Acharya Mahaprajna
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Tvat-sanstavenabhava-santati-sanni-baddhamPaapamkshanaat-kshaya-mupaitishareera-bhaajaam|
Aakraanta - loka-mali-neela-mashesha-maashuSooryaanshu-bhinna-mivashaarvara-mandha-kaaram||
The sins accumulated by living beings in all their previous lives are wiped out in a moment by praying to you just as the bright sun rays remove darkness as black as a bee, enveloping the entire world.
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Matvetinaath! tavasansta-vanam-mayeda-Maarabhyatetanu-dhiyaapitavaprabhaavaat|
Chetoharishyatisataamnalinee-daleshu Muktaa-phala-dyuti-mupaitinanooda-binduh||
O Lord! Although I am ignorant, I am composing this stuti with the belief that it destroys all sins. It will certainly please noble people due to your divine influence just as dew drops gleam like pearls when they are on lotus leaves.
Acharya Maantung wishes to eulogise Lord Rishabh. However, he first wants to express the importance of doing this. It is essential to understand about the significance of an act as only then the act becomes significant to others.
A stuti has its own value. The primary objective of writing praises of Lord Rishabh was to ensure that everyone understood the significance of the stuti. Acharya Maantung says -" Just by praying to you, one can annihilate sins accumulated in thousands of previous births." The important questions are - Can we actually obliterate sins by praying? Can we destroy sins accumulated over multiple births?
The Power of Samata
The object of our stuti is Lord Rishabh who was a 'samya-yogi', a practitioner of samata (equanimity). That person who realizes the soul and learns to dwell within the soul can become a samya-yogi. One cannot practice samata without realizing the soul. The state of samata cannot be achieved in the external world where there is a swirl of favorable & unfavorable situations. Only those who transcend external situations which cause pain and pleasure, association and disassociation, etc. and realize consciousness can practice samata. Where there is soul there is no disparity. Where there is soul there are no ups and downs. Where there is soul there is no impurity.Self-realization + Dwelling within the Soul = Practice of Samata.
The practice of samata means realisation of the soul. Lord Rishabh realised his soul, experienced it and propounded its existence; and samata was its auto genic result. His samata has been vividly discussed in Jain as well as other literature. According to Acharya Maantung, eulogizing such an iconic figure who symbolizes samata is a commendable act. This is because when one eulogizes such an equanimous person, he too heads in the same direction. One cannot be considered eligible for the stuti or reap its benefits from it unless one establishes oneness with the Supreme Being. It is essential to establish intimacy and experience oneness with Lord to achieve the desired result.
Self-realization + Dwelling within the Soul = Practice of Samata.
The practitioner of meditation can destroy many sins in a single moment, which cannot be easily erased even by a person focused in rigorous penance (austerity).
Eulogizing samya-yogi means to enter the state of samata.
The attainment of samata eventually helps to annihilate sins accumulated in hundred of births. Thus, it is rightly said, the practitioner of meditation can destroy many sins in a single moment, which cannot be easily erased even by a person focused in rigorous penance (austerity). It is important to note that Acharya Maantung didn't convey the above fact under the sway of emotions, but with personal experience of the divine nature of the Lord. This is not an exaggeration, but a fact.
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Tvat-sanstavenabhava-santati-sanni-baddhamPaapamkshanaat-kshaya-mupaitishareera-bhaajaam|
Aakraanta - loka-mali-neela-mashesha-maashuSooryaanshu-bhinna-mivashaarvara-mandha-kaaram||It is said that a practitioner of meditation annihilates more karmas in two and half minutes, which a practitioner of penance cannot achieve even in their entire lifespan.
The outcome of meditation or spiritual practice is samata. The quality of samata is developed in the person who practices meditation. He explained this fact with a profound illustration.
The impenetrable darkness of night engulfs the light of Earth. But that intense darkness is dispersed the very moment the sunrises in the horizon.
How intense was the darkness? - Darkness was as black as a bee. It is so dense that even a needle can pierce it.
