Mokshamala

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 29

The indigenous term for celibacy is Brahmacharys, which literally means staying tuned to soul, to the consciousness. One, who observes it, gains the liberation, which is the unique bliss for soul. That cannot be done unless one deserves it. The poem therefore urges everyone to endeavor for deserving the same.
Lesson 35: Navkär Mantra
NAMO ARIHANTÄNAM: Obeisance to the omniscient Lords NAMO SIDDHANAM:
Obeisance to the liberated Lords NAMO ÄYARIYÄNAM:
Obeisance to the heads of religious order NAMO UVAJZÄYÄNAM:
Obeisance to the masters of scriptures NAMO LOE SAVVA SÄHOONAM: Obeisance to all the sages in the universe
In Jain tradition these sacred sentences are termed as Navkärmantra, Namskärmantra or Panch Parmeshti Mantra. There are 12 attributes of omniscient Lords, 8 of liberated Lords, 36 of heads of Order, 25 of masters of scriptures and 27 of monks. All of them together amount to 108. The concept is to contemplate over those attributes with fingertips. Since there are twelve fingertips on four fingers of a hand, one has to move over them nine times in order to cover 108 attributes. The term Navkärmantra thus suggests that one should recite it 108 times by moving over the twelve fingertips nine times.
Panch Parmeshti means five supreme divinities. Omniscient Lords, Liberated Lords, Heads of the Order, Masters of the scriptures and Monks are topmost in the world. The Mantra in obeisance to them is called Panch Parmeshti Mantra. This Mantra is considered everlasting, because the concept of five supreme divinities has been everlasting. There has been no beginning thereto and it has been prevailing since the infinity. Similarly its chanting also has been everlasting.
Q: The knowledgeable people say that one attains the highest state by perfectly understanding Panch Parmeshti Mantra. What is your opinion in that respect?
A: I believe that it is justified to say so.
Q: What are the reasons for that justification?
A: Let me explain that. It leads to contemplating over true attributes of the topmost deserving souls, and that is helpful in achieving mental concentration. Basically it serves the purpose of contemplating over the true nature of omniscience, liberation, headship, mastery and saintliness. When one inquires why they are to be worshipped, he is required to think over their nature, attributes etc. Now tell me how beneficial the Mantra is!
Questioner: After this discussion I admit that Navkärmantra leads to liberation as it is said by saintly beings.
By taking the first letters of Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyäy, and Sädhu one arrives at the meaningful term Asiäusä, which can be presented as Aum in ascetic term. We should therefore invariably chant that Mantra with a purified mind.
Lesson 36: Crisscross chanting of Navkärmantra
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2 i
3 3
4 5 14 15