Panch Mahavrata
(पंच महाव्रत)Literal Meaning
The five great vows
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
'Panch' (five) plus 'mahavrata' (great vow); ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, and aparigraha — the five vows observed in their complete, absolute form by Jain monks and nuns.
Spiritual Insight & Context
Unlike the lighter 'anuvrata' observed by laypeople, the mahavratas are kept without exception — a symbol of the monastic life's total commitment to renunciation.