One may ask - How can such dense darkness be dispersed by a single ray of the sun? The light of sun is so intense; its rays are so powerful, that it can dispel the darkness with a single ray. If such dense darkness can be dispelled by the sun, then why cannot, one be illuminated by stuti, meditation and prayers to Lord Rishabh? Why cannot one's darkness, in the form of sins accumulated over years, be annihilated by rays of stuti?
Acharya Maantung explains his view using a clear metaphor. This logical explanation leaves no room for any ambiguity.
Acharya Maantung explains - 'Sunrise is by itself admirable. No other celestial body is comparable to that of a rising sun. Lighting of a lamp can disperse darkness to a limited extent, which is trivial compared to sunlight. Every form of darkness including luminescence of all other celestial bodies falls short in comparison to the sunlight. One single sun illuminates the entire Earth. Similarly, it is ordinary to praise noble souls, but absolutely significant when it is towards an equanimous soul such as Lord Rishabh. This is the stuti of a person who has realized his soul eulogizing such a person is as splendid as is the dissipation of darkness by the bright light of sun.’
A devotee, when performing stuti of a samya-yogi, must understand:
- I will inculcate samya-yogi within me.
- This stuti will break the chain of karmas accumulated from my previous births.
- Whoever does so with such firm faith certainly get rid of their sins.
This signifies the universal importance of stuti.
Acharya Maantung thought - 'A person to be eulogized is great and eulogizing such a person is also a great task. One should evaluate their own knowledge before performing such a challenging task. Is my intellect sufficient to praise Lord Rishabh?'
To leave a task undone is a sign of weakness. A person cannot progress if they think of themselves to be incompetent. Therefore, instead of being disheartened, one should find a way to accomplish the task at hand.
Acharya Maantung felt that his intellect was falling short. 'He said - Lord! My ignorance is certainly a problem, but I believe that I will benefit from your infinite power and wisdom. If the person I am eulogizing is not powerful then I cannot be bestowed by power and in such a case I would not have been able to even commence the task. It is your power and aura that has bestowed upon me the knowledge to praise you. Your power influences everybody. Now I am assured that my task will be accomplished.'
Acceptance of the Stuti
The next roadblock Acharya Maantung faced was the doubt whether his stuti will be recognised by the world. If a piece of writing or saying does not appeal to the listener, then the effort is in vain. He wondered-Will my stuti touch other's hearts? If it is not liked by others or does not appeal to them then how will my effort be fruitful?
Acharya Maantung found the answer within himself-
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Matvetinaath! tavasansta-vanam-mayeda-Maarabhyatetanu-dhiyaapitavaprabhaavaat|
Chetoharishyatisataamnalinee-daleshu Muktaa-phala-dyuti-mupaitinanooda-binduh||'My stuti will capture the mind of scholars because the one who I am eulogising is powerful. Although my composition is a simple one, it will appeal to the listener because of the greatness and potential of my Lord'.
In fact, he found the testimony to this in nature. He said - "Look at a water droplet. It is a classic example of the impact of right companionship. A droplet falling on hot iron loses its existence. The same droplet when it falls on a lotus petal looks like beautiful pearl. The right companionship makes all the difference." Acharya Maantung said - 'I don't have to worry because I am writing on Lord Rishabh. My stuti will definitely be the subject of attraction for scholars'.
This realization led to Acharya Maantung becoming even more passionate about the task at hand. When we undertake a task with conviction, faith and by understanding the law of Nature, then all our queries naturally find solutions. Acharya Maantung did not find the task of writing the stuti complex because he understood the significance of Nature around us. Nature is a mirror which reflects the crystal-clear image of reality that leads to solutions. It is essential for a very great poet to become unified with Nature to compose beautiful poems. Acharya Maantung, a high calibre poet, found solutions inspired by Nature.
Acharya Maantung realized the importance of Eulogy. Study of Nature and fearlessness guided him and eventually this special stuti has been presented to the world.
