Ek Kaljai Stotra Bhaktamar Stotra

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided text about the Bhaktamar Stotra:

The text, likely an excerpt from a book titled "Ek Kaljai Stotra Bhaktamar Stotra" by Vipin Jaroli, published by Z_Ashtdashi_012049.pdf, focuses on the significance, literary merits, historical context, and enduring popularity of the Bhaktamar Stotra.

The Bhaktamar Stotra: A Timeless and Multifaceted Gem

The Bhaktamar Stotra is presented as a supremely important and eternally relevant text in Jainism. It is described as a work that offers liberation from worldly troubles, fears, suffering, and challenges, leading to well-being, prosperity, contentment, and peace.

Literary and Spiritual Excellence:

• Scholarly Praise: The renowned Sanskrit scholar Dr. A. V. Keith is quoted, highlighting the stotra's purpose for self-welfare from a supreme being's perspective. Each verse is considered divine poetry, with its words and lines being simple, clear, elegant, and accessible. The stotra is lauded for its Prasad (clarity and beauty of expression), Samadhi (harmonious integration of qualities), Shlesh (clever use of words with multiple meanings), and Ojas (vigor through the use of compounds and soft, beautiful vocabulary). It is particularly noted for its Madhurya (sweetness) due to the absence of harsh sounds.
• Artistic and Devotional Appeal: The stotra is characterized by its refined language, accessible meter, literary beauty, impeccable poetic artistry, and apt use of metaphors and embellishments. It is seen as a continuous stream of devotional sentiment from beginning to end. The text emphasizes its ability to evoke joy, devotional fervor, and detachment from worldly affairs, embodying the essence of "Lead me from darkness to light" and reflecting "Truth, Goodness, and Beauty."
• Figurative Language: The verses are rich in various poetic devices like similes, metaphors, hyperbole, and other figures of speech, which are said to guide the reader towards understanding the supreme spiritual truth.

Authorship and Identity:

• Attribution to Mahamuni Mantungacharya: The stotra is attributed to Mahamuni Mantungacharya, who is described as being from the unbroken tradition of Jain monks.
• Uncertainty about the Author: While the stotra begins with the word "Bhaktamar" and is also known as the Adinath Stotra, there is historical uncertainty regarding the exact identity of the author Mantungacharya. It is mentioned that there have been around twelve saints named Mantung in Jain tradition, and it's difficult to pinpoint which one composed this specific stotra. However, the enduring quality of the work transcends the identity of its creator.

Historical Context and Legendary Origin:

• The Legend of King Bhoj: A popular belief associates the stotra's origin with King Bhoj of Dharanagari (Malwa region) in the 7th century Vikram era. The story recounts King Bhoj's challenge to his Jain minister, Mati Sagar, to produce a saint capable of performing miracles comparable to those by poets like Kalidasa, Magha, and Bharavi in Hindu tradition.
• The Miracle of Liberation: The legend states that Mahamuni Mantungacharya, while on his pilgrimage, arrived in Dharanagari. When summoned to the king's court and subsequently imprisoned with numerous locks and chains for refusing to perform a miracle, he began reciting the Bhaktamar Stotra in devotion to Bhagwan Rishabhdev. As he recited each verse, the locks would break. Upon reciting the verse "Aapad kantha-muru shrinkhala-veṣṭitanga" (with limbs bound by chains up to the neck), the iron chains shattered like threads, and he was freed.
• Impact and Conversion: This miraculous event deeply impressed the king, his court, and the townspeople, leading to a significant propagation of Jainism. Many embraced Jainism, and the stotra was recognized as a powerful and auspicious work.

The Stotra's Enduring Popularity and Influence:

• Universal Appeal: The Bhaktamar Stotra is described as universally popular and highly esteemed, not only among Jains but also among scholars and devotees of other faiths. Its verses are considered mantra-like and capable of bestowing spiritual accomplishments.
• Vast Translations and Interpretations: The text highlights the stotra's immense popularity through the sheer volume of its translations and commentaries. It mentions a compilation titled "Bhaktamar Stotra Bharti" containing 124 translations, with over 94 in Hindi alone. Translations in various languages like Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, English, and even regional dialects like Mewari are noted. The presence of over 131 translations in different languages further underscores its universal appeal and the profound impact it has had on devotees and scholars.
• Scholarly Recognition: Western Indologists like Max Müller, Keith, Bühler, Hermann Jacobi, and Winternitz, as well as Indian scholars, have praised the stotra's brilliance and beauty. Hermann Jacobi even translated it into German, and others have done so into English and Hindi.
• Devotional Practices: Many devotees have sung the stotra to tunes, created audio and video recordings, and even depicted its verses through paintings and illustrations, demonstrating its profound influence on various art forms and devotional practices.
• Number of Verses: While the stotra is widely recognized as having 48 verses, the text mentions that some scholars and devotees consider it to have 44 or 52 verses, with the additional verses possibly being added by later devotees out of devotion.

In essence, the excerpt portrays the Bhaktamar Stotra as a literary masterpiece and a spiritually potent text that has transcended time and cultural boundaries, offering solace, inspiration, and liberation to countless individuals through its profound devotion and exquisite poetry.