Bhakamar Stotra - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Bhakamar Stotra in English, based on the provided text:

The Bhakamar Stotra is an ancient hymn dedicated to Lord Rishabh Dev, the first Tirthankara of Jainism. The text highlights the unique confluence of devotion and knowledge within this stotra, establishing its significance within the Jain tradition. It is considered a hymn to all Arihants and Tirthankaras, indicating the profound respect for spiritual knowledge and devotion in Jainism from ancient times. The stotra's eloquence and rhetorical mastery are evident from the fact that all four sects of Jainism study it with reverence. Each verse of the stotra is described as being the source of numerous mantra compositions.

Historical Context and Origin:

The stotra was authored by Acharya Manatunga Suri, a renowned Sanskrit scholar. The narrative recounts his visit to Ujjain, a prominent center of Shaivism at the time, for religious propagation. King Bhoj of Ujjain had a court filled with scholars from various religions and philosophical schools who engaged in debates.

The text then narrates an incident involving a pandit named Ban who had a conflict with his wife, leading to a curse that afflicted him with leprosy. Ban sought solace by composing a hymn to the Sun God, which cured his ailment. Driven by envy, he then severed his own limbs to please the goddess Chandi, who, in turn, blessed him with beautiful body parts. This miraculous event brought Ban considerable fame, prompting him to openly criticize Jainism. This public denouncement caused distress to Acharya Manatunga and his followers.

Ban challenged the Jains, claiming their ascetics merely begged for food and lacked any true knowledge or miraculous powers, unlike those in the Shaiva tradition. He demanded that if Jain ascetics possessed any such powers, their followers should be summoned for verification. The king, upholding this challenge, summoned the Jain followers.

The Ujjain Incident and the Stotra's Demonstration of Power:

The Jain followers informed the king that Acharya Manatunga, then residing in Ujjain, was a highly miraculous being. The king summoned the Acharya to his court. Upon arriving at the palace gates, pandits presented the Acharya with a bowl of ghee in a vessel from Kashi. The Acharya dropped a needle into the bowl. When asked about the bowl, he explained that the presentation signified Ujjain was already full of scholars like the filled bowl. The needle, he explained, represented his arrival, which would not disrupt the existing order or their affairs, just as the needle found its place in the full bowl without causing any overflow or damage.

King Bhoj then challenged the Acharya to a philosophical debate with his pandits. The Acharya defeated all the pandits on the question of whether God was the creator.

When the king pressed further about possessing powers like Ban, the Acharya stated that worldly powers and siddhis are insignificant compared to the soul's potential. He explained that Jainism is about transforming the soul into a divine being (Paramatma). However, to uphold the honor of Jainism, he agreed to the king's request. He asked to be bound in 48 fetters in a room with 48 locks, and for all the king's soldiers to supervise him. The king, in front of the assembled court, had the Acharya bound in 48 fetters and placed in a 48-locked chamber. The Acharya then began meditating and reciting the hymn to Lord Rishabh Dev. With the first verse, the first fetter broke. With each subsequent verse, the fetters and locks shattered. The Acharya emerged victorious, and the king, witnessing this, embraced Jainism.

The Meaning of "Bhakamar":

The name "Bhakamar" itself is explained as signifying that whoever reads this stotra becomes elevated beyond their ordinary self.

Core Themes and Devotional Content (Verse by Verse Summary):

The stotra then proceeds to praise Lord Rishabh Dev through a series of verses, often employing elaborate metaphors and similes:

