Illustrated Namokara Mahamantra

Author(s): Shreechand Surana, Surendra Bothra
Publisher: Diwakar Prakashan

Page 52

APPENDIX-2
THE MIRACLES OF NAMOKĀRA MAHĀMANTRA : ON THE YARDSTICK OF EXPERIENCE
The extensive Jain literature is full of mythical and historical stories about the miracles of the ṇamokāra mahamantra. There are hundreds of such stories where the miracles of namokāra have been detailed, both in the Swetambara as well as the Digambara literature.
The mantra that created miracles in the ancient times can also do so even today; it happens too. It is common to hear that some one had some specific benefit due to the ṇamokara mantra ; someone got cured of his ailments, someone came out of a tormenting predicament, someone got his lost wealth and some one was cured of the effects of poison.
A businessman from south India got his five kilograms of gold confiscated in an income tax raid; the case went on for months. He started the chanting of the namokara mantra. After six months he won the case and got back his gold.
Many such incidents take place even today, but because of lack of communication and publicity the common man does not get the correct information. We have given illustrations of five famous old stories of the effects of namokāra mantra in this book; these certainly impress the readers. We narrate here a few true and famous incidents of modern times where the tangible effects of ṇamokāra mantra, based on experience, have been detailed.
1
All the plights of Abdula Rajjaka, a muslim from Jakhaura (Jhansi), were removed by the ṇamokāra mantra. A letter from him was published in Jain Darsana (vol. 5-6, year-3 p. 31). We are giving the excerpts of this letter:
.......I follow the rule that before sleeping I keep on chanting the namokara mantra. One winter night a large snake shared the bed with me and I was not aware of it. I dreamt as if someone was warning me that there was a snake and telling me to get up. I got up two or three times and looked around with the help of a lantern. Seeing nothing I returned back to the bed and slept. Due to the effect of the mantra I did not come out of the bed on the side the serpent was lying, not even once. In the morning after I got up I started to roll up the mattress. It was then that I saw the large and thick snake lying in my bed. I pulled the bedsheat. The snake immediately raised its head but slithered down through the hanging bedsheat and went away.
The second incident is just two three months old. When the people of my community came to know that I have accepted Jainism a meeting was organised and I was called to attend. From Jakhaura I went to Jhansi and attended the meeting. Everyone present expressed his views and raised many questions. I kept on replying them all. Many people went to the extent of conveying that it is better to kill such person rather than allow him to convert into other religion. Thus everyone told what he thought. In the end everyone went home and I too returned to my room. In the evening, just at the sunset I started my sāmāyika (a Jain meditation). When I concided my sāmāyika and opened my eyes I was stunned to see a large snake crawling near me. I also saw a pot placed near the door; this indicates that someone had brought the snake in the pot and left it at my door. The only intention could be to harm me.
But that snake did not harm me in any way. Full of fear, I enquired from people around about who had done this; but in vain. Next day when I was doing sāmāyika the snake bit a neighbour's son. The man cried and uttered, "Oh ! What I have done. I brought that snake for four annas to harm 12
ILLUSTRATED NAMOKĀRA MAHĀMANTRA: APPENDICES
Jain Education Intemational