The
Namokar Mantra has been a symbol of Jainism for centuries. No
religious ceremony, congregation or worship is complete without
soulful chanting of the mantra, which is known to give a deep feeling
of peace, love and happiness instantly. Jains throughout the world
chant this great incantation (mantra) with full faith and belief.
Through this mantra one invokes soul, not any individual.
Jains
believe that the mantra, if chanted with complete devotion, fulfills
one's legitimate wishes. It is considered
as the essence of Jain dharma. Due to its magical effect on one's soul
and mind, it is often called as 'Namokar Mahamantra.' The Mantra has
the following five lines:
These
lines mean: :
- I bow before the Arihantas.
(Paying homage I convey my veneration to the conquerors of Karmas).
- I bow before the Siddhas.
(Paying homage I convey my veneration to the perfected and liberated
souls).
- I bow before the Acaryas.
(Paying homage I convey my veneration to the leaders of Jain order).
- I bow before the Upadhyayas.
(Paying homage I convey my veneration to the teachers of the
scriptures).
- I bow before all the Sadhus.
(Paying homage I convey my veneration to all the mendicants/monks in
the world).
·
Sincerely done, this five-fold veneration to pure souls wipes
away all sins. It is the most auspicious. There are 35 letters in the
five mantra-lines and 33 in the auxiliary lines. This 68 letter maha-mantra
is an all-fulfilling, beneficent and eternally perfect mantra.
Root
of all Mantras
Namokara
mantra is believed to be a great mantra. This is root and origin of
all mantras. The book Pravacanasaroddhara
mentions: "Sarva
mantraratnanamutpattyakarasya kalpita padartha karnaika-kalpadrumasya,
visa-visadhara-sakini-dakini-yakinyadinigraha svabhavasya........."
This
mahamantra is like an ocean from where all the mantras originate. As
many valuable things come out of the ocean, so out of this mahamantra
have come numerous useful and potent mantras system. This is a wish
fulfilling tree. Its practice fulfills all wishes. With the help of
this mantra one can subdue poison, snake, sorceress, witch, conjurers,
ghosts, exorcists and all.
All
the learned teachers of mantras are unanimous in conveying that
Namokara mahamantra has, fused within it, such basic sound (bija
mantra) that forms the foundation of whole mantra system. With the
help of this mantra, or its combinations with other mantras pacifying,
potentive and supportive goal can be achieved.
At
the beginning of this mantra there is no bija -mantra (seed sound)
like Om, hrim, srim, etc. This is because Namokara itself is
considered to be the origin of all bija-mantras. As it is a perfect
mantra it does not requires any support from any other mantra.
|