Jain Spirit 2003 12 No 17

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 59

The object of the stotra is to worship the first Tirthankara Rshabha Dev or Adinath. The Jinas or Tirthankaras, who were once human beings like us, could attain Godhood through humane efforts and are holy ideals of our worship. They could bring out the full divinity inherent in their humanely existence. The unfolding of the inherent divinity is the aim of devotion. The worship is a first step towards it. Unlike other stotras and worship materials, there are no figments of the imagination. Here the Tirthankara is seen merely as an ideal of worship.
To begin with, Acharya Manatung submits his candid salutation to the first Tirthankara Adinath. Further, he admits the limitations of his knowledge and compares himself with a child who tries to grab the moon, upon seeing its reflection in water. It is as difficult for him to count the virtues of the Jina, as for a good swimmer to cross the ocean in a storm. Even Indra, the King of celestial beings, and Brihaspati, the teacher of the celestial beings cannot dare to do that.
He has composed this stotra purely out of devotion to the Jina even if it were to invite ridicule from the wise ones. He points out that just as the rising sun dispels the dense fog or darkness, the increasing devotion to the Jina causes evil karmas to recede from the life of a devotee. He considers the Jina as a benevolent master who makes his servants his equals. The image of the Jina radiates unhindered throughout the Universe and is far superior to the glow of the full moon which has many flaws. The sun and the moon can be eclipsed and veiled by the clouds, but nothing can eclipse the glory of the virtues of the Jina. The omniscient knowledge of the Jina cannot be compared to the other deities of this world, just as diamonds, emeralds and pearls cannot be compared with glittering pieces of glass.
He sees the serene glimpse of the Jina, which expresses the feeling of detachment and contentment. It gives confidence to the devotee that there can be no other way to salvation or moksha than to follow the path of the Jina. In the BhaktamarStotra, for the first time in Jain literature, a Jain Acharya is found praising the mother of a Tirthankara. He views the Jina with popular metaphors like Brahma, Vishnu, Shankar and Buddha to explain the logical meanings of these terms and how they serve as perfect descriptions for the Jina. He bows to the Jina for terminating the unending cycle of rebirths. Then follows the description of the Jina's eight Pratiharyas. These Pratiharyas are described in a very profound manner. The Samosharan (the divine congregation of the Jinas) is unique in two senses: firstly, it is attended by celestial beings, human beings and animals; secondly, the teachings of the Jina are well absorbed by each being in its own language.
The last part of the Stotra takes the form of a prayer. A devotee of the Jina, while in devotion (either chanting or meditating) can overcome various dangers that he feels threatening: by chanting the Bhaktmar-Stotra, or by meditating on it with one's soul, a mad elephant or a ferocious lion may calm down; a violent snake may turn benign; the fear of forest fire can disappear; the army of an enemy may surrender; the perils of the sea can be safely faced; dreadful diseases may be
Break All Chains
cured and a prisoner may be released from jail. In fact, a true devotee of the Jina gets rid of all fears, worries and apprehensions and becomes fearless (Abhay). This Stotra is like a garland of flowers (48 or 44) for the devotee of Jina which the said devotee always wears and is sure to attract the highly attractive Moksha Lakshmi ( the goddess of Nirvana ).
There is a slight controversy over the number of verses. A sub-sect of Shvetambara tradition considers 44 shlokas (verses) as accurate. The Digambara tradition and two subsects of Shvetambaras concede 48 shlokas as original. Both traditions accept the theological description of eight Pratiharyas (associated with the assembly of Tirthankaras). But the tradition (Shvetambara Murtipujak) of 44 shlokas excludes the description of 4 Pratiharyas, namely Pushpavrishti, Bhamandal, Dev Dundubhi and Divyadhvani. Interestingly, both traditions accept the description of eight Pratiharyas in the Kalyan-Mandir Stotra of Acharya Kumudachandra.
Dr Devendra Kumar Jain is a scholar based in Mumbai
December 2003 February 2004 Jain Spirit 57