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The Commentator first said that the garland is strung admirably i.e., with admirable charecteristics (gunaih). Not being satisfied with it he connected the word 'gunaih' with 'jinendra'.
(A little of Sanskrit here for better understanding. The text reads, 'stotrasrajam, tava, jinendra, gunaih, nibaddam'. This can be taken as jinendra = oh jinendra ! (a form of vocative case) stotrasrajam = this garland (of praise - qualifier of garland) nibaddham=strung (adjective of srajam=garland) gunaih=with (admirable) qualities. If the word 'jinendra' is taken as the member of the compound (jinendra-gunaih) then also it would be jinendra only and in this case, the splitting would be 'stotrasrajam' tava, jinendra-gunaih, nibaddham'. Hence the meaning would be a, 'a garland, which is strung with the flowers of the noble qualities of jinendra', and not "Oh ! jinendra, as in previous interpretation. Now proceed further).
Thus, one who wears this garland of varnas wherein the noble qualities of jinesvara were strung together as flowers of variegated hue, without interruption in his neck, i.e., remembers always becomes Manatunga himself. Our Rev. preceptor and we camped at Jain Nagar Society, Ahmedabad for our Caturmasa. I met a Brahmin professor there. He told, 'the congregational rendering of The Bhaktamara Stotra fascinates me'. I asked him out of curiosity, "Do you like it so much ?". Professor replied, "It is nothing strange. I like The Bhaktamara Stotra very much. It is very beautiful. The rules of Jaina Dharma too appear reasonable and must. In the tradition of Jinas, no one has monopolised the right to transformation to paramatman. Every soul in this religion, is entitled to work for his salvation".
The religion of Jinas is the way to make a fallen soul to transform into paramatman. This requires further explanation. Transformation or moving to the state of jina-hood (vitaragahood), is not the monopoly of anyone. There is not even a shadow of monopolisation. The command of Jinas stand on the foundation of the qualification of the individuals. When even becoming a Jina, Tirthankara is not the monopoly of anyone, why should Sri Manatunga restrict the flowering into a Manatunga to himself ?
Sri Gunakara Suri, had given six meanings to the word, 'Manatunga'. He made the individual entirely secondary - unimportant, and thereby Sri Manatunga Suri himself. But the development of individuality is shown.
MANATUNGA may mean
1.
Higher than the highly developed mind
2. Higher than the name and fame (larger than life) 3. Accomplished but egoistic man
Any egoistic man The best and first among men
6.
Embodied in a beautiful body possessing all auspicious characteristics, enumerated in the science of body-signs (Samudrika sastra)
The monopoly of becoming Manatunga was taken by Manatunga after composing the stotra, but he dedicated it to all who will just recite it. Slowly, purusas can become purusottamas (best among men). When one becomes Manatunga, wealth (Laksmi) will automatically come to him. Sri Gunakara Suri has described the word 'laksmi' also in six different ways.
Manatunga composed the stotra. He was honoured by the King. He got into the heaven, and will become paramatman definitely. Sri Manatunga got this Triveni Sangam of Laksmi. 1. 'Avasa': he splits the word, 'avasa' as 'a-vasa' and 'a'means Krsna, and vasa' remaining under his control. i.e., his wife. As Laksmi garlands Krsna so she will garland (come to) him who has this garland of stotras, in his neck. 2 & 3. The author used the word, Jinendra in the beginning of this verse too, and addresses Jinendra in the last verse also. In the beginning, he said prathamam jinendram, i.e., best of jinas and that quality we must remember here too. The
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Rahasya Darshan
Jain Education International 2010_04
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