II Navkar Mantra (नवकार मंत्र) II
Navkar Mantra is the universal prayer of Jainism. The Navkar Mantra is the most important mantra in Jainism and can be recited at any time. This mantra is also called Namaskar (नमस्कार) or Namokar (णमोकार) Mantra.
While reciting this mantra, the devotee bows with respect to humans who have cleared their gathi karmas (arihants), fully liberated souls (siddhas), spiritual leaders (acharyas), teachers (upajjhayas) and monks.
Object: Deepest salutations to the five most auspicious beings.
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| NAVKAR MANTRA |
Namo Arihantanam
I bow in reverence to Arihants
Namo Siddhanam
I bow in reverence to Siddhas
Namo Ayariyanam
I bow in reverence to Acharyas
Namo Uvajjhayanam
I bow in reverence to Upadhyayas
Namo Loye Savva Sahunam
I bow in reverence to all Sadhus
Eso Panch Namukkaro
This five-fold salutation
Savva Pavappanasano
Destroys all sins
Mangalanam Cha Savvesim
And amongst all auspicious things
Padhamam Havai Mangalam
Is the most auspicious one
Explanation: Navakara Mantra is also known as Namaskara Mantra and Namokara Mantra. Navakara Mantra is
composed of nine sentences (padas). It is the most revered mantra in
Jaina religion. In first and second sentences, we pay our respect to perfect
souls. In the third, fourth and fifth sentences we pay respect to the monks. The remaining four sentences explain the importance of this prayer. Some Jain
traditions do not include the last four sentences in Navakara Mantra. The first
seven padas each has a separate meaning while last two padas together have one
meaning, thus for nine padas there are eight meanings (sampada). There are 68
whole letters in the original Prakrit version of the Navakara Mantra. These are
the five supreme beings (parmeshthis), who are revered in this Mantra.
Arihanta: Siddha is the
highest stage of bliss even above the state of Arihanta but in the Navakara
Mantra, obeisance is offered first to Arihanta because they are perfect worldly
souls, builders of the ford of righteousness, establishers of the four fold
order of the Jaina community and they devote their lives in preaching and guiding
other living beings to the path of liberation. Lord Arihanta has 12 attributes;
which are made up of 8 auspicious symbols (pratihärya) and 4 extra
ordinary powers (atishaya).
Twelve
attributes of Arihanta are as follows:
1. Jnänätishaya:
Omniscience, the perfect knowledge of past,present and future of the entire
Universe at the same time.
2. Apäyäpagamätishaya:
Lord Arihanta is free from all the faults and where ever he travels there
is absence of all natural calamities and diseases within the area of
125 Yojanas (1 Yojana equals 4 miles) surrounding him.
3. Pujätishaya: All
celestial beings and humans either worship or have desire to worship Lord
Arihanta.
4. Vachanätishaya: The
speech of Lord Arihanta is "The Reality" itself and well understood by
celestial beings, humans and animals in their own mode of expression
(native tongue) and has 35 special qualities.
5. Ashoka Vruksha: Where a
divine assembly hall is built, a tree called Ashoka Vruksha, twelve
times larger than the body of Lord Arihanta, is created by celestial
beings. Lord Arihanta delivers his universal sermon sitting under
this tree. Over Ashoka Vruksha, there is another tree called Chaitya
Vruksha. It is under this Chaitya Vruksha lord Arihanta
acquires perfect knowledge (Kevaljnäna).
6. Sura-pushpa vrushti:
Shower of fragrant flowers by celestial beings.
7. Divya dhvani: The
discourse of Lord Arihanta is accompanied by divine music in the background
played by celestial beings.
8. Chämara: whisk
9. Sinhänsana: A divine
golden throne studded with precious diamonds
10. Bhämandala: Halo
behind the head of Tirthankara
11.Devadudumbhi: The
celestial beings play the musical instruments during the samovsharana.
12. Chhatra: Divine
three-tiered parasol above Tirthankara's head.
Of the above 12, 1 to 4 is
extraordinary powers (atishaya) and 5 to 12 are symbols (prätihärya).
Siddha: Siddhas are
liberated souls and are absolutely free from
the cycles of birth and death
forever. The liberated souls live in an
abode called Siddha-shilä located
at the top of the universe. Lord
Siddha has 8 attributes.
8 attributes of
Siddhas are as follows:
1. Ananta-jnäna: Infinite
knowledge due to destruction of knowledge obscuring (jnänävarniya)
karma
2. Ananta Darshana:
Infinite perception due to destruction of perception obscuring (darshanävarniya)
karma.
3. Avyäbädha-sukha:
Eternal bliss due to destruction of feeling producing (vedniya) karma.
4. Ananta-chäritra: Perfect
conduct due to destruction of deluding (mohaniya) karma.
5. Akshaya-sthiti:
Imperishable state due to destruction of age determining (äyu) karma.
6. Arupitva: Formlessness
due to destruction of name determining (näma) karma.
7. Aguru-Laghutva: Not to
heavy, not to light, a balanced immaterial form due to
destruction of class determining (gore) karma.
8. Ananta-virya: Infinite
energy due to destruction of energy restrictor (virya antaräya)
karma.
Ächärya: Head of monastic
congregation. Ächärya has 36 attributes. For a detailed
discussion of Ächärya see the sutra number 2 page 7.
Upädhyäya: Ascetic
preceptor. Upädhyäya has 25 attributes.
25 attributes of
Upädhyäya are as follows:
Mastery of 11 Anga Ägamas, 12
Upanga Agamas, 1 Charanasittari (Text which deals in code of
conduct) and 1 karanasittari. (Text,which deals in performing rituals
and activities).
Sädhus and Sädhvis:
Monks
and nuns who have taken vows of
poverty (dikshä). Sädhus
have 27 attributes.
27 attributes of
Sädhus and Sädhvis are as follows:
Observe strictly five major vows
(5)
Do not eat before sunrise and
after sunset (6)
Give protection to six categories
of living beings (chha käyä jivas),
i.e. one to five sensed living
beings. (7-12)
Keep control on pleasures derived
from any of five senses (13-17)
Avoid greed (18)
Forgive others (19)
Keep clear conscious (20)
Honest in dealing with personal
clothes (21)
Practice five-fold vigilance (samiti)
and three-fold self-control (gupti) (22)
Keep control over mental
faculties (23)
Keep control over speech (24)
Keep control over physical
actions (25)
Endure hardships (26)
Endure calamities (27)
In total there are
108 attributes of 5 supreme beings (Paramesthi)Lets us praise Navkar Mahamantra by singing this song
Samaro Mantra Bhalo Navakar Lyrics
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| Samaro Mantra Bhalo Navakar |
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| Samaro Mantra Bhalo Navakar |
