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Siddhachakra is a popularyantra ormandala (mystical diagram) used for worship inJainism.^[1][2] It is also known asNavapada in theŚvetāmbara tradition andNavadevta in theDigambara tradition. In the Śvetāmbara tradition it is associated with theNamokar Mantra.^[3][4][5][6] It is related to the legend of King Shripala and his wife Mayanasundari. It is depicted as aKalasha with the core of a blossomed lotus representing Navapada in the centre surrounded by guarding deities on petals. It is used in some rituals.

Siddha refers to a liberated soul, whilechakra means wheel. It is believed that worshiping Siddhachakra results in freedom from the cycles of life within a universal 'wheel' known asnirvana.^[2] It also means a 'circle of perfection'.Navapada means 'nine petals' in reference to the centre of the yantra, whileNavadevta means 'nine deities'.^[4][5] It is also described as a 'saint wheel'.^[7]

The two major sects of Jainism,Śvetāmbara andDigambara, differ in their concept ofSiddhachakra. The first five deities, known as thePanch Parmeshthi (five supreme beings) are the same in both traditions while the other four are different. They were traditionally known asNavapada in theŚvetāmbara tradition andNavadevta in theDigambara tradition.^[8]

Siddhachakra most likely originally had only thePanch Parmesthi,Arihant in the center and the other four in petals in four different directions. It may have been inspired fromNamaskara Valaya based on theNamokar Mantra as in some olderSiddhachakra. The four last lines describingphalashruti (benefits) are depicted in addition to the petals at the four corners. They are described byAcharya Hemachandra inYogashastra. He also noted thatVajraswami (BCE 57 – 57 CE) derived it from the lostVidyanupravad parva text.^[8]

It seems that the other fourpadas were added later. Acharya Dinkara (1411 CE) describedNavapada inNandyavrata Mandala. Nirvanakalika (c. 11th century) described it but replacedTapa withSuchi-vidya.^[8]

Ratnamandira Gani or Acharya Ratnashekhara wrote about the legend of Shripal inSiri-Sirivala-Kaha inPrakrit along with Siddhachakra Puja in 1372 or 1362 CE, the earliest known reference.^[9] A later popular version calledShripal Rajano Ras was written in 1682 CE by Vinayvijay and Yashovijay.^{[2][8][9][10]}

The legend takes place during the time of the twentieth JainTirthankaraMunisuvrata, about 1.1 million years ago according to Jain traditions. There was a king named Singharth and a queen Kamalprabha of Champanagar. His brother Ajitsen captured Champanagar when he died. To save five-year-old Shripal from his uncle, Kamalprabha fled from the city and left him with agroup of lepers while being chased by soldiers. Shripal was also infected by leprosy. He changed his name to Umar Rana and became the group's leader.^{[2][9][10][11]}

Eventually he reachedUjjain where King Prajapal was ruling. Out of anger from being disrespected by his daughter, Mayanasundari, he married her to the leprous Shripal. They met a Jain monk, Munichandra, who advised them to do a ritual named Ayambil Oli which is dedicated to the centralNavpada in Siddhachakra. It cured Shripal's leprosy along with that of 700 other lepers. Later he conquered Ujjain and Champanagar.^{[3][5][11][12][13]}

Navdevata was depicted asPratishtha-vidhi-mandala inPratishtha-tilaka by Nemichandra (c. 15th century). It was also described inPratishtha-Sirodhara by Ashadhar,Jin-samhita by Indranandi (c. 10th century), andParatishtha-Kalpa-Tippanam by Kumudchanra.

Jinasamhita by Ekasamdhi (c. 1250 CE) described it in detail, depicting it as similar toBrihad Siddhachakra.^{[citation needed]}

There are two types of Siddhachakra. The small types have only a central part depictingNav pada which only includesArihant,Siddha (liberated souls),Acharya (leaders),Upadhyaya (teachers) andSadhu (monks) along with the other four. Large types includes all of the structures described below calledBrihad Siddhachakra orSiddhachakra Mahayantra. Small types are found frequently in Jain temples and in carvings while larger ones are found in brass plate form or made of different lentils during rituals on special occasions.^[1][2][6]

It is depicted as aKalasha with an eye on both sides and a core made of a fully blossomed lotus. It has many circles of petals marking different concepts inJainism.^[5][6]

AKalasha is depicted as a pot with a large base and a mouth generally covered with a lid or topped with a coronet of mango leaves and a coconut. It is decorated with clothes and ornaments in images. Two eyes are depicted around the Kalasha, symbolising right faith and right knowledge.^[2][5][6]

At the neck of theKalasha are nine small pots known asNavNidhi which describe nine kinds of wealth or treasures.Nine shrines dedicated toNavagraha are at the base ofKalasha which indicate nine 'cosmic influencers'.^[2][3][5][6]

At the core is a fully blossomed lotus with many circles of petals marking different concepts inJainism.Navpada (Nine elements) is at the core surrounded by circles of petals calledvalaya. There is variation in the number of circles made by the petals in different images but generally there are ten circles.^{[3][5][6][14]}

Navapada is the core of the lotus.^[15] Navapada includes five supreme beings having virtues,Guni orPanch Parmeshthi, and fourright virtues,Gunas according toŚvetāmbara tradition. Their attributes are described in 108 scriptures.^{[1][2][3][4][14]} They are also illustrated in silver or copper plates for worship.^[6][16] In theDigambara tradition, it has the samePanch Parmeshthi but the other four elements are different.^[8]

Navapada is surrounded by circles of petals calledvalaya which describe various concepts and guarding deities as mantras.^[5][6]

Some have additional petals describing fourvira (guarding deities) and tenDigpala (protectors of ten directions).^[3]

The sun and moon are depicted on the right and left side of theKalasha, respectively. There are four shrines with guarding deities in the four corners:Kshetrapala, Vimaleshwar,Chakreshvari, and Aprasiddha Siddha Chakradhisthanak. Sometimes King Shripal and Queen Mayanasundari are depicted on the sides of theKalasha as based on a legend.^{[1][2][5][6][14]}

Navapada Aradhana is associated with the Shripal-Mayanasundari legend.^[13] Navapada Aradhana is performed by meditating onNavapada and doing an ayambil. In an ayambil, only one meal is eaten each day of plain food without any spices, sugar, salt, oil, butter, milk, vegetables or fruits. It is performed for nine days, twice a year. It is called Ayambil Oli. It falls in the months of Chaitra (March/April) and Ashwin (September/October) of theJain calendar.^{[3][6][9][10][11][12][17]} A procession ofSiddhachakra is carried out in towns known asJalayatra.^[7]

It is a complex ritual taking a half day in which a whole Siddhachakra is created on a floor using lentils. Mantras are recited along with performingpuja starting in the centre of the Siddhachakra and moving towards the outside.^[2][3][5][9]

• Jain rituals and festivals
• Jain symbols
• Tirthankara

• M. Whitney Kelting (2009).Heroic Wives Rituals, Stories and the Virtues of Jain Wifehood. Oxford University Press. pp. 33–107.ISBN 9780195389647.

• Siddhachakra in Jainpedia
• Story of Śrīpal and Mayṇasundarī in Jainpedia
• Āyambil Oḷī in Jainpedia
• Video explaining Siddhachakra provided by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London
• Manuscript of Śrīpāla-rāsa and Gujarati commentary by Vinayvijaya and Yashovijaya of the 17th or 18th century
• Śrīpāla-kathā by Ratnashekharsuri of 1467

• Jain symbols

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• Short description matches Wikidata
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from May 2016