The Mantra Jains Chant - NAVKAR MANTRA / NAMOKAR MANTRA

Jains are peace loving community, scattered all around the world.

They are vegetarians. Jains believe in AHIMSHA PARMO DHARMA, which means or translates to Non Violence, Live and Let Leave, Do not Kill.

Jainism teaches about ONE GOD, who is omnipotent, He is everything, He is the beginning and He is the end. Jains have 24 Tirthankaras. (I will talk about The Tirthankaras in detail in another post).

Today we will talk about one of the most powerful mantra that the Jains chant, it is known as NAVKAR MANTRA/NAMOKAR MANTRA. Through there are many mantras in Jainism but one of the most used mantra (infact the first mantra of them all) is the Namokar Mantra, also known as Navkar Mantra or Namaskara Mantra or Navakara Mantra or Pancha Namaskara Mantra.

The Hathigumpha Inscription, which was emblazoned by emperor Kharavela, starts with the Navkar Mantra and is believed to be dated 162 BCE. The mantra consists of sixty eight (68) letters and do not mention any names of Gods or person in precise, rather this mantra purely aids as a sign of profound reverence in the direction of beings whom Jains consider are spiritually evolved, and reminds every one of their ultimate goal which is moksha (emancipation).

 

Prakrit	English	Meaning
णमो अरिहंताणं	Ṇamō Arihantāṇaṁ	I bow to the Arihants.
णमो सिद्धाणं	Ṇamō Siddhāṇaṁ	I bow to the Siddhas.
णमो आयरियाणं	Ṇamō Ayariyāṇaṁ	I bow to the Acharyas.
णमो उवज्झायाणं	Ṇamō Uvajjhāyāṇaṁ	I bow to the Upadhvavas.
णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं	Ṇamō Lōē Savva Sāhūṇaṁ	I bow to all the Sages of the world.
एसो पंच णमोक्कारो, सव्व पावप्पणासणो	Ēsōpan̄caṇamōkkārō, savvapāvappaṇāsaṇō	This five-fold salutation completely destroys all the sins.
मंगला णं च सव्वेसिं, पढमं हवई मंगलं	Maṅgalā ṇaṁ ca savvēsiṁ, paḍamama havaī maṅgalaṁ	And, of all auspicious mantras, (it) is indeed the foremost auspicious one.

 

Now that you know a little bit history about this powerful mantra used by followers of Jainism, let us again understand the meaning of this mantra, and this time a little more in detail.

A Jain first bows to the five supreme souls or Pañca-Parameṣṭhi (Fivefold grading of sacred authorities who are praiseworthy of worship).

1.       I bow to the Arihants which means I bow to those who have demolished the four hostile karmas.

2.       I bow to the Siddhas which means I bow to the enlightened personalities.

3.       I bow to the Acharyas which means I bow to the divine influential or teachers / instructors.

4.       I bow to the Upadhyayas which means I bow to the teachers of less progressive celibates.

5.       I bow to all the Sages of the world which means I bow to the hermits or advisors in the realm who have accomplished Samyak Charitra (true demeanour).

6.       This five-fold salutation completely destroys all the sins - means by bowing to all the above five superlative souls, all the karmas of oneself will get destroyed and then requests for the welfare of all breathing lives on this planet.

7.       And, of all auspicious mantras, it is indeed the foremost propitious one – the last line of the mantra where a Jain before ending the mantra concludes by saying that this NAVOKAR Mantra is the most fortunate one.

 

 

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