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The Namaskar (Navkar) Mantra and the Panch Parameshti 144
THE TWELVE VIRTUES OF THE ARIHANTS :
The Arihants possess 34 special virtues of the status of Purushothams and Parameshwars. Of these four are main specialities, and eight other specialities are called pratiharyas and these are the 12 great virtues of Arihants. The four Atishayas (specialities comprise 18 (Apayagams) specialities that can restrain and dispel defects. Over an area of 125 yojanas around the place where an Arihant stays, dreadful calamities like Plague do not occur. This is called Apayagam (that which dispels derogations). Apay: derogation. After one becomes a Vitrag, he becomes an omniscient one. This is called the Jnanathishay (or the speciality relating to knowledge). At least, a crore heavenly beings dwell there with him. The heavenly beings and Indra worship the Arihant with devotion. This is called Poojathishaya. The Lord delivers a sermon embodying 35 lofty virtues. This is called Vachanathishaya. Thus there are 4 main Athishayas or specialities. If we add eight prathiharyas to them, it comes to 12 gunas or virtues. 34 specialities arise in the Arihant. Of them, one part comprising eight are prathiharyas (Paraphernalia) : 1) Simhasan (a sublime seat); 2) Chamar (whisks); 3) Bamandal (halo); 4) Chatra (umbrella); 5) Ashok vriksha (the peepal tree); 6) Pusphavrishti (a rain of flowers); 7) Divyadhwani (divine melodies); 8) Devadundhubi (divine trumpets). These accompany him.
The cause for the appearance of these specialities in the Arihant is this. In his previous Janma, he would have sought pure knowledge (Samyagdarshan) by adoring the 20 sources like Arihant, Siddha, Pravachan (scriptural discourses) etc. He would have made a lofty endeavour in this direction and he would have shown compassion for all the jivas in samsar who are anguished by karmas.
The man who becomes an Arihant renounces all wealth and grandeur even of the princely level; discards all sinful propensities and receives vows relating to such great vratas as nonviolence (ahimsa). After that, by virtue of his self-discipline, spiritual austerities and meditation, he bears with all impedi
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