________________
42
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
JANUARY 2015
changes to a monk or a nun. At the time of Deeksha, mantra is traced in the Hathi Gumpha inscription of King the sadhu or sadhvi voluntarily accepts to obey follownig Kharavela in the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, five major vows for the rest of his/her life:
Bhuvanesvara, Orisaa, where only first two lines (Namo 1. Commitment of Total Ahimsa (non-violence)-not to Arahantanam and Namo Sava Siddhanam) apear in commit any type of violence.
the Brahmi script. Thus, the present from is the later 2. Commitment of Total Satya (truth)-not to indulge in development in the mdieval period. Later it also beany type of falsehood.
came the practice to recite Namaskara mantra in the 3. Commitment of Total Asteya (non-stealing)-not to
beginning as Mangalacharna. The manuscripts of take anything unless it is given.
Kalpasutra (A.D. 453) are found with the Namaskara 4. Commitment of Total Brahmacharya (Celibacy)-not mantra in the beginning. to indulge in any sensual activities.
The Digambara tradition for the very first time we 5. Commitment of Total Aparigraha (non-possessive
find it in the beginning of Shatakhandagama composed ness)-not to acquire more than what is needed to by Acharya Pushpadanta and Bhutabali. Accroding to maintain day to day life.
Svetambara tradition, the disciples of Lord Mahavira Why in the Namaskara mantra
who derived the essence from Mahavira himself comArihanta is placed earlier than Sidhdha?
posed Namaskara mantra. The reason of placing Arihanta first being that the How many lines - Five or nine? Arihanta has found the way to liberation and he shows
Many sects believe that there are nine pada-lines in the way to others. Thus he has graced the world with
the mantra, whereas others recite only first five padahis wisdom. Therefore it is to repay their debt that they
lines. Actually the first five lines, which are in Aryavrata are placed in the first position.
metre are to pay the obeisance to the adorable beings. What is name - Namaskara Mantra or
The remaining four lines (also known as Chulika pada), Navakara Mantra?
which are in Anushtupa metre state the importance of The scriptural name of the Namaskara mantra in reciting the Namaskara mantra (falashruti). One more the Mahanishitha sutra in Svetambara tradition) is controversy is about the word "Hoi' and Havai' which Pancha Mangal Mahashrutaskandha. The other texts
appears in the last line of the mantra. Linguistically both showing importance of the Namaskara Mantra give the the words are correct if we count the mantra(s) in the name Panchaparameshthi Namaskara sutra The ac
metre. tual Prakrit name is
Why Namaskara sutra has the status of mantra? Namokara suttam (the
Namaskara sutra has In Appreciation... tread/text of bowing down).
all the qualities, which are Later Namokara became Dr. Kamini Gogri,
required to be a mantra. Namaskara, which be- Congratulations to you and Dr. Dhavantibhai Shah
Namaskara sutra has came Navakara (having for educative Article in English in Prabudh Jivan No-group of words, which can nine lines) and suttam be
vember 2014. Imparting knowledge (for inanitina mindl be used for worshipping came mantra.
as your e-mail id suggest) in ENGLISH is the need of God'. Its recitation can be History of the Namaskara
the time, particularly for next generation, whose me- regularly and methodically mantra : dium of education is English.
practised and it protects Namaskara mantra is Since you intend to write a series of articles, and if
the worshipper. the desire is that it is read by next generation, I offer not found in any of the ear
(To be continued) to subsidise 50% of annual subscription from lier scriptures. None of the
76/C, Mangal, young Jains. Looking forward to the series of articles earlier Svetambara or
3/15, R.A.K. Road, on Jainology. Digambara scriptures have
Matunga, Best Regards. the Namaskara mantra. It
Mumbai-400 019.
Bakul Gandhi does appear in the
Mobile: 9819179589/ Practising Company Secretary Bhagavatisutra but is in a
9619379589 11-12, Sandeep, Laxminarayan Lane, Matunga, different form altogether.
Email Mumbai-400 019 Mobile : 9819372908. The oldest source of the
kaminigogri@gmail.com
