________________ Vol. II/No. 2 Eternal Wisdom Translator's Note : In Vol. I/No. 1 the failings and the strengths of the translator in connection with this translation, the reasons for a free style of translation interspersed with Sanskrit words, the high value of this Grantha which he hopes would benefit among others, the seekers of other lands, and finally the severe limitations of any knowledge from a book, however exalted, were mentioned. In Vol. II / No. 1 the importance and methodology of constant and repeated study of such a Grantha (i. e. Swadhyaya - FOTETT ), and its relation to Japa (579), and the importance of doing it in the language of the "Great Writer", were mentioned. The interested new reader is directed to these earlier issues of this journal. The three aspects of Japa (99) referred to were : "constant repetition which is done concomitant with keeping the meaning (Artha - 3791) alive in one's mind and then by simultaneously generating the necessary changes in one's personality (Bhawa - HTC) ......... Now in actual practice, when one tries to do this, one finds it well neigh impossible to keep the mind steady to achieve all the three aspects - infact, even the first two aspects rarely seem to merge : One finds oneself muttering the words away while the mind is busy with some other antics ! So the question arises: Should one, therefore, stop the recitation ? A definite "No" is the answer in the Indian tradition. Why is this? Here a couple of examples are given: When you bathe and apply soap and water to your body in an unmindful way does it not become somewhat cleaner ? So also, the impure Soul - Atma, by the repetition of the words of the Great Man. Further, in the verses of Prashamarati published in this issue, a very very brief sketch is given of the Theory of Karma (which is a very important and distinctive feature of the Jaina Scriptures - and on which very many Granthas exist), and here the reference is to Karma particles that get stuck to the Atma. These subatomic particles are not a metaphor to the Jains - they are a Fact, and the conjunction is referred to as the Karman body. The removal of them is the goal of their entire teachings. In this removal the vibrations / sounds of the words of the Great Writer/Speaker play the role of emery paper on the sticky dust which covers the Atma. They say slowly - indeed very very slowly, if the Artha and Bhawa (3781+119) are absent but surely, these particles shall be rubbed off, by the repeated recitation of the words of the Great Writer. Hence the prescription against stopping it!