Verse 1: Praises Lord Rishabh Dev, whose feet are bowed to by gods even while adorned with jeweled crowns. His radiance surpasses the sun and moon. The Acharya vows to offer proper salutations and praise to the first Tirthankara who has conquered all inner impurities to attain the state of an Arihant.
Verse 2: Extols the Lord's glory, which is praised by Indra, the king of gods, throughout the three realms, and by all scriptures. The Acharya expresses wonder at receiving the opportunity to praise such a revered being.
Verse 3: The Acharya humbly compares himself to a child trying to grasp the moon in water, admitting his lack of knowledge in composing such a hymn but still being drawn to praise the Lord. This highlights the use of literary embellishments.
Verse 4: Compares the Lord's boundless virtues to an ocean that even the guru of the gods, Brihaspati, cannot fully describe. It uses the analogy of a great ocean where even powerful creatures like crocodiles are active during high tide, emphasizing the immensity of the Lord's qualities.
Verse 5: Despite his limitations, the Acharya is driven by devotion to praise the Lord, likening his resolve to a weak doe defending its fawn against a powerful lion. This illustrates the devotee's strength derived from divine love.
Verse 6: The Acharya admits to being ridiculed by the learned due to his lack of knowledge but is compelled by devotion to praise the Lord, akin to the cuckoo spontaneously singing sweet melodies during spring. This emphasizes the natural outpouring of devotion.
Verse 7: Meditation on the Lord dispels millions of lifetimes' worth of sins, just as the sun's first rays vanish the deep darkness of night. This uses the powerful metaphor of the sun dispelling darkness.
Verse 8: This humble composition is undertaken with the belief that it will please the hearts of noble beings, like a clear dewdrop on grass appearing like a pearl in the morning.
Verse 9: The mere utterance of the Lord's name, not to mention the stotra itself, eradicates sins in this world and the next, similar to how the sun's rays cause lotuses to bloom in a lake, even from afar. This highlights the power of the Lord's name.
Verse 10: Devotion to the Lord brings immense benefit, not unlike a devoted servant who is elevated to the status of the master. This likens the relationship between the devotee and the Lord to an ideal master-servant dynamic.
Verse 11: Once a devotee's gaze is fixed on the Lord, they lose interest in any other worldly beauty, just as someone who has tasted the nectar-like ocean water would not desire to drink from a salt-water sea. This emphasizes the Lord's unparalleled beauty.
Verse 12: The Acharya confidently states that the particles forming the Lord's body, which inspire tranquility, are unique and unmatched. No god or human on earth can rival the Lord's beauty.
Verse 13: The Lord's form captivates the eyes of humans and celestial beings. All comparisons fade before it. The moon, with its blemishes and fading appearance, is deemed inferior to the Lord's ever-radiant face.
Verse 14: The Lord's qualities extend beyond the three realms, much like the full moon's light illuminates all directions.
Verse 15: The Lord remains steadfast even when faced with temptations that could shake mountains like Meru. This signifies the Lord's imperturbable nature against worldly desires.
Verse 16: The Lord is described as an eternal lamp that requires no fuel or wick, is smokeless, and cannot be extinguished by strong winds. His presence is all-pervading.
Verse 17: The Lord is superior to the sun. While the sun sets and can be eclipsed by Rahu, the Lord's knowledge is eternal and unassailable. The sun illuminates only a part of the world and for a limited time, whereas the Lord's light encompasses all three realms continuously.
Verse 18: The Lord's face is compared to a lotus blooming with infinite beauty. It is likened to the moon that illuminates the night, dispelling dense darkness and remaining unaffected by afflictions like Rahu or clouds.
Verse 19: When the Lord's moon-like face dispels the world's darkness, what need is there for the moon at night or the sun during the day? They are rendered useless in His presence. Similarly, when the earth is fertile with crops, there is no need for rain-bearing clouds.
Verse 20: The Lord possesses infinite knowledge and brilliance, a quality absent in other deities like Vishnu, Shiva, or Brahma. His brilliance is like the gem's light, unlike the reflected light of quartz.
Verse 21: The Acharya finds the Lord's darshan (sight) far superior to that of deities like Shankar and Vishnu, as it brings complete satisfaction to his restless heart.
Verse 22: The Lord's darshan is so profound that it eradicates the desire for the sight of any other deity, not just in this life but for countless future lives.
Verse 23: While countless women can give birth to many sons, only one mother can give birth to a son like the Lord. Just as directions illuminate stars, the sun's brilliance is focused in the east. This highlights the unique and supreme nature of the Lord.
Verse 24: The Lord, radiant like the sun, free from the impurities of attachment and aversion, and beyond the reach of ignorance, is considered the Supreme Being by the wise. His refuge leads to victory over death. The Acharya firmly believes that without devotion, liberation (Shiva) cannot be attained.
