It is noteworthy that the Namaskära Mantra is not found in earlier scriptures. The Acharänga Sootra and The Suyagdänga do not contain the Namaskära Mantra. The text of the Tattvärtha Sootra does not have the Namaskära Mantra at the beginning and this was composed in the first century AD.
The Digambara scriptures like the Samay Sär or the Niyam Sär do not have the Navkära Mantra at the beginning of the text. A part of this mantra is seen at the beginning of the Bhagavati Sootra, but is not in the same form as is now generally accepted.
The practice of writing the Namaskära Mantra at the beginning of any text must have been started after around the first century AD. Even most manuscripts of the Nandisootra and the Anuyogadwär (composed after first century AD) also do not have the Namaskära Mantra at the beginning of the texts. The manuscripts of the Kalpa-sootra (which was penned in 453 AD3) are seen with the Namaskära Mantra at the beginning of the main texts. Therefore it seems that the tradition of writing the Namaskära Mantra at the beginning of any texts was developed quite late. The question is therefore: was the Namaskära Mantra composed quite late or is it true that the practice of writing the Namaskära mantra at the beginning of any sacred texts started quite late.?
The answers to these questions may not be found anywhere. Jains believe that the Namaskära mantra is eternal. But then again it is not seen in the earlier scriptures. Let us see two more sources which are the inscriptions found on rocks. The Khärvel inscription says: ‘Namo Arihantänam, Namo Savva Siddhänam’. Another inscription discovered from Mathurä says: ‘Namo Arihantänam, Namo Siddhänam’ This one is believed to have been carved in the sixth century AD
Parsavnath Bhagwan:-
It may be possible that the Namaskära Mantra in it’s present form was composed much later then the general belief of most people. Jain writers were only writing a sentence or two in obeisance to Mahävira1, and not the Namaskära Mantra. Again one cannot deduce that because the Namaskära Mantra was not written at the beginning of any texts, it did not exist. The Trishashti Shaläkä Purusha Charitra , which consists of the lives of 63 great personalities, has mentioned an incident in the life of Pärshvanätha. In the incident, Pärshvanätha recites the Namaskära Mantra seeing a snake who was about to die after accidentally being burnt in a fire. If this incident did in fact occur then, the Namaskära Mantra was in existence during the 9th Century BC.
Digamber – Shvetambara View
According to the Jainendra Siddhänta Kosha vol. 3, page 247, the Namaskära Mantra was composed by aDigambara ächärya, Pushpadanta. According to the Shvetämbara text the Mahänishitha, the Namaskära Mantra was composed in the form of a sootra (present form) by the disciples of Mahävira but its main essence was derived from the words of Mahävira himself.
Mulmantra
Namo Arihantanam 1
Namo Siddhanam 2
Namo Ayariyanam 3
Namo Uvajjhayanam 4
Namo Loe Savva sahoonam 5
{ Pada – 5, guru -3, laghu – 32, total alphabets – 35 }
Choolika
Aeso Pancha Namukkaro, Savva Pavappanasano. 7
Manglalanam cha Savvesim, Padhamam Havai Mangalam. I9I
{ Pada – 4, guru – 4, laghu – 29, total letters 33 }
Meaning :
1. I bow to the Arihantas (with body), the omniscient (knowing everything).
2. I bow to the Siddhas, the bodiless liberated souls.
3. I bow to the Acharyas, the heads of the four – fold order.
4. I bow to the Upadhyays who are next to the head.
5. I bow to all the Saints in the universe.
The above five worships are destroyer of all sins and this is the first beneficent among all benefactions.
We call the above as the Namaskar Mantra because all Jains bow to all the padas mentioned above with mind, body and speech and honor it highly. The Mantra has two Lords: – Arihantas and Siddhas, three Gurus: – Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu. These five collectively known as the five excellent Souls make up of five padas.
Paying heartiest obeisance to these five great Souls helps the devotee annihilates all his sins and is highly benevolent to the Soul. It bestows physical and spiritual gains. It is an initial auspicious eulogy. ‘Navkar Mantra is relevant not only to the Jains but to each and everyone who wants to get rid of the wheel of worldly existence and attain liberation as the ultimate aim of every Soul is ‘Moksha”.
(pad – 9, sampada – 8, guru- 7, laghu – 61, total letters – 68)
PADAKSHAR FORM OF NAMASKAR MAHAMANTRA
One of the secrets of any mantra science is that it should be learnt from a well versed Guru. Traditionally, the Mantra and its essential elements are very well understood from a Guru. Any curious person should follow this principle. The Guru is the one who has harnessed the power of sound. When he gives the disciple a mantra, this sound is alive. It is the same thing as eating. Before we eat, we and the food are separate. But after we chew, digest and assimilate the food; it becomes a part of us. We do not call it food anymore, because it has become a part of our blood, body and life force. It is no longer separate. So, when the guru gives a mantra, the disciple at first is separate from the mantra . But after he/she has spent some time repeating it with love and faith, following the proper techniques, the disciple will completely absorb the mantra. It will be a part of the life force and will work positively for him/her. It is the duty of the disciple to practice faithfully and follow the guidance of the guru.
To understand the internal and external form of Navkar Mantra an essential thing is to learn and chant the mantra correctly. The external form denotes that A B C of the body of the mantra should be properly preserved. Mantra means the shortest—as short as possible. All seeds are very small but have great capacity to grow into trees; a mantra contains a few words but has a deep meaning like a tiny ocean in a glass.
To obtain perfect fruit of any rite one has to pray systemic worship of the rite. To obtain the fruits in the form of corn a farmer has to do complete procedure of farming and to till the soil. The ritual incantation of this Maha Mantra liberates tremendous energy which can unravel the karma bondage of the soul and make it shine in all its glory. There are 9 Pada (designations), 8 Sampada and 68 letters in Shree navkar Mantra. In these sixty eight letters there are 7 guru-jodakshar (measuring two matrass /conjunct consonant) and 61 laghu (small letters).
EIGHT SAMPADA
Sampada means a full stop of a meaning. Its definition as per scripture (Shastra) is done as follows:-
“SANGTYEN PADYATE-PARICHCHHIDYATEARTHO YABHIRITI SAMPADAH”. Sampada is one with which the compatible meaning is ascertained. There are eight such sampada in Navkar. First seven padas have seven and eighth- ninth these two padas have one aggregating to eight sampada.
GURU LAGHU LETTERS:
Jodakshar is considered as one letter in counting the letters and not one and half. Thus Navkar Mantra has 68 letters.
There are seven letters in the first Pad ‘Namo Arihantanam’ and all seven are Laghu.
In the second pada ‘Namo Siddhanam’ there are five letters out of which four are laghu and one is Guru. The letter ‘ddha’ is guru.
In the third pada ‘Namo Ayariyanam’ there ar e seven letters and all 7 are Laghu.
The fourth pada is ‘Namo Uvajjhayanam’ in which there are seven letters out of which six are laghu and one is Guru. The letter ‘jjha’ is guru
The fifth pada is ‘Namo Loe Savva Sahunam’ in which there are nine letters out of which eight are Laghu and one is Guru. The letter ‘vva’ is Guru.
Thus there are in aggregate 35 letters in the above five padas consisting of 32 Laghu and 3 Guru.
The sixth pada is ‘Eso Pancha Namukkaro’ and has eight letters, out of which seven are laghu and one is Guru letters. The letter ‘kka’ is guru.