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The Meaning of the Synonymous Name of the Tirthankaras
In the third light of Yoga Shastra, verse 123 (meditation), remain steadfast and upon completion of the praise, complete the Kausagg by saying "Namo Arihantanam" to all. After that, praise the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the Bharat Kshetra in this present Avasarpini Kal. Since these twenty-four Tirthankaras have occurred in the same region and in the same time period of the present Avasarpini, it is absolutely essential to praise them because they are near and beneficial. From this perspective, to praise them (Chaturvishati-stava), people recite the Logass. The meaning of the Logass Sutra, along with its meaning:
Logass Ujjoagare, Dhammatiththayare Jine | Arihate Kittaissan, Chauchisapi Kevali ||1||
I will praise the twenty-four Sri Arihants (Tirthankaras) who are the illuminators of the world, the founders of the Dharma Tirtha, the conquerors of enemies like raga, dvesha, etc., and the omniscient Kevalis. ||1||
In this verse, the word "Arihant" is the special noun. Understand its meaning according to the meaning stated in the Namotthunan Sutra. I will praise those twenty-four Arihants in "Kittaissan". That is, I will praise them by chanting their names. In the state of a king, etc., they are called Dravya-Arihants, but here we are to praise the Bhava-Arihants, so I will praise those who have attained Kevalgyan. By saying this, the extraordinary knowledge of the Tirthankaras is revealed. To indicate their number, the use of the words "Chauchisampi" - twenty-four and "api" - indicates that I will also praise the other Arihant Tirthankaras besides the twenty-four. How are those Arihants? This is explained - "Logass Ujjoagare", that is, they are the ones who illuminate the world, which is in the form of five Astikayas, Dharma Astikaya, etc., with Kevalgyan. Here there is a doubt, "Does the statement 'omniscient' itself include the concept of being the illuminator of the world?' Then, why was it necessary to say 'illuminators of the world' separately?" In response to this, it is said, "Your statement is true, but the Vijnanadvaitavadis believe that the world is in the form of knowledge. Without knowledge, no other entity is true. Whatever is seen is in the form of illusion." Here, refuting this, it is said, "The illuminator and the illuminated are two different things. That is, the world is the illuminated and knowledge is the illuminator. Thus, there is the one who illuminates and the one who is illuminated." To explain this, it is said, "They are the illuminators of the world." And the devotee who praises the illuminator of the world also benefits from it. That is, because they are the benefactors of the world due to being the illuminators of the world, and because the world is benefited by them, they are worthy of praise. No one praises the one who is not beneficial, so to explain their beneficial nature, it is said, "Dhammatiththayare", that is, the ones who establish the Dharma-predominant Tirtha. The meaning of the word "Dharma" has been explained earlier. Tirtha is that by which one crosses over. Therefore, the Tirtha that is predominantly Dharma is called Dharma Tirtha, Dharmamaya, or Dharma-form Tirtha. Where rivers gather, it is called Dravya Tirtha. To negate such a place and the Dharma-predominant Tirtha established by Shakyas, etc., the word "Dharma" is used here. That is, Dharma itself is the holy Tirtha for crossing over the ocean of Samsara. The founders of such Dharma Tirtha are called Dharma Tirthakaras. Such Arihant Bhagavans, sitting in the Parshada (Dharma-assembly) filled with Devas, humans, and Asuras, explain Dharma with their speech, which is endowed with thirty-five qualities, so that everyone can understand it in their own language. By explaining Dharma in this way, they establish the Dharma Tirtha. This Dharma Tirthakara epithet reveals the extraordinary worship and extraordinary speech of the Arihants. Now, their extraordinary transcendence of suffering and liberation is explained - "Jine", that is, I will praise the one who has conquered the internal enemies like raga, dvesha, etc. Revealing the form of that praise, it is said:
Usabhamjiam Cha Vande Sambhavam Abhinandanam Cha Sumain Cha | Paumppahham Supaasam, Jinam Cha Chandapphahham Yande ||2||
Suvihim Cha Pushpadantam, Siyal-Sijjans-Vasupujjam Cha | Vimalamantan Cha Jinam, Dhamm Santim Cha Bandami ||3||
Kunthu Aram Cha Mallim Vande Munisuvayam Namijinam Cha | Vandami Ritthanemim Paasam Tah Vaddhmanam Cha ||4||
I bow to Sri Rishabhdev and Ajitnath Jin, and I bow to Sambhavnath, Abhinandan Swami, Padma Prabhu, Suparshvanath, and Chandra Prabh Swami. ||3|| I bow to Suvidhinath or Pushpadant, Sheetalnath, Shreyansnath, Vasupujya,
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