________________
suddenly started to rise. The people who were crossing the river then turned around and started heading back. But I decided that I had travelled too far to turn back and it is not my habit to turn back but always to go ahead, so I picked up my dhoti or uniform above my knees, and put my books on my head and started crossing the river.
As I walked in the rising waters, I repeated the Namokar Mantra and thought only of its divine sound and the cosmic electric forces to which it is connected:
Namo Arihantanam (I bow to the arihantas, the perfected human beings.) Namo Siddhanam (I bow to the siddhas, the liberated and bodiless souls who are no longer in this world.) Namo Aryariyanam (I bow to the acharyas, the leaders of people and heads of the orders.) Namo Uvajjhayanam (I bow to the upandhyayas or spiritual teachers.) Namo Loe Savva Sahunam (I bow to the sadhus or spiritual practitioners in the universe.) Eso Panca Namokaro (This fivefold mantra of devotion) Savva Pavapanasno (destroys all sins and obstacles.) Mangalanamca Savvesim (Of auspicious mantras) Padhamam Havai Mangalam(it is first and foremost.)
112
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
