Jain Stutis

JAIN STUTIs[1]

darshanam deva – devasya, darshanam pāpa[2] – nāshanam,

darshanam svarga – sopānam, darshanam moksha – sādhanam

Even the heavenly Gods revere Tirthankar Bhagavān. Sincere obeisance to the idol of Tirthankar Bhagavān destroys all sins. It is the first step towards attaining heaven and obeisance to the idol of Tirthankar ultimately leads to liberation

mangalam bhagavāna veero, mangalam gautama prabhu,

manglam sthūlibhadrādyā, jaina dharmo’stu mangalam

Bhagavān Mahāveer is auspicious. Ganadhar Gautam Swāmi is auspicious

Sthūlibhardra and all true ascetics are auspicious. Jain dharma (way of life) is auspicious

arhanto bhagavanta indramahitāh, siddhāScha siddhisthitā,

āchāryā jinashāsanonnatikarā, poojyā upādhyāyakāh,

shree siddhānta – supāthakaa munivarā, ratnatrayārādhakāh,

panchai te parameShthinah pratidinam, kurvantu vo mangalam

The Lord Arihants (Omniscients) who have been worshipped by Indra (King of heavenly beings), the liberated souls who are the Siddhas (who reside in Siddhashilā – top of the universe), the heads of the religious order (Āchāryas) who reinforce the fourfold[3] order established by the Jinas, the revered Upādhāyas who are well versed in and the true teachers of the holy scriptures, the Sādhus (and Sādhavis) (Ascetics) who are the followers of the true path of liberation (bearers of the three jewels[4]). May all these five entities (beings) bestow blessings everyday and make your day auspicious

chattāri mangalam, arihantā mangalam

siddhā mangalam, sāhū mangalam

kevalipaNNatto[5] dhammo mangalam

chattāri loguttamā, arihantā loguttamā

siddhā loguttamā, sāhū loguttamā

kevalipaNNatto dhammo loguttamo

chattāri saraNam pavajjāmi

arihante saraNam pavajjāmi

siddhe saraNam pavajjāmi

sāhū saraNam pavajjāmi

kevali paNNatam dhammam sharaNam pavajjāmi

There are four auspicious beings/entities in the universe; the Arihantas are auspicious;

The Siddhas are auspicious; the Sādhus are auspicious;

The dharma explained by the omniscient is auspicious

There are four supreme beings/entities in the universe; the Arihantas are supreme;

The Siddhas are supreme; the Sādhus are supreme;

The dharma explained by the omniscient is supreme

I take refuge in the four beings/entities of the universe; I take refuge in the Arihantas;

I take refuge in the Siddhas; I take refuge in the Sādhus;

I take refuge in the dharma explained by the omniscient

tubhyam namastribhuvanārtiharāya nātha

tubhyam namah kshititalāmalabhūShaNāya

tubhyam namastrijagatah parameshwarāya

tubhyam namo jina bhavodadhishoShaNāya

O Lord, I bow down to you who are the remover of all the misery of the three worlds[6]

O Lord, I bow down to you who are the adorable ornament on the face of the earth

O Lord, I bow down to you who are the supreme being of the three worlds

O Lord, I bow down to you Jina who are the destroyer of the endless cycle of birth and death

sarva mangala māngalyam, sarva kalyāNa kāraNam

pradhānam sarva dharmāNām jainam jayati shāsanam

The Jain darshan (faith) and Jain dharma (way of life) are the most auspicious of all. They are the cause of the ultimate bliss (moksha) for all. They are the best and greatest among all religious philosophies. May the Jain darshan/dharma be victorious!

upasargā kshayam yānti, chhidyante vighnavallayah

manah prasannatāmeti, poojyamāne jineshware

All the troubles disintegrate, the shackles of obstacles break, the mind achieves a blissful state wherever and whenever the Lord Jineshwaras are worshipped

shivamastu sarvajagatah, parahitaniratā bhavantu bhūtagaNāh

doShāh prayāntu nāsham, sarvatra sukhee bhavatu lokah

May the entire universe attain bliss; may all beings be oriented to the interest of others; let all faults be eliminated; and may people/beings be happy everywhere

khāmemi savvajeeve, savve jeevā khamantu me

mitti me savva bhuesu, veram majjha na keNaï

I forgive all souls; let all souls forgive me; I am on friendly terms with all; I have no enmity towards anyone

