Nav Smarana

Author(s): Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi

Page 75

Save me, purify me as I am sinking in the terrifying sea of sufferings; O reservoir of compassion!
Verse No. 42 O Lord, If there can be any reward whatsoever for my having been devoted to your lotus-feet for a series of births, may you grant protection to me because you are my only refuge and you be my master in this birth and the births to come.
Verse Nos 43 and 44 O Lord of the Jinas, O the handsome one, you are like the moon for the devotees' lotus like eyes. (Lotus looks more beautiful when there is a full moon in the sky). The devotees, who compose such hymns with intelligence, find that hairs (of their feet and hands) stand upright due to intense concentration/meditation on your divine lotus like face. (Only) they attain nirvana very quickly after getting rid of all karma and after enjoying the prosperity of heaven.
11.0
Smarana No. 9: The Brihad Shänti.
Brihad Shänti is the ninth and the last smarana in the list of nine auspicious recitations. The whole smarana is not in poetical form. It is a mixture of simple narrative sentences and a few verses in various meters. The stotra is in Sanskrit language except for one verse, which is in Präkrit. This raises one particular doubt as to the authenticity of that verse. It seems that someone has added the verse in Präkrit at some other time. There is otherwise no reason for anyone writing a stotra in Sanskrit with just one verse towards the end in Präkrit. However, this verse is also an important one and, because of this verse, some believe that the Stotra was written by the Shivädevi, mother of the Tirthankara Neminätha (22nd Tirthankara). This though contradicts a reference in the manuscript found in Poone', which clearly states that Shanti Soori has written this stotra. Prabodh Teeka' also states that Shänti Soori has compiled this smarana. References in support of this belief are also found in traditional Pratikramana books.
The importance of this stotra lies in the fact that this is always recited after all the rituals like poojä and many other religious events. Nowadays, it is also recited after the Jain-wedding ceremony. The stotra as the name suggests is the stotra of a wider (Brihad) peace (Shänti).
The stotra mentions a particular ritual that was carried out by the celestial gods (devas) when the Tirthankara was born. According to the Jain belief when a Tirthankara is born, devas take the newly born child to the top of Mount Meru and give him a ceremonial bath. Milk, water and other sacred ingredients are used to anoint and then bathe the child. Many other gods and goddesses arrive at that time and join the ceremony. They rejoice and sing and dance with great joy. Lay people of Shvetämbara Moorti-poojak sect ceremonially perform the ritual of bathing an image of the Tirthankara and they also anoint and bathe the metal image of the Tirthankara in the same way. They also sing and dance in front of the image. This stotra is usually recited at the end of the Snätra pooja ritual. We shall see that the ritual is mentioned in this stotra, and the procedure for carrying it out is also briefly described.
Iti Vadivetal Shanti-soori rachite... 2 Prabodh Teeka page 625, VS 2034