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writing down the Mantra first before the commencement of the text proper came to be adopted; so it is always necessary to determine as to whether or not the author himself has put Pañcanamaskāra-Mantra before the commencement of the text.
It is noteworthy that in the benedictory verses of Prajñāpanā the salutation is offered first to Siddha and then to Arihanta. It is noteworthy because in Pañcanamaskāra the salutation is offered first to Arihanta and then to Siddha. According to old references, Tirthańkaras offer salutation to Siddha only, when they enter into the order of monks. If we take this fact into consideration we can legitimately conclude that there had been already in vogue a tradition of offering salutation to Siddha in the beginning of the performance of Mangala (benediction). But later on in Pañcanamaskāra-Mantra the first place came to be accorded to TirthankarasArihantas---considering them to be directly helpful to the souls in bondage23. Since then the authors, following PañcanamaskāraMantra, in the benedictory part of their works offer salutation first to Arihanta.
How the order of the five Padas (dignitaries) got established in Pañcanamaskāra-Mantra ?-if we ponder over this question we feel that something like this might have happened : So long as Tirtha (Order) is not founded, Siddhas (liberated souls) only are worthy of salutation. Accordingly, when Tirthařkara renounces the world he offers his salutation to idea-i Siddha only. But it is quite natural that Tirthańkara is held important in his life-time. And when he leaves this mortal world, he can well be regarded as belonging to the class of Siddhas. But he is remembered only as a Tirthankara, though he has attained Siddha-hood. It is so because he is our immediate helper. Logassa provides an instance of this tradition. And it is followed in so many old benedictions (mangalas). When thus both Arihanta and Siddha are proved worthy of salutation, there might have started a practice, following old tradition, of saluting first Siddha and then Arihanta. But afterwards having included Arihantas proper in one class and Arihantas who have attained Siddhahood and all Siddhas in the other class the Jainas reversed the order of salutation. And this
23. In the edicts of Kharavela, which belong to the period preceding the
commencement of Christian Era, we find salutation first to Arihanta and then to Siddha. This means that the tradition of offering salutation first to Siddha and then to Arihanta might have been prevalent before the Age of Khāravela. Again, it is noteworthy that in the edicts of Khāra vela the salutation is offered to only two holy personages. It is interesting to note in this connection that in the beginning of the edicts of Ashoka there occurs no salutation to holy personages.
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