Charitra Shuddhi Vrat - Book Summary

The Jain text "Charitra Shuddhi Vrat" (The Vow of Purity of Conduct), compiled by Brahmachari Dharmachand Shastri and supported by Jain Mahila Samaj Delhi, focuses on the importance of charitra (conduct or character) in Jainism and provides a detailed guide for a specific vrat (vow) aimed at purifying one's conduct.

Here's a comprehensive summary:

Core Philosophy and Importance of Charitra:

The book emphasizes that true peace for beings wandering through the cycle of birth and death (samsara) is achieved through righteous conduct (dharma-charan).
Among various forms of dharma-charan, tapa (austerity) is highlighted as paramount. Just as heating milk is necessary to extract ghee, purifying the soul from karma requires austerities performed on the body.
Tapa is defined as that which is done for the destruction of karma. Like controlled fire refines gold, external and internal austerities refine the soul's inherent qualities.
The text stresses that even after gaining right faith (darshan) and right knowledge (gyan), attachment and aversion (rag-dwesh) persist until right conduct (charitra) is adopted. Liberation from samsara is directly dependent on purifying one's conduct.
The book laments the neglect of proper conduct in the current age (Kalyuga), where it is sometimes even misconstrued as a cause for worldly downfall. It advocates for the dissemination of literature to guide people towards correct conduct.

The "Charitra Shuddhi Vrat" (The Vow of Purity of Conduct):

The Goal: This vrat is undertaken by monks, nuns (Aryikas), laymen (Shravaks), and laywomen (Shravikas) for the purification of their souls.
The Number of Fasts (Upvas): The vrat involves a total of 1234 fasts. This number is derived from the 13 categories of charitra (conduct), with specific allocations of fasts for each.
The Thirteen Categories of Charitra: These are:
- Five Great Vows (Maha-vratas): Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truthfulness (Satya), Non-stealing (Achaurya), Celibacy/Chastity (Brahmacharya), and Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha).
- Five Careful Practices (Samitis): Careful movement (Irya), careful speech (Bhasha), careful acceptance of alms (Eshana), careful picking up and putting down (Adan-Nikshepan), and careful disposal of waste (Pratishthapana-vyutsarga).
- Three Restraints (Guptis): Restraint of mind (Mano-gupti), restraint of speech (Vachan-gupti), and restraint of body (Kaya-gupti).
- Righteous Night-time Fasting (Ratri-bhojan-tyag): Abstaining from food at night.
Duration of the Vrat:
- If one fasts with one meal in between (ek-upvas aur ek-parna), the vrat is completed in approximately 6 years, 10 months, and 8 days.
- If one fasts every other day (ekantar), it takes about 5 years.
- It can also be completed over a longer period, such as 25 years, as long as the total number of 1234 fasts is achieved.
Method of Observance:
- On fasting days, devotees should perform abhishek (ritual bathing) and worship of Lord Jinendra, chant the specified mantra three times a day.
- Daily practices should include abhishek, worship, aarti, reciting hymns, swadhyay (scriptural study), chanting, and self-reflection.
- Emphasis is placed on maintaining pure thoughts and discarding anger, pride, deceit, and greed (kashays) and aversions (raag-dwesh).
- Practices like observing celibacy, renouncing starting new ventures and excessive possessions, limiting consumables, and staying awake at night are also recommended.
Fasting Variations: The book acknowledges that individuals can perform the vrat according to their capacity:
- Uttam (Best): Complete fast (upvas).
- Madhyam (Medium): Fast with water only.
- Jaghanya (Inferior): Fast with one meal (purely specified food) and possibly one or two tastes.
Mantra for Chanting: The primary mantra provided is: "Om Hrim Asiausa Charitra Shuddhi Vratebhyo Namah." (ॐ ह्रीं असिआउसा चारित्रशुद्धि प्रतेभ्योनमः ।)
Udyapan (Culmination Ritual): Upon completion, the vrat should be celebrated with an elaborate ceremony. This involves decorating a sacred diagram (mandal), performing worship with great enthusiasm, and engaging in acts of religious propagation. Specific rituals include offering jhari (water pot), thali (plate), and kalash (pot), distributing 64 rakabis (dishes), and giving 1234 ladoos to shravaks.

Katha (Narrative/Story):

The book includes a significant narrative detailing the benefits of this vrat. It recounts the story of King Shrenik of Magadha asking Lord Gautam Gandhar how one can achieve the status of a Tirthankar (a spiritual teacher who revitalizes the Dharma) without performing the Sodash Karan Vrat (Sixteen Great Vows). The Gandhar explains that the "Charitra Shuddhi Vrat" of 1234 fasts also leads to the Tirthankar status. The story further illustrates this by narrating the past lives of King Hemvarn, who, by observing this vrat, was reborn as King Achyut in heaven and later as the Tirthankar Chandrabhānu in the Videh region. This narrative serves to inspire devotees by demonstrating the profound spiritual rewards of the vrat.

Detailed Breakdown of Fasts per Category:

The latter half of the book meticulously details the number of fasts allocated for each specific transgression within the 13 categories of charitra. This involves a complex calculation based on:

Number of categories/sub-categories: For example, the 5 Maha-vratas, 5 Samitis, 3 Guptis, and Ratri-bhojan-tyag.
Types of transgressions: For Ahimsa, it involves the 14 life-forms (1-sensed to 5-sensed, with variations in completeness and subtlety). For Satya, it's various forms of untruth. For Brahmacharya, it's different types of women and sensory interactions. For Aparigraha, it's internal and external possessions.
Three modes of action: Mind (manas), speech (vachan), and body (kaya).
Three types of involvement: Doing oneself (krit), causing others to do (karit), and approving of others doing (anumodan). This is multiplied by 6 (3 modes x 2 types of involvement).

For example, the text explains how Ahimsa (non-violence) has 126 variations (14 life forms x 9 modes of involvement = 126), leading to 126 fasts. Similar detailed calculations are provided for each vow and restraint, summing up to the total of 1234 fasts. Each section lists specific mantras for chanting related to that particular aspect of conduct.

In essence, "Charitra Shuddhi Vrat" is a comprehensive guide for a rigorous Jain austerity designed to purify one's moral and ethical conduct, leading to spiritual advancement and, ultimately, liberation. It combines scriptural explanation, a motivating narrative, and practical instructions for undertaking the vow and its culmination rituals.