Meri Bhavna - Book Summary | JainGPT

Here's a comprehensive summary of "Meri Bhavna" by Jugalkishor Mukhtar, based on the provided text:

"Meri Bhavna," meaning "My Contemplations," is a popular Jain prayer composed by Pandit Jugal Kishore Mukhtar. It consists of eleven verses, each with four lines, written in simple Hindi. The prayer's core purpose is to guide individuals towards self-improvement, spiritual purification, and the attainment of beneficence through thoughtful contemplation. The verses offer suggestions for personal growth and outline expectations from others.

Key Themes and Suggestions within the Verses:

The prayer can be broadly categorized by the content and suggestions presented in each verse:

Verse 1: Identification of Supreme Beings and True Spiritual Leaders: This