Jain Digest 1998 07 Vol 14 No 03

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 26

Uvasaggaharam Sutra
કમઠે ધરણેન્દ્ર ચ, સ્વોચિત કર્મ કૂર્વતિ; પ્રભુસ્તુલ્યમનોવૃત્તિ:, પાર્શ્વનાથઃ શ્રિયેનું વઃ,
Kamathe Dharanendre Cha Swochitam Karma Kurvati Prabhustulya Manovrutti Pärshwanathah Shriyestu Vah
Lord Pärshwanäth has equanimity towards Kamath as well as Dharanendra, (even though) they act according to their own inclination (Kamath giving distress to the Lord and Dharanendra providing protection); let (that Lord) be for your spiritual wealth.
This is another significant Mantra of Jain tradition and its importance is next only to Navkar Mantra. The Sutra is addressed to Lord Pärshwanäth. The miraculous impact of Lord Pärshwanath and Padmavati, the attendant goddess of his order, is not only well known among Jains, but many non-Jains also worship them.
ઉવસગ્ગહરં પાર્સ, પાસે વંદામિ કમ્મઘણમુક્ત । વિહરવિસનિશાર્સ, મંગલ-કલાણ-આવાસ ॥ ૧ ॥
I bow to Lord Pärshwanath whose attending deity is Pärshwa who is free from all Karmas, who is the destroyer of all poisonous defilements and who is the abode of bliss and well being. (1)
The first line of the stanza has two Päsams. The first Päsam stands for Lord Pärshwanath and the second for Pärshwa the male deity in charge of the Lord's order. The Jain tradition believes that there is one male and one female deity earmarked for every Tirthankar. They take care of the well being of the Sangha as well as Lord's
This Sutra is believed to have been composed by great Bhadrabahuswami, who was the 5th and the last Shrutkewali. The Jain tradition states that he had a brother named Varähmihir, the well known astrologer of ancient India. He was first initiated in the Jain order, but being somehow disgusted of that life, he had given it up and had set up as an astronomer. From that time onward, he nursed a grudge against his brother and cultivated hostility towards Jainism.
Once the king of that place got a son. Varähmihir prepared a horoscope of the prince that indicated that the prince would live for hundred years. Since the prince was the first child of the king, every one went to the court to give compliments to the king. Bhadrababuswami, however, could not go. Varähmihir seized that opportunity and poisoned the ears of the king by pointing out the absence of even the formal courtesy on the part of the Jain ascetic.. The king therefore conveyed his displeasure for the apparent discourtesy. Thereupon Bhadrabahuswami sent the message that he
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devotees. The Lord has destroyed all sorts of Karmas and stays in liberated state. He has therefore been described here as free from
Karma. Such Karmaless state is free from all misery and unhappiness. As such, that state has been specified here as the abode of bliss.
Some people translate the second Päsam' as 'close to' and interpret the line as bowing near Pärshwanath. But the word for closeness in Ardhamägadhi is Päsah, not Päsam. Moreover, such preposition is not required in the context of bowing, because we do not bow near; we bow to. As such, that interpretation does not seem to be right.
The literal meaning of Visahar occurring in the third line is holder of poison. As such, the term stands for snake. But to adore Lord Pärshwanath as remover of the poison of snake amounts to restricting his impact to a minor worldly aspect. (His life was, no doubt, associated with saving the snake couple, but no mention is made in that tale about their poison). His overcoming of the defilements, that defile the nature of soul, is more significant than any other aspect. Such defilements are as harmful as poison. It is therefore more reasonable to interpret Visahar as defilements.
વિસહસ્ફુલિંગ મંત, કંઠે ધારેઇ જો સધા મચ્છુઓ । તસ્સ ગહ-રોગ મારી, દુટ્ઠજરા જંતિ ઉવસામં ॥ ૨ ॥
If one always wears in the neck, the Visaharfulling Mantra, his unfavorable planetary impact, disease, epidemic and acute fever are calmed down. (2)
There is an 18 letter (37 letters in Roman script) Visaharfulling Mantra associated with the name of Pärshwanath, which is effective against all types of affliction. The Mantra is:
did not compliment the king, because the newly born prince was not destined to survive long and was going to die on the seventh day by the impact of a cat.
The king was aware of the knowledgeability of the great ascetic and therefore took all precautionary measures to prevent such calamity. In particular, he took care to see that no cat comes within the precincts of the royal palace. On the seventh day, however, while the wet-nurse was suckling the prince with her back at the door, the wooden bolt of the door fell down upon the child and he instantly died. The royal family was thereby plunged in deep sorrow.
The king could now make out that Bhadrababuswami was right in predicting the untimely death of the prince. He was, however, curious that there was no impact of cat in the death of the prince, as was predicted by the great ascetic. Bhadrabahuswami therefore called for the bolt and pointed out that there was the picture of a cat on the side of the bolt that struck the prince. The king then realized the accuracy of his knowledge and the futility of Varähmihir's claim.
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