In the Mombasa Jain Derāsar there are pratimās (idols) of 5 Tirthankar bhagavān namely:

Rushabhdev (1^st), Shāntināth (16^th), Nemināth (22^nd), Pārshvanāth (23^rd) and Mahāveeraswāmi (24^th). The following 5 stutis are for each of them respectively:

ādimam prithiveenātham ādimam niShparigraham

ādimam teerthanātham cha ruShabhaswāminam stumah

We worship Bhagavān Rushabhdev, who was the first king of the planet earth, who was the first to renounce everything (became a sādhu) and who was the first Tirthankar (of the current descending time cycle)

sudhāsodara vāgjyotsnā nirmaleekruta ding’mukhah

mruglakshmā tamahshantyai shāntināthajino’stu vah

We worship Bhagavān Shāntināth (whose emblem is a deer), whose speech is sweet like nectar, whose speech destroys ignorance and gives knowledge and whose speech enlightens and makes the whole world clear like the full moon

yaduvamshasamudrenduh karmakakshahutāshanah

ariShtanemirbhagavān bhūyādvo’riShtanāshanah

We worship Bhagavān Nemināth who was born in the yādav family. He was for them just like the full moon which enlightens the sea in a powerful way. May Bhagavān Nemināth, who is like the fire which destroys all karmas, destroy all problems and be auspicious to all

kamathe dharaNendre cha svochitam karma kurvati

prabhustulyamanovruttih pārshvanātha shriye’stu vah

We worship Bhagavān Pārshvanāth who, whilst in meditation, maintained perfect equanimity towards both Kamath[7] and DharaNendra both of whom did deeds according to their karma.  May Bhagavān Pārshvanāth be beneficial in increasing your wealth of knowledge

shreemate veeranāthāya sanāthāya’dbhūtashriyā

mahānandasarorāja marālāyārhate namah

We worship and bow down to Bhagavān Mahāveeraswāmi who possesses wonderful and marvelous wealth (i.e. not monetary, but that wealth which no one but Tirthankars have) and who is worthy of worship and is like a royal swan in the ocean of peace

sarasa shānti sudhārasa - sāgaram shuchitaram guNaratna - mahāgaram

bhavika – pankaja - bodha divākaram pratidinam praNamāmi jineshwaram

Jineshwara is an ocean of nectar of love and peace.  He is the purest of the pure.  He is the repository of great (jewel-like) qualities.  He is the sun who makes the lotus of prosperity bloom.  I offer my prostrations to Jineshwara every day

jinerbhakti jinerbhakti jinerbhakti dine dine

sadāme’stu sadāme’stu sadāme’stu bhave bhave

anyathā sharaNam nāsti tvameva sharaNam mama

tasmāt kārūNyabhāvena raksha raksha jineshwara

May I have uninterrupted devotion every day and always to Jineshwara in every birth that I may get.   Jineshwara, I have none else to give protection; you alone are my refuge.  So, have mercy upon me and save me (protect me)

dādā tāree mukh mudrāne, amiya najare nihādee rahyo,

tārā nayanomāthee jharatuⁿ, divya tej huⁿ jheelee rahyo,

kshaNabhar ā sansār nee māyā, tāree bhaktimāⁿ bhūlee gayo,

tuj murtimāⁿ mast baneene, ātmik ānand māNee rahyo

I look at your countenance (facial expression) with sweet love. I absorb the divine radiance flowing from your eyes. For a moment, I forget the illusions of this world while doing your devotional worship. I experience inner bliss by being absorbed in your idol/image

he! prabhu ānandadātā, gyān hamako deejiye,

sheeghra sāre avaguNoko, door hamase keejiye,

leejiye hamako sharaName, ham sadāchāree bane,

bhramachāree dharma rakshaka, veer vratadhāree bane

O Lord, thou, who are the giver of happiness, give us knowledge. Take away all bad habits from us. Take us in your refuge and may we have good conduct. May we take the pledge to be in pursuit of divine knowledge and protect dharma

dayā sindhu dayā sindhu, dayā karajo dayā karajo,

have ā zanjeeromāⁿthee, mane  jaldi chhuto karajo,

nathee  ā tāp sahevāto, bhabhūkee karma ni jwālā,

varsāvee premanee dhārā, hridayanee āg bujhavajo

O! ocean of compassion, be compassionate to me. Free me from this bondage of life and death. I can no longer bear this heat of the fire of ‘karmas’ (actions). Extinguish the burning fire in my heart by showering upon me endless love

