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• What is the final conclusion of all these discussions ? Just we sum up the discussions :
The mantra-practice is an essential and important accessory of Jainism. As the medicines cure diseases, so too mantras can remove or mitigate karmas. The attendant gods confer the benefits on practitioners. Hence they too are to be accepted, respected and worshipped. Even while practising the mantras the aspirant must have moksa alone as his aim. We must make sincere efforts to revive the tradition. We are able to see the effects of a few mantras. If we work seriously, and sincerly and enhance the power by practice, their efficacy can be witnessed. Not only do the mantras give physical results but help spiritual practice too. Hence they help a mumuksu (person desirous of moksa) also. Navakara must be practised before every sadhana. Though Navakara is a mahamantra, other mantras have importance in their own spheres. Whatever may be the opinion of historians, the place and value of mantras is there very much in Jainism. Hence it is not only desirable on the part of the saints and laity to develop it further and practise but it is their duty too. The practices not fit to be attempted at are not to be followed. But one must accept their importance and greatness too. This rare and invaluable life as humanbeings is only to make ourselves paramatman. Let the Mantrasastra be useful to that end and aim only, both towards practitioner and others. One should work for the development, furtherance and propagation of Jainism.
THE BHAKTAMARA - A STOTRA ? MANTRA ? OR VIDYA ? Bhaktamara is efficacious, powerful and influential. The work is variously known as stotra, kavya or mantra. What type of work is it?
It had been stated in "Prabandha Cintamani" that Acarya Manatunga Surisvarji was fettered by forty-four chains and placed behind the Adishwar Jain Temple. With forty-four slokas all the chains got cut-off and the whole temple stood turned before as if to see him. Thus so many super natural things are said of this Stotra. We find such things narrated in favour of individual slokas of this Stotra too which go by the name Bhaktamara stories. Even now many people bear witness to the efficacy of Bhaktamara. It has become a treasure of many mantras. Mantras do have sounds capable of generating the power enshrined in them.
A lot of things are to be said on these mantras. According to the Jain tradition along with the establishment of caturvidhasangha the greatness of mantras too is established. The Navkar Sutra is referred to as Navkar Mantra. Navkar Mantra is the greatest of all mantras and first of all mangalas (auspicious deeds). It contains salutations to Pancaparmesthi and also the description of the fruit of such obeisance. Even then the entire writings are known as Navkar Mantra. The great scholars who composed the scriptures say, "neither has appeared there a mantra nor will appear one equal to Namaskara Mantra".
The Navkar Mantra occupies a prominent place in every ritual in Jain life, from birth to death. It won't be an exaggeration, if we were to say that Jain Life and this mantra have been woven together. This Bhaktamara Stotra is pregnant with mantras and it is a poetry (kavya) on devotion to jina, a great psalm, an incomparable stotra.
But Bhaktamara is known more as a Stotra, Both Navkar Sutra & Bhaktamara can be termed "mala - mantras" from the angle of Mantrasastra. All stotras of Jainism are in the form of obeisance to Pancaparamesthi jointly or severally and in this respect they all are elaborations of Navakar Mantra only. Obeisance to Arihant-Paramatman finds a prominent
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Rahasya Darshan Mp3
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