Nava Smarana: Nine Sacred Recitations of Jainism

This work is an attempt to examine the nine sacred recitations collectively known as the Nava-smarana. Some of these recitations are very popular and almost worshipped by devout Jains. The smaranas that have been explored in this book can only give one a glimpse in to the vast ocean of Jain literary works and achievements. Although, many smaranas are recited in prayers almost every day, there is no in-depth study that has been done in English. This book aims to explore nine holy recitations out of that vast field. Perhaps this is the first attempt to bring some of the recitations to the western world. Some recitations have been translated into English by various authors in the past but there was no serious attempt to analyse them in depth.  The book is presented in three parts. The first part contains a general outline and explanations of the Stotra-literature and its place in the Jain religion. Narrated the brief history of the Nava-smarana and have explained eight out of the nine recitations in this part. The first recitation is called Namaskara Mantra. The word Namaskara means to bow down. As the Namaskara Mantra is recited whilst praying and in front of an idol whilst bowing, it is named as such. This recitation is given a status of Mantra and it is considered the most important recitation in the Jain religion. The Namaskara Mantra is said to serve as the identity of a Jain. Recitation No. 7 – Bhaktamara Stotra – has been treated in Part II separately because the Bhaktamara Stotra occupies a unique place in Jain Stotra literature. This has been considered a devotional poem par excellence. There are people both in India and outside India who can recite this Stotra with ease and precision of pronunciation. Infect there are small children, even outside India, whose mother – tongue is not Gujarati, Hindi or Sanskrit but they have learnt the Bhaktamara Stotra by heart and can recite all the verses of this Stotra faultlessly without hesitation. There are people who think that Bhaktamara Stotra has immense powers and can free the man from all sorts of worries and difficulties. On this recitation, a large number of books, audio cassettes, video cassettes and CDs are to be found. Various writers who either explain or interpret the Stotra in different styles have composed dozens or perhaps hundreds of poems. The Stotra’s importance also lies in the fact that there are at least three beautiful temples in India totally devoted to this Stotra. Part III deals with mantras and yantras related to all the recitations explored in this book. Also mentioned general background and the history of usage of mantras and yantras in Jain religion. Also included most important mantras in this work and have also reproduced some of the yantras here. The aspect of faith and miraculous powers has also been touched upon from an academic perspective.