Format of Pratikraman

Format of Pratikraman is devised to cover all essential rituals. There are six daily rituals that every layman should perform. The Sanskrit term for essential is avashyak. Those essentials rituals are therefore known as six avashyaks, which are as under.

1. Samayik, which means the practice of equanimity;

2. Chauvisattho or Dev Vandan, which means worshipping Lord Tirthankars;

3. Guru Vandan, which means offering obeisance to the preceptors;

4. Pratikraman, which means turning back from lapses and transgressions;

5. Kausagga or Kayotsarga, which means concentration and meditation;

6. Pachchakhan or Pratyakhyan, which means taking the appropriate vows.

With this preamble, we can proceed to perform Pratikraman. The format is the same for all Pratikramans, except for the length of Kausagga. The phrase ¡®During the day¡¯ occurring in this format needs to be changed to ¡®during the night¡¯, ¡¯during the fortnight¡¯, ¡®during four months¡¯ or ¡®during the year¡¯ as the case may be.