Samayik And Chaityavandan Vidhi

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 67

Kunkundächärya has been titled as Samaysär. In our present context, the term stands for religious books and has to be interpreted as such. The aspirant therefore states that though Niyanu has been forbidden in Lords' books, he wants to ask for servitude of the Lords. See, what he is asking for. He talks of Niyanu but actually asks for the servitude of the Lords. Obviously that is not the worldly gain and as such is not the Niyanun. But the aspirant does not stop there. He wants to ask for something more and that is laid down in the following stanza.
Dukkhakhao Kammakhao Samähimaranam Cha Bohiläbho A Samapajjau Mah Eam Tuh Näh! Panäm Karanenam (4)
Meanings: Dukkhakhao=end of unhappiness, Kammakhao-termination of Karma, Samähimaranam=equanimous death, Cha=and, Bohiläbho=gain of right perception, A=too, Samapajjau Mah=let me have, Eam=that, Tuh=your, Näh=Lord, Panäm Karanenam=by obeisance to.
Translation: Lord, by virtue of offering obeisance to you, let me get rid of unhappiness and of Karma, remain equanimous at the time of death and retain the right perception.
Obeisance to the detached Lords is invariably fruitful. Such obeisance leads to the contemplation about the Lords' detached state. That would result in development of detachment within. That gives rise to the right perception. That leads to equanimity which, in turn, leads to the eradication of Karma and that leads to the unending happiness. The aspirant thus calls for the aspects which are inherent in a true prayer.
The prayer, which is composed in the Ardhamägadhi language, ends here. There, however, happens to be attached to it a verse in Sanskrit hailing the well being of Jain religion. That is obviously a later addition, because if the original author wanted to put it there, he would have composed that in Ardhamägadhi.
Sarva Mangal Mängalyam Sarva Kalyan Karanam Pradhänam Sarva Dharmänäm Jainam Jayati Shasanam (5)
Meanings: Sarva=all, Mangal Mängalyam=bliss of the blissful aspects, Kalyan=well being, Käranam=cause, Pradhänam=foremost, Dharmänäm=of religions, Jainam=Jainism, Jayati=is victotious, Shasanam religious order.
Translation: Victorious is the Jain order, which is the bliss of all blessed aspects, which is the cause of all well being and which is the foremost among all the religious orders.
The meaning is clear and does not need any explanation. The question may, however arise, 'Why is the Jain order called the foremost? As a matter of fact, other orders are also laying such claims!' The reply is that when this verse was composed, there were six main viewpoints in the spiritual realm. They were known as Jain, Bauddha, Säkhya cum