| Namokar Mantra | |
|---|---|
 Ṇamōkāra mantra /Navkar Mantra | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Jainism |
| Language | Ardhamagadhi Prakrit |
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TheṆamōkāra mantra is the most significantmantra inJainism, and one of the oldest mantras in continuous practice.[1][2] This is the first prayer recited by the Jains whilemeditating. The mantra is also variously referred to as thePancha Namaskāra Mantra,Namaskāra Mantra,Navakāra Mantra,Namaskāra Mangala orParamesthi Mantra. It is dedicated to the Panch-Parmeshthi, namely thearihant, thesiddhas, theacharyas, theupadhyaya and all the ascetics.
A short inscription (dated 200 BCE to 100 BCE) found inPale Caves inMaharashtra mentionsNamo Arahatanam (नमो अरहतानं) orNamo Arahantanam (नमो अरहंतानं), only the first line of Namokara Mantra. InKushana andShaka periods of 1st century CE to the first quarter of 2nd century, only the first line was prevalent.[3] TheHathigumpha inscription dated between 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE starts withNamo Arahantanam (नमो अरहंतानं) andNamo Save Sidhanam (नमो सवे सिधानं), the first two lines of Namokar Mantra. The rest of the lines are not there. It was inscribed by the Jain monarchKharavela ofKalinga kingdom.[3][4][5] According to historianM. A. Dhaky, these two lines were originally used asmangala (auspicious opening lines) in written works and rituals then.[3]
The Namaskara Mantra with allPañca-Parameṣṭhi (five supreme souls) was first mentioned in the auspicious opening lines in the condensed edition ofVyākhyāprajñapti. This version also replacesArdhamagadhiनं withMaharashtrian Prakritणं.[3]In condensed edition ofAvashyakasutra (dated circa last quarter of 5th century), theनं is also replaced withणं as well asअरहंत (Arahant) withअरिहंत (Arihant). Shatkandagam (circa 475–525 CE) and laterVisheshavashyakbhashyavritti (circa 725 CE) andAnuyogadwarasuchi showsनमो (Namo) replaced with more Prakitणमो (Namo). However, mostŚvetāmbaras still useनमो (Namo) as theŚvetāmbara canon states thatTirthankaras' sermons are inArdhamagadhi Prakrit, so they prefer the version withनमो (Namo) as they consider it to be the original form of themantra. Digambaras, on the other hand, believe thatTirthankaras do not speak after attainingKevala jnana and that there is no specific language in their sermons. Most Digambaras, therefore, prefer reciting the newer version of themantra written inMaharashtri Prakrit withणमो (Namo).
Composed around the beginning of theCommon Era,Chattarimangalam Stotra mentions only Arhat, Siddha, Sadhu and Kevalipragnapti Dharma (Dharma as prescribed by Omniscients) as four chief auspicious. So the three lines regarding Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu must have been added later. The last four lines aboutphala-prashashti (benefits of chanting) are not older than 6th century CE and are not found in any older works, according to Dhaky.[3] The importance of it as amantra in texts, traditions, rituals and meditation arose thereafter.[3]
| Prakrit | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| णमो अरिहंताणं | Ṇamō Arihantāṇaṁ | I bow to theArihants |
| णमो सिद्धाणं | Ṇamō Siddhāṇaṁ | I bow to theSiddhas. |
| णमो आयरियाणं | Ṇamō Ayariyāṇaṁ | I bow to theAcharyas. |
| णमो उवज्झायाणं | Ṇamō Uvajjhāyāṇaṁ | I bow to theUpadhyayas. |
| णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं | Ṇamō Lōē Savva Sāhūṇaṁ | I bow to all of the Sages of the world. |
| एसो पंच णमोक्कारो, सव्व पावप्पणासणो | Ēsō pan̄ca ṇamōkkārō, savva pāvappaṇāsaṇō | 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. |
The Namokar Mantra may abbreviated toOṃ Namaḥ Siddhanam (6 syllables),Om Nhi (2 syllables), or justOm (1 syllable) in Jain literature.[6]
Below is the meaning of the Namokar Mantra line by line, wherein the devotee first bows to the five supreme souls orPañca-Parameṣṭhi:
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There is no mention of any particular names of the gods or any specific person. The prayer is done towards theguṇa (the good qualities) of the gods, teachers and the saints.Jains do not ask for any favors or material benefits from thetirthankaras or monastics. This mantra simply serves as a gesture of deep respect towards beings whom they believe are spiritually evolved, as well as to remind the people of their ultimate goal i.e.moksha (liberation).[8]
According toDravyasaṃgraha, a majorJain text:
Meditate on, recite or chant the sacred mantras, consisting of thirty-five, sixteen, six, five, four, two and one letter(s), pronouncing the virtues of the five supreme beings (Pañca-Parameṣṭhi). Besides, meditate on and chant other mantras as per the teachings of the Preceptor (guru).[9]
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FourteenPurvas (The Prior Knowledge –considered totally lost) | ||||||||||||||||
| Śvetāmbara Canonical Texts |
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| Digambara Texts |
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†Tattvartha Sutra is accepted by both Digambara and Śvetāmbara as their texts, although Śvetāmbaras do not include it under canonical texts. | ||||||||||||||||
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