Navakar Mantra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Navakar Mantra, also called the Namokar Mantra or the Namaskar Mantra, is the most important prayer used in Jainism.

Version 1	Version 2	In Roman Script	Translation
णमो अरिहंताणं	नमो अरिहंताणं ।	Namo Arihantanam	I bow to the Arihant.
णमो सिद्धाणं	नमो सिद्धाणं।	Namo Siddhanam	I bow to the Siddha.
णमो आयरियाणं	नमो आयरियाणं।	Namo Ayariyanam	I bow to the Acharya.
णमो उवज्झायाणं	नमो उवज्झायाणं।	Namo Uvajzayanam	I bow to the Upadhyaya.
णमो लोए सव्व साहुणं	नमो लोए सव्वसाहूणं।	Namo Loe Savva Sahunam	I bow to all the Sadhu.
एसो पंच णमोकारो	एसो पंच नमुक्कारो।	Eso Panch Namokkaro	This fivefold obeisance mantra
सव्व पाव प्पणासणो	सव्वपावप्पणासणो।	Savva Pav Panha Sanho	Destroys all sins and obstacles
मंगलाणं च सव्वेसिम	मंगलाणं च सव्वेसिं	Mangalanam Cha Savvesim	And of all auspicious repetitions
पढ्मम हवइ मंगलम	पढमं हवइ मंगलं।।	Padhamam Havai Mangalam	Is the first and foremost...

In the above prayer, Jains salute the virtues of the Pancha Parmeshti, or five benevolents: The Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and normal monks. They do not pray to a specific Tirthankar or monk by name. By saluting them, Jains believe they receive the inspiration from the five benevolent for the right path of true happiness and total freedom from the misery of life. Jain prayers do not ask for any favors or material benefits from the Tirthankaras or from sadhus and sadhvis. These prayers simply serve as a gesture of deep respect towards beings they believe are more spiritually advanced and to remind followers of the Jain religion of their ultimate goal of nirvana or moksha.

Digambars and Sthanakvasis only use the first five lines, and in inscriptions inside the Orissa Hathi Guffa caves, the order is different from what is given above.