Verse 25: Yogis address the Lord by various names due to His eternal nature, pervasiveness, and being beyond human comprehension. He is one yet many, the Supreme Being, the God of gods, a comet that destroys desires, and the master of yogis. He resides in the hearts of His devotees, making Him manifold and a destroyer of great karma.
Verse 26: The Lord is identified as Buddha because His knowledge is always awakened within Him. He is Shankar for bringing welfare to the three worlds. He is Brahma for providing right knowledge, right vision, and right conduct. He is Vishnu, the best among all beings, making Him the Supreme Purusha.
Verse 27: The Acharya offers his salutations to the Lord, the remover of suffering in the three worlds, and his prostrations to the Lord who enhances the beauty of the universe. He bows repeatedly to the Lord, the Jinneshwar, who eradicates the impurities of attachment and aversion in the ocean of existence.
Verse 28: All virtues have found refuge in the Lord, as one seeks support from the giver of support. All vices have sought refuge elsewhere, leading to their weakening. Vices trapped in ego cannot even perceive the Lord in a dream.
Verse 29: The Lord's exceptionally beautiful body, radiating ascetic fervor, is adorned under the Ashoka tree, much like the sun shining through the clouds.
Verse 30: The Lord's golden body is described as more beautiful than the summit of Mount Meru, illuminated by the moon's milky rays and white waterfalls. Celestial attendants with fly-whisks adorn His sides.
Verse 31: Celestial umbrellas and jeweled canopies above the Lord's head block the sun's influence, proclaiming Him the Lord of the three worlds.
Verse 32: The Lord's deep, sweet voice resonates throughout the directions and sky. During His Samavasarana (divine assembly), celestial drums announce Him as the true Dharma-raja, the guide to the right path.
Verse 33: In the Samavasarana, celestial beings shower celestial flowers from above. This flower shower, carried by fragrant winds, creates the illusion of the Lord's body itself shedding blossoms.
Verse 34: The Lord's halo illuminates His face, making the splendor of the three worlds seem insignificant. His face shines brighter than the sun, yet its coolness surpasses that of the moon.
Verse 35: The Lord's sacred speech, which guides to heaven and liberation, is like a beneficial friend, expertly conveying true Dharma to the three worlds. This speech can adapt to all languages and possesses profound, unique meanings.
Verse 36: The Lord's feet, like newly bloomed golden lotuses, radiate great beauty. Wherever these sacred feet tread, celestial beings lay out lotuses in anticipation of His arrival.
Verse 37: The worldly happiness experienced in the Lord's Dharma assembly is unparalleled. Just as the sun's brilliance is far greater than that of a twinkling star, the Lord's glory as a Vitaraga (one who has conquered passions) is supreme.
Verse 38: Even a celestial elephant, enraged and attacking a devotee of the Lord, cannot harm the devotee who takes refuge at the Lord's lotus feet.
Verse 39: A lion that has torn apart mighty elephants and drenched the earth with their blood cannot harm a devotee who lives under the Lord's protection. Even if the devotee is trampled, the Lord's devotee remains unharmed.
Verse 40: Even a raging storm that can destroy the world, accompanied by flying embers from a great fire, is halted by the mere utterance of the Lord's name.
Verse 41: A devotee's fear is dispelled even when sitting on the back of a venomous snake with red eyes, whose body is as black as a blackbird's throat and is poised to strike. The devotee who carries the name of Rishabh in their heart has nothing to fear.
Verse 42: In a battlefield filled with the noise of armies, brave warriors, and enemy kings, chanting the Lord's name causes the armies to flee like darkness dispelled by the sun's rays.
Verse 43: A devotee who reaches the jungle of the Lord's lotus feet can cross rivers of blood flowing from elephants wounded by spears, even in the midst of fierce battles with roaring kings. Such a devotee emerges victorious.
Verse 44: Even in a perilous sea with crocodiles, whirlpools, and rising tides, where a boat full of devotees is tossed, simply uttering the Lord's name ensures safe passage.
Verse 45: A person afflicted with dangerous diseases like Jalandhara, with no hope of survival, can become more beautiful and blissful than Kamadeva by applying the Lord's divine dust, like nectar, to their body.
Verse 46: Prisoners bound by chains, with bodies festering due to confinement, are freed from their bondage by chanting the Lord's name.
Verse 47: Those who recite this stotra will conquer mad elephants, lions, sea tides, venomous snakes, terrible battles, vast oceans, and diseases like Jalandhara.
Verse 48: The devotee who string together beautiful flower-like eyes, weaving them into the great garland of the Lord's virtues, will compel the goddess Lakshmi to reside in their home and will be honored throughout the three realms.

In essence, the Bhakamar Stotra is a powerful devotional work that extols the spiritual prowess and infinite virtues of Lord Rishabh Dev. It showcases the transformative power of devotion, the supremacy of spiritual knowledge, and the ability of divine hymns to overcome all worldly obstacles and bestow liberation. The stotra's historical context, rooted in a demonstration of miraculous power, further solidifies its importance and reverence within Jain tradition.