Ancient Jaina Hymns

SR No.: 034743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Charlotte Krause
Publisher: Oriental Institute
Publication Year: 1952
Total Pages: 184
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

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ANCIENT JAINA HYMNS
enced works of a number of well-known poets, such as Mānatunga, Hemacandra, Dharmaghoşa, Munisundara and even Yasovijaya.'
In st. 9,our poet extolls the magic power of the most popular and ancient of all the Pārsvanātha-mantras, which is generally known as the “Visahara-phulinga-" or “Cintāmani”-mantra, and which is mentioned in as early a piece of Jaina literature as Bhadrabāhu's famous “Uvasaggahara stotra”, assumed to have been composed in the 6th century A. D., if not earlier.? Many texts of the subsequent centuries, such as Mānatunga's famous "Bhayahara-stotra", composed during the reign of king Harsa of Thanesar, Dharmaghosa Sūri's "Śrī-Cintāmaņi-kalpa”, belonging to the 14th century or perhaps even to an earlier period, the Pārsvanātha hymns by Taruņaprabha Sūri, Kamalaprabha Sūri, Ratnakīrtti Sūri, Jinapati Sūri, etc. contain the mantra, (some with prescriptions re its use), and glorify its miraculous efficacy. The "mūla-mantra' runs as follows: “Namiūņa Pāsa visahara vasaha Jiņa phulimga”.4
Around this “mūla-mantra”, various “bijas” are generally arranged in varying number and order. Our poet mentions the following “bījas": "aim" (general, for “Sarasvati'), "om" (general, for "praṇava”), "hrim” (general, for "Māyā”), the latter twice, “arham" (especially Jaina, for “Tirthankara", "Siddhacakra”, or “Asta-mahā-siddhi”,' or according to another school
(1) Vide M. B. Jhaveri, loc. cit., and J. St. Sand. I and II, where a number of texts of this type are published.
(2) Vide J. St. Sand. II, Introduction p. 8. (3) Vide J. St. Sand., both parts. (4) Vide J. St. Sand. II, p. 27.
(5) This definition is given in a list of "mantra-bijas", contained on an ancient stray MS. leaf in the possession of the Venerable Upadhyâya Labdhi. muniji.
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