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Jainism Portal |
The Ṇamōkāra mantra (Sanskrit: णमोकार मंत्र), also called the Navakār Mantra or the Namaskār Mantra, is the most important mantra used in Jainism.[1] While reciting this mantra, the devotee bows with respect to humans who have cleared their gathi karmas (arihants), fully liberated souls (siddhas), spiritual leaders (acharyas), teachers (upajjhayas) and monks.
In this prayer there is no mention of any names, including that of the Tirthankaras. Jains do not ask for any favors or material benefits from the Tirthankaras or from sadhus and sadhvis. This mantra simply serves 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 moksa.[2]
Digambaras and Sthanakvasis regard the first five lines as the main mantra, the following two lines are explanatory.
A text corresponding to the first two lines of the Ṇamōkāra Mantra is present in the Orissan Hathigumpha inscription.
| Ṇamō arihantāṇaṁ | I bow to the arihants. |
| Ṇamō siddhāṇaṁ | I bow to the siddhas. |
| Ṇamō āyariyāṇaṁ | I bow to the acharyas. |
| Ṇamō uvajjhāyāṇaṁ | I bow to the teachers. |
| Ṇamō lōē savva sāhūṇaṁ | I bow to all the saddhus. |
| Ēsōpan̄caṇamōkkārō, savvapāvappaṇāsaṇō Maṅgalā ṇaṁ ca savvēsiṁ, paḍamama havaī maṅgalaṁ |
This five-fold bow (mantra) destroys all sins and obstacles and of all auspicious mantras, is the first and foremost one. |
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