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"This five fold obeisance, destroys all the sin and is the most prominent of all the best auspicious (mangala) things."130 This is also considered as an integral part of the five fold Parameshtinamaskara mantra.
The pancha namaskara mantra invocation for the sake of protection against danger is very much employed.131 The five fold obeisance constitutes the sacred hymn (stotra), the litanical formulae of frequent silent repetition (japa), the auspicious theme of meditation (mantra), the symbol of spiritual blessings (mangala) having sanctity and authority of the revealed world.132 The question is often raised that in Pancha Namaskara the first to be invoked are Arhats and not the Siddhas who are superior to the former in their spiritual state. Pt. Sukhlal observes, “The two (Arhat and Siddha) are the orders of attaining to an object. one is Purvanupurvi and other Pashchanupurvi. Referring to the smaller after the greater one, is Purvanupurvi and to the greater after the smaller is Pashchanupurvi. The Purvanupurvi order in salutation is resorted to here for this reason. From the point of view of annihilation of karma, Siddhas are superior to Arihants. Yet both are equal from the point of view of fulfilment (perfection). From the point of view of worldly dealing or practical point of view, Arihanta is superior to Siddha. This is because the indirect form of Siddha is revealed to us by Arihanta. The Arihanta are therefore looked upon as superior and saluted first.'133
It should not be assumed, however, that the Siddhas are never invoked first. In the Pannavana sutta itself the author pays homage first to the Siddha and next to Jina Mahavira.134 Virasenacharyal35 also mentions Siddha first and Arhat afterwards, Kundakunda136 does the same. Paramatmaprakasha verses one to five adore the Siddhas whereas the Arhats are adored in verse six. Yogasara verse one adores the Siddha (Paramatma) while verse two adores Jinendra. When Tirthankara initiates himself to an ascetic life or at the time of pravrajya; he utters namo siddhanam (Namah siddhebhyah).137
THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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