Pictorial Philosophical Balpothi

Author(s): Bhuvanbhanusuri
Publisher: Divya Darshan Trust

Page 19

The Rituals of Jin Temple (Derasar)
The shrine containing divine and splendid idols of our vitarag God is called a jin temple. It can also be called a derasar. The idol of God gives us a glimpse of the God himself. Every jain must go to derasar daily.
By just wishing to go to derasar, the gain equal to one day of fasting can be earned. So one should go to derasar heartily. While walking, one should look towards the ground so that beings like ants do not get killed. As soon as the summit of the jinalay appears, one should bow with folded hands and say 'Namo Jinanam'(I bow to Jinas). Moreover as and when we happen to pass alongside a derasar, Namo Jinanam'should be uttered in a similar manner.
After entering into the Jin temple, one should say 'Nisihi'to keep himself away from the worldly thoughts. Then the idol should be circumambulated thrice from the right side with hymning. This reduces the wanderings of our soul in the world.
Then after bowing towards the God, one should say 'Namo Jinanam'and looking towards the face of the God, one should do obeisance. One should recite holy hymns with an emotional voice and should think, "How beautiful is the sight of God which is more precious than the wish-yielding tree and annihilates the worldly sorrows! It is indeed my good luck."
After doing vasaksheppuja, incense, lamp kindling and making swastika, chaityavandan should be carried out. If one has gone there after taking bath and putting on special clothes for worship, one should cover the mouth with one end of khes and should rub saffron after reciting hymn. Males should do almond shaped tilak and women should do round chandla on their respective forehead. One should then say "Nisihi'for the second time as a gesture of giving up all other things except body worship of God and enter into the sanctum.
To remove the insects if any from the idol, one should apply soft brush made of peacok's feathers. With water soaked piece of cloth (kesarpotho) stale saffron from the idol should be cleansed. If saffron does not get cleansed from the nooks, it should be cleansed smoothly with the brush made from special grass (valakunchi). After that abhishek or prakshal (sprinkling) on the idol should be done by holding the kalash (pot) with two hands. The idol should be wiped and dried with three towels i.e. angloochhanas made of smooth clothes.
The idol should then be besmeared with sandal and camphor. Tilaks should be done on nine parts of the body of idol with saffron and sandal. Varakh (golden or silver foils) can be applied. The idol should be decorated with badlu (golden & silver powder) silk, flowers and ornaments of gold, silver, diamonds etc. Flowers should be offered, incense and lamp should be kindled and chaamar, handfan, mirror etc. should be offered.
After coming out of the sanctum, one should stand in front of the idol and think of the various states of life of the Bhagwan. i.e. his birthday ceremony (Janma kalyanak Mahotsav done by heavenly gods and goddesses), his ascetic state in spite of being in this very world, his life of initiation, his penance, his tirthankarstate etc.
Then after swastika should be made with rice. Fruits and naivedya should be offered and as a gesture of giving up all other jobs other than worship of God, 'Nisihi' should be said for the third time and chaityavandan should be done. on completion of chaityavandan, while departing from the temple, the bell should be rung.
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