________________
270
Samvatsari Pratikramana
I bow to you, revered Mahāvira swāmi. You alleviate the miseries of worldly existence the way water extinguishes a forest fire. You remove ignorance the way wind blows off dust. You get rid of delusions the way a sharp plough tears through the ground of deceit. (1) I bow faithfully at the feet of all Tirthankars, who fulfill the wishes of all devotees including the kings of heavenly gods such as Surendras, Devendras and Narendras, whose crowns are decorated with garlands made of lotus flowers. (2) I adore with respect the spiritual contents of the scriptures of Mahāvira swami, which are like an ocean of boundless knowledge and wisdom, whose beautiful verses are like a fascinating pool of water, its waves full of subtle concepts of non-violence and its tides intertwined with lessons of doctrines and jewels of wisdom, which are difficult to fully understand. (3) O Goddess Saraswati! With your extremely beautiful complexion, holding a lotus flower in one hand, sparkling necklaces adoring your neck, seated on a bed of lotus flower of such sweet fragrance that flocks of bees fly around it; bestow upon me the boon of shruta gyan (knowledge of scriptures) in the form of salvation. (4)
This stuti was composed by the famous Shriman Haribhadrasuri Maharaj. It contains praises of Mahavirswami, praises of all the Tirthankars and of all the agams (scriptures). It is recited by women to show their happiness after completing the Pratikrman.As repentence for some fault commted, Haribhadrasuri Maharaj was supposed to compose 1,444 granths (books). But after completing 1,440 granths, he realized that he did not have enough time as he foresaw his death approaching. So he composed these four verses in the place of the last four granths.
