Nav Smarana

SR No.: 008333
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi
Total Pages: 224
Language: English, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English, Devotion, Worship, Worship, J000, & J999
File Size: 922 KB

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Somewhat similar advice has been given to monks in verse No 8, chapter 15 of the Uttarädhyayan Sootra stating that a monk should not make use of and abandon all forms of the mantra and such gimmicks!
It is therefore clear that by and large it was accepted, during olden times, that the science of the mantras did exist but Jains were advised to keep away from the mantra, and monks were forbidden to use them.
A learned monk and scholar like Bhadrabahu would not have composed this stotra to gain any material advantage from the demigods or goddesses. The second verse of this stotra, as we will see later, advocates the aspirant to use the mantra to eradicate diseases, poverty and other obstacles.
Would a scholar, well versed in all the ancient poorva literature, advise Jains to practice the mantras for personal gains, only some 150 years after the death of Mahävira?
(3) The style and language of the stotra do not leave any clue as to the precise dates of its composition. However it is fair to say that the oldest stotra (or verses praising Mahävira) is found in an Agama named the Sootrakritänga, which was probably composed not too long after Mahävira's death.
The practice of writing poems or stotras for common people to recite may have started later. If Bhadrabähu composed this stotra, then it is perhaps the oldest stotra. However, the doubts surrounding the advocacy of mantra power leads one to deduce that this stotra was perhaps not written by Bhadrabähu (the first one).
By carefully considering these facts one can deduce that:
(1) The Uvasaggaharam Stotra may not have been composed by Bhadrabähu (the first) because he lived in the 4th Century BCE. Bhadragupta who's time (the beginning of Christian era and place (the town of Ujjaini) coincide with that of Varähmihir. Is it possible that scholars would have confused his name with that of Bhadrabähu whose name was more famous?
(2) As the usage of the science of the mantra did not prevail during the time of the firsat Bhadrabähu, he may not have composed the said stotra, which according to Jains has magical powers.
(3) The SBC has inserted the sentence: 'that commentaries on the scriptures and the Uvasaggaharam Stotra was composed by Bhadrabahu to eradicate the plague caused by Varähmihir' This can be deduced by the fact that commentaries written on the scriptures mention and revere first Bhadrabähu and, if this commentary is written by him, he would not pay reverence to himself.
Mantam mulam viviham vejjachintam vaman vireyan dhumnetta sinananm aaure saraṇam tigichhayam cha tam parinnay parivvae sa bhikkhu | Uttaradhyayan Sutra. Published by Akhil. Bhārat Jain Sanskriti Raksak Sangha, Sailana 1983
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