Namokar Mahamantra Ek Anushilan

Author(s): Hukamchand Bharilla
Publisher: Todarmal Granthamala Jaipur

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GREAT HYMN OF OBEISANCE: A CONTEMPLATION
then in the next, if not in that, then in yet next incarnation; infinite period would not lapse.
Therefore, it is our most pious duty that we know ourselves in our true form, recognise in the true form, deeply experience the fact that by nature we are all Bhagwan since eternity - there is no room for any doubt or speculation in this regard. As far as the insignificance of *paryaya' (this body) is concerned, it would not take long for it to become Bhagwan when we attain right faith of Godhood and establish our closeness with the soul, we would devote our entire knowledge towards it, get engrossed in it, concentrate on it, revel in it, get immersed in meditate on it.
Oh Brother! Accept once from the core of your heart this wonderful truth of Jain philosophy that by nature we all are Bhagwan. Renounce lure for 'para' (substances other than the soul) and paryaya' (the body) and establish once the closeness with the soul, thereafter, you will see as to what kind of revolution takes place within self; what sort of wonderful and outstanding peace is achieved; what sort of bliss, beyond the reach of senses, pours.
The pleasure of this wonderful truth cannot be experienced merely by talks; this stream of bliss, beyond the reach of senses, would flood only when this eternal truth manifests in the inner-self.
This would flood, certainly flood; for once, completely surrender yourself and meditate whole-heartedly on your own soul Bhagwan and see what happens? Nothing more can be said about this. Therefore, I conclude with the pious feeling that all souls may know and recognise their Godhood and get engrossed in it, revel in it and achieve infinite happiness and peace at the earliest.
Closeness with Self Right faith, knowledge and conduct constitute the real path to liberation, this is the only way to extinguish infinite misery being suffered since eternity. Therefore, we must devote our entire strength in understanding these and we must dedicate ourselves whole-heartedly for achieving these.
For understanding their characteristics, we will have to understand the basic system of fundamentals (tattavas) as enunciated in Jain philosophy because dedication towards basic fundamentals is right faith. Fundamentals are seven - living being (jiva), non-living matter (ajiva), influx of karma (asrava), bondage of karma (bandh), stoppage of influx of karma (samvar), dissociation of karma (nirjhara), liberation (moksha).
Living being (soul) is Bhagwan in the form of a substance, which has neither beginning nor end and liberation (moksha) is the state wherein Bhagwan manifests directly. When soul, which is Bhagwan by nature, transforms into Bhagwan in 'paryaya' (existing body), this is the attainment of liberation. It is for this reason that Jain philosophy opines that by nature we are all Bhagwan and we can transform into Bhagwan in "paryaya' (existing body) in case we know, and recognise our inner-self and get engrossed in it, revel in it.
To know and recognise oneself is right faith and right knowledge and to concentrate on it and revel in it is right conduct. The combination of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct constitutes the path to liberation, real way to achieve happiness.
Although this soul Bhagwan is indivisible mass of infinite virtues and storehouse of infinite energies, even then faith, knowledge and conduct are the most prominent, amongst virtues that have been described in Jain scriptures, for progress towards liberation. Amongst these, it is the function of knowledge to distinguish between truth and false. The
The ascetic is indifferent to pleasures of the senses. He stays in vacant houses, temples, hollow trees, or in mountain-caves, devoid of singing, dancing, instrumental music, etc. He is immersed in, and derives pleasure from, study and meditation. His heart is closed to thoughts of worldly pleasures wimessed, heard of and experienced by him formerly, and stories concerning worldly pleasures. And his heart is proof against the arrows of Cupid. He always evinces compassion for the living. He must be understood to have conquered dissatisfaction arising from the absence of pleasures.
Reality by Prof. S.A. Jain, Page 252
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