Illustrated Namokara Mahamantra

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

Page 62

= APPENDIX-5= SARVATOBHADRA ĀNUPŪRVİ A GOOD MEANS OF NAMOKĀRA CHANTING
Of the various processes of focusing the mind mathematics is an interesting one. The Jain ācāryas have combined mathematics with religious subjects for the purpose of focusing the mind on spiritual meditation. Out of the four interpretative styles of the Jain canons (anuyoga) mathematics forms an independent section (ganitānuyoga).
The anupūrvi has been formulated as an aid to focus mind on the namokära mahamantra chanting and meditation. In the anupūrvī the five lines of namokāra mahāmantra are repeated in a series of various orders so that attention is not diverted.
Like the mathematical numbers the ānupūrvi is also framed in a vriety of ways. In the Anuyogadvāra-sūtra there is a mention of different classes and sub-classes of anupūrvis. Here we are giving the sarvatobhadra anupūrvi. The total of the five numbers in the squares from any direction is 15. Like the sarvatobhadra penance and configuration this ānupūrvi is also of special importance.
The method of chanting is as follows:
While progressing on the squares from left to right chant namo arihantānañ át the numerical 1, namo siddhānaṁ at 2, namo āyariyanaṁ at 3, namo uvaijhāyānaṁ at 4, and ņamo loe savva sāhūnam at 5.
About its benefits there is a famous couplet that means : आनुपूर्वी प्रतिदिन जपिये, चंचल मन स्थिर हो जावे । छह मासी तप का फल होवे, पाप-पंक सब धुल जावे ॥ मंत्रराज नवकार हृदय में, शांति सुधारस बरसाता । लौकिक जीवन सुखमय करके, अजर अमर पद पहुँचाता ॥ Chant the ānupūrvi everyday and your mind will be stable. It benefits as the six month penance and cleanses the mud of sin. The king of mantras, navakāra showers the essence of peace in mind. And filling the mundane life with happiness it leads to immortality.
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ILLUSTRATED NAMOKĀRA MAHĀMANTRA : APPENDICES
Jain Education Intemational