Mahavir Foundation 1997 11 London 10th Anniversary

Author(s): Mahavir Foundation
Publisher: Mahavir Foundation

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MAHAVIR FOUNDATION
A STUDY OF -
Namo Arihantanam Namo Siddhanam Namo Ayariyanam
Namo Uvajjayanam Namo Loe Savva Sahunam
Eso Panch Nammukaro
Savva Pava Panasano Mangalanch Savvesim Padhaman Havai Mangalam
Translation -
I bow to (and revere) Arihantas
I bow to Siddhas
I bow to Acharyas
I bow to Upadhyayas
I bow to all the Sadhus in the world.
These five-fold obeisance
Destroy all sins
Amongst all forms of bliss
This is the first one.
NAVKAR MANTRA
10th Anniversary Issue
November 1997
Name- Is it Navkar Mantra, Namokar Mantra or Namaskar Mantra ?
The first smaran (recitation) Navkar Mantra is really a Namokar Mantra because one bows down or pays his respect which is called Nam(o) in Sanskrit language. The Nam is an verb, the act of bowing down. In Namaskar Mantra (NM from now on) one bows down in front of the Arhatas (enlightened ones). The word Namo is derived from this verb and is used to say 'Namo..... (...any name....)' meaning I bow down to (name). The foremost thing in this recitation is that the person recites the mantra with utmost respect and humility and feels that he/she is seeking blessings and/or guidance from the person or a god to whom he is worshipping
Vinod Kapashi
The word Namo is usually pronounced as anmo (the n is quite soft one not usually found in English
texts.
The mantra therefore is aptly called a Namokar Mantra. In Prakrit language N is usually pronounced as an (sarvatra n karasya sthane an karo bhavtiti..) Also as per the mantra- science in Jain tradition, anmo has anima siddhi (The power of becoming smaller)'
Anima Siddhi would really mean being more humble and polite, not physically a small person. The word anmo consists of two separate letters an and mo or it can be divided as anm + o
An has anima siddhi because the letter an is in the word anima and like the letter m in anima the same letter is found in anmo.
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