Apporva Avasar

Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra,
Publisher: USA Jain Study Group NY

Page 22

ચાર કર્યું ઘનઘાતી તે વ્યવછંદ જયાં, ભવનાં બીજતણો આત્યંતિક નાશજો; સર્વે ભાવ શાતા દ્રષ્ટા સહ શુદ્ધતા, કૃતકૃત્ય પ્રભુ વીર્યે અનંત પ્રકાશ જો. અપૂર્વ...૧૫
Let four types of obscuring karmas be destroyed Eliminating the seed of life and birth cycles. Let the self in its purest form
Become just the knower and observer Uncovering infinite energy.
When...15
Here Shrimad describes the condition of the soul upon reaching the 13th spiritual stage (13th GUNASTHANAKA) and becoming a SAYOGI KEVALI. A SAYOGI KEVALI possesses a physical body but acts beyond it. At this point, the soul has completely rid itself of the four types of obscuring karmas (GHATI karmas connected with the soul) -namely: GNANAVARANIYA (Knowledge obscuring). DARSHANAVARANIYA (Perception obscuring), ANTARAYA (Result blocking), and MOHANIYA (Deluding). Having destroyed these karmas, the soul gets total control over feelings, emotions, attachments, and aversion. At this stage the soul is only a knower and observer and uncovers the infinite energy to move on to the next spiritual stage of AYOGI KEVALI.
It is appropriate to look at the meaning of the first two lines of Navakar Mantra at this point. The first line "NAMO ARIHANTANAM" means bowing to those souls who have conquered the inner enemies-i.e. those who have destroyed GHATI karmas and reached the 13th spiritual stage (SAYOGI KEVALI) described above. The second line "NAMO SIDDHANAM" means bowing to those who have destroyed not only GHATI karmas but also AGHATI karmas, the latter being connected with the physical body (the 14th stage - AYOGI KEVALI further described in stanza 17). ARIHANTAS (e.g. Simandharswami, etal. in Mahavideh kshetra are SAYOGI KEVALI) have a physical body and have been placed first because they assist all souls by teaching the right path. Once their life span is over, they become SIDDHAS and achieve the highest spiritual stage. Their legacy is with us even after thousands of years.
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