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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.
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.
Shri Adinath Kund Kund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust, Aligarh. Uttar Pradesh. India