What is ‘Michhami Dukkadam’?

Michchhami means to be fruitless (forgiven) and Dukkadam (Dushkrut) means bad deeds. Therefore the meaning of Michchhami Dukkadam is my bad deeds (with you) be fruitless. So concept behind saying or writing someone “Michchhami Dukkadam” is that if I have done any harm to you, then those bad deeds to be forgiven (be fruitless).

Those who are born in Jain families are familiar with the meaning and theme behind it. I have tried to expand its meaning and the scope which would make it more meaningful.

“I forgive (from the bottom of my heart without any reservation) all living beings (who may have caused me any pain and suffering either in this life or previous lives), and I beg (again from the bottom of my heart without any reservation) for the forgiveness from all living beings (no matter how small or big to whom I may have caused pain and suffering in this life or previous lives, knowingly or unknowingly, mentally, verbally or physically, or if I have asked or encouraged someone else to carry out such activities). (Let all creatures know that) I have a friendship with everybody and I have no revenge (animosity or enmity) toward anybody.

” Why do we say “Michchhami Dukkadam”?

If we reflect back on ourselves we would realize that our mind is continuously busy either thinking on something which may be near to us or could even be as far away as the other end of the world, talking or doing physical activities. This thinking, our words or our physical activities would be reflection of our happiness, sorrow, anger, greed, jealousy, and egoism, etc. And, depending upon how we react to those, we attract various types of new karmas to our souls. No prudent person would like to attract bad karma and at certain stages any karma at all. It is not as easy as turning off a light switch but we have a choice to minimize our damage so that things would be more conducive for our social and spiritual uplift which should ultimately lead to salvation or liberation from this worldly life of any kind. Michhami Dukkadam is a prakrit phrase meaning ‘to be forgiven’ or ‘may all evil that has been done be forgiven’.

Jai Jinendra

On this auspicious occasion of Paryushan we wish you all Michhami Dukkadam! We beg your forgiveness from inner of our hearts for whatever misdeeds or mis-behaviour whether knowingly or unknowingly occured by ourselves to you through mind, thoughts, actions or speech during the past year. Michchhami Dukkadam on the occasion of Savantsari Maha Parve

Kshamapana Sutra with Meaning

KHAAMEMI SAVVE JEEVA (I grant forgiveness to all living beings)

SAVVE JEEVA KHAMANTU ME (May all living beings grant me forgiveness)

METTI ME SAVVE BHUYESU (My friendship is with all living beings)

VAIRAM MAJHAM NA KENAI (My enemy is totally non-existent)

MICHHAMI DUKKADAM

With best wishes and prayers for the well-being of all things living……! Michchhami (Mithya) means fruitless / forgiven and Dukkadam (Dushkrit) means bad deeds. Therefore the meaning of Michchhami Dukkadamis’My bad deeds be fruitless’.

One custom after the last day of Paryushan (Samvatsari) is that of saying “Michhami Dukkadam”

The most important festival of Jainism i.e. “PARYUSHAN ” . One custom to be followed after the last day of Paryushan (Samvatsari) is that of saying “Michhami Dukkadam”. On Samvatsari day the ritual of “Pratikraman” is performed. Since “Samvatsari” is an annual event so is the Samvatsari Pratikraman. Under Samvatsari Pratikraman there comes the retrospection of all bad deeds and mistakes committed in the past year. We are critical of the bad deeds and resolve not to let them happen in the future. We also request forgiveness from all the living beings in the world if we might have knowingly or unknowingly caused harm to them. Thus, after the Pratikraman it is customary to request forgiveness from everyone we know and meet by saying “Michhami Dukkadam”. The idea behind it being that – “After requesting forgiveness from all living beings in general as part of Pratikraman, I do so one-to-one with you.” We become more specific and personal by doing so. In addition to requesting forgiveness, one has to grant forgiveness too. Thus by forgiving everyone and requesting forgiveness from all we ligthen ourselves and our mind from past year’s misdeeds.”Michchhami (Mithya) means fruitless / forgiven and Dukkadam (Dushkrit) means bad deeds. Therefore the meaning of Michchhami Dukkadam is’My bad deeds be fruitless’. So the idea behind conveying Michchhami Dukkadam is that if I have caused any harm to you then may those bad deeds be forgiven, become fruitless

Michhami Dukkdam & Samvatsari SMS

MICCHHAMI DUKKADDAM खामेमि सव्व जीवे, सव्वे जीवा खमंतु मे। मित्ती मे सव्व-भूएसु, वेरं मज्झ न केणइ।। I Grant Forgiveness to all Living Beings, I Solicit Forgiveness from all Living Beings, I am Friends with all Living Beings, I do not have any Animosity towards any Living Beings. MICCHHAMI DUKKADDAM – मिच्छामि दुक्कडं।