Sudarshan Charitam

Author(s): Vidyanandi, Hiralal Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 7

GENERAL EDITORIAL
The Sudarsana-caritam of Vidyānandi gives the biography of Sudarśana.muni. According to the Jaina tradition, Sudarsana was the fifth Antakệta Kevalin of Mahāvīra, the 24th Tirthākara. He practised severe penances, endured many upasargas or oppressions and attained omniscience and Liberation or mokļa. The biographies of such saints are put together in the eighth Anga, namely, Antakyt-daśānga. An indication of this is available in the present text of the Ardhamāgadhi canon.
The biography of Sudarśana is narrated to glorify the pañca-namaskāra-mantra. This Namokāra Mantra is to Jainas what the Gāyatrī is to the followers of the Vedic tradition. It stands accepted in all the schools and sects of the Jainas. It occupies the first place in meditation, ritual, recitation and religious rites. In a short form it is found in the Khāravela inscription (2nd century B. c.); and as a mangala at the beginning, it occurs in the Satkhandāgamasutra of Puspadanta (2nd century A. D.). It is explained in details by Virasena. It will be seen from the book : Mangala Mantra-Eka anucintana by Dr. NEMICHANDRA SHASTRI, how this Mantra is employed in mystic and miraculous contexts.