each day, building steadily toward a close. But the observance does not end just because the tenth virtue has been thought about. One more day follows right after. It stands apart from the ten before it, given over fully to a single act: asking forgiveness.

This day is Kshamavani, the Digambara Jain community's own day of forgiveness. It comes right at the close of Das Lakshana Parva. Each of the ten days before it asked devotees to think about one specific virtue. Kshamavani asks something more immediate, and far more personal. It asks each person to actually go out and seek forgiveness. This means asking family, friends, and strangers. It even means asking those they think of as enemies, for any harm caused across the year now closing.