Prof. Dr. Sohan Raj Tater
JAIN VISHVA BHARATI UNIVERSITY
Acharya Mahapragya Pravas Samiti 's president Shri Babulal Sekhani along with his team requesting Acharya Shri to extend his Bidasar stay"Namo Arhantanam" - I bow to Lord Arihant, Ari - enemy; Hanta - one who destroys enemies. This sacred verse means that my lord is the destroyer of enemies. We have the feelings of joy and sorrow when we overcome external enemies in life where as we feel immense inner joy when we overcome our internal enemies and these are anger, ego, deceit and greed. Overcoming them means attainment of eternal joy and this eternal joy is - happiness. Lord Arihant got liberated by winning over anger, ego, deceit and greed. Contemplation on such a lord is of great help in overcoming these internal enemies. 'Namo Arihantanam' is a sacred verse that purifies our aura. The vibrations caused by the chanting of this mantra purify our mental effort. The chanting of this mantra sublimates our black, blue and grey auras and transforms them into red, yellow and white (pure) auras. Lord Arihant has infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite energy. One, who concentrates with white colour on the center of knowledge, proceeds to the path of being an arhat, the enlightened one. To gain enlightenment, to have in mind the object of being an arhat is necessary. When the devotee attains oneness with his object, he gains the necessary qualification of realizing his aim. In the same way a devotee, attaining oneness with the enlightened one, reaching the climax of devotion, becomes the enlightened one himself. Scriptures say that one cannot get liberated without remembering and keeping in mind the enlightened one Arihant.
Lord Mahavira said, "appna sacch me seja, meting bhue su kappye" - Discover the truth yourself; have friendship with all. One, who discovers truth oneself, gradually enhances his venerability. When we enter the world of wisdom that is beyond intelligence, all the souls seem to be similar to us, we do not feel any difference in them. On entering the world of wisdom, every soul seems to be possessing infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss and infinite energy, but because of different natures, different situations, different intensity and because of beings covered with eight karmas, the development of every soul is different. All the eight karmas obstruct the power of soul. Some of these karmas are auspicious and some are inauspicious, but to become an enlightened one, one has to go beyond both of them and attain a totally pure stage of Non-karma at which there are no auspicious or inauspicious karmas. Jainacharyas have regarded merits as fetters of gold and demerits as fetters of iron. Both of them are fetters and to attain liberation, it is necessary to destroy both the kinds of fetter i.e. merits and demerits. The state of liberation is the state of joy. The mantra 'Namo Arhantanam' destroys the shackles of both merits and demerits. 'Namo Arhantanam,' the first stanza of the mantra fulfills all the objects. Attainment of eternal joy is an achievement in itself.
Jain philosophy is a philosophy of soul. Lord Mahavira said, "Soul is eternal, soul is the doer of karmas and soul is the enjoyer of karmas. One can get rid of karmas and riddance from all the karmas is the stage of salvation." One, who has faith in this teaching of Lord Mahavira, attains right faith. This right faith is the first step towards self-development.
One, who assimilates this mantra, takes it to heart, attains right faith. Chanting of this mantra can solve all the problems of the word. If one tries to go into the depth of this mantra to discover the infinite modes hidden in the each and every word of this mantra, one can discover the truth that this mantra is the giver of eternal joy. 'Namo Arhantanam' is true, benevolent and beautiful. It is the combination of truth, the feeling of doing well to others and beauty. One, who concentrates on this mantra, certainly attains perfection. For the realization of the fruition of devotion, one must develop this feeling in one's heart. A devotee must concentrate one the white stripe, shining on the center of knowledge and think of the mantra 'Namo Arahantanam,' and feel that white atoms are entering the body with breathing and the whole body has been filled with white atoms. White colour is a symbol of pure aura. The soul, who thus develops this feeling with the help of the shining white stripe, gradually precedes to the path of becoming an enlightened one itself.
Before starting his sermon, Acharyashri Mahapragya pronounces the mantra 'Namo Arhantanam' thrice. By this pronunciation, he fills his soul with the essence of this mantra. The sermon that is preached after being filled with this volition comes out of transcendental consciousness. It becomes effective and impressive because he himself develops this volition and that is why he is able to arouse the pleasant feelings of truth, beauty and benevolence in the hearts of his audience. His speech simply charms the public. The flow of knowledge, coming directly out of transcendental consciousness fills the listeners with immense joy. They are simply bewitched. This is the glaring example of the wonderful power of the mantra 'Namo Arhantanam.' By uttering this mantra whole-heartedly, many people have attained salvation and many more will attain salvation in the future as well.
Lord Arihant establishes a four-fold order, the constituents of which are - monks, nuns, and male and female votaries. The Teerthankars, before attaining omniscience, are self-compassionate, who think of the development of only their souls. But after becoming Teerthankars, they grow compassionate to others. The word 'pranukampi' means to think of the welfare of others. It can be explained like this - the mantra 'Namo Arihantanam' transforms one who thinks only of one's welfare into someone who thinks of the well being of others as well. Such a person thinks of the welfare of each and every being. The sphere of his compassion broadens such a person does no harm to any beings, he develops friendship with all the beings. He develops a feeling of community consciousness.
The mantra 'Namo Arhantanam' is an ideal of life. All the works of a person, who chants this mantra early in the morning on rising, are completed without any disturbance. Such a person endears himself to all.
This mantra prevents diseases, destroys sorrow and gives joy. One, who chants it, gets the fruits immediately. The presiding deities of the teerthankaras protect and provide material gain and prosperity to those, who regard the mantra 'Namo Arhantanam' as their ideal and desired goal. Chanting of this mantra subsides and purifies the feeling producing karmas. This mantra is the giver of strength, knowledge, conation and eternal joy. Solution of all the problems of the world lies in the force of this mantra. It can very aptly be concluded that one, who wants to fill one's life with knowledge, conation, joy and energy, should fill oneself with volition by concentrating 'Namo Arhantanam' on the center of knowledge. One, who wants to gain eternal joy, should bear this mantra in such a way that it pervades the entire being. This mantra forms a safeguard that saves us from disturbance and excitement. The only thing required is that we really live the deep secrets and meaning of this mantra and put into practice in life. Then only we can really know ourselves. To conclude, 'Namo Arhantanam' is the mantra, the sacred verse that provides unlimited joy. The ultimate aim of life is joy, happiness. This mantra helps in realizing this supreme truth.