antar nā ek kodiyāmāⁿ deep bade chhe jhānkho,

jeevan nā jyotirdhar ene nishadin jalato rākho,

ūnche ūnche udavā māte prān chāhe chhe pānkho,

tujne odakhu nāth niranjan, evi āpo ānkho

Somewhere in my heart there is a faint light. O! Light of my life, always keep the light burning. This soul desires wings to scale new heights. O Lord, Give me the vision to know you

prabhu ādishwara shānti nemijina ne shree pārshvaveera prabhu

e pānche jinarāja āj praNamu hete dharee he vibhu

I bow down today to the 5 Jineshwara Bhagavān - Rushabhdev (1^st), Shāntināth (16^th), Nemināth (22^nd), Pārshvanāth (23^rd) and Mahāveeraswāmi (24^th) with love

āvyo sharaNe tamārā jinavara karajo āsh pūree amāree

nāvyo bhavapār māro tum viNa jagamā sār le koNa māree

gāyo jinarāj āje harakha adhikathee param ānandakāree

pāyo tum darsha nāshe bhavabhav bhramaNā nāth sarve amāree

O Lord, I have taken refuge in you. Fulfil our desires. I have not been able to free myself from this cycle of life and death. Who else will take care of me apart from you? I have worshipped you today with extreme joy, O Lord, the giver of supreme happiness. Having had sight of you, O Lord,  may we be liberated from this cycle of life and death

purāyo hansa pinjar maaⁿ udeene kyaaⁿ have jāshe

bhale sāro agar buro nibhāvyo tem nibhavaje

karuⁿ pokār huⁿ tārā japuⁿ chhuⁿ rātadin pyārā

vinantee dhyānamaaⁿ laïne duhkhee ā bāl reejhavaje

I am stuck in the worldly struggles and the cycle of life and death – where shall I go?

I may be good or bad (have good conduct or bad conduct), take care of me as you always have

I sing your praises and worship you, O dear one, day and night

Take note of my request and give solace to this child of yours

Namaskaara (Navakaara) Mahaamantra
Namo ArihantāNam	I bow to the Arihantas (Tirthankars) (the perfected/enlightened souls)
Namo SiddhāNam	I bow to the Siddhas (liberated souls)
Namo ĀyariyāNam	I bow to the Āchāryas (heads of the Jain congregation – religious leaders)
Namo UvajjhāyāNam	I bow to the Upādhāyas (the religious teachers)
Namo Loë SavvasāhūNam	I bow to all Sādhus and Sādhavis (those who have taken renunciation - ascetics)
Eso Pancha Namukkāro Savva PāvappaNāsaNo	These five salutations (to the 5 types of great souls) are capable of destroying all the sins
MangalāNan Cha Savvesim Padhamam Havaï Managalam	This is the holiest of all Mantras, the most auspicious of all benedictions

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[1] A Stuti is a prayer/verse sung in praise of a God or Goddess or of the Jain Dharma and its principles

[2] The letter ā is pronounced as a long ‘a’ and is pronounced as ‘aa. The letter ū is pronounced as long ‘u’ and is pronounced as ‘oo’

[3] The fourfold order comprises the Monks and Nuns (ascetics) and Shravaks and Shravikas (lay followers)

[4] The three jewels – Right Faith (or Right Perception), Right Knowledge, Right Conduct

[5] A capital N in the middle of a word means it is the ‘aNa sound (e.g in the Gujarati word ‘pāNi’ – water) and not the normal ‘n’ sound

[6] The three worlds are the dev lok (heavenly beings), maanav lok (humans) and daanav lok (beings of the nether world)

[7] Kamath was a mendicant. Parshvanath saved a snake (nag) from Kamath’s sacrificial fire. Kamath was reborn as Meghmali (lord of rain) and to take revenge he disturbed Parshvanath who was in meditation. The snake was reborn as DharaNendra and came to the save the Lord from Meghmali’s actions. The Lord maintained perfect equanimity and showed no hatred towards Kamath (Meghmali) and no affection towards DharaNendra (who was the snake in the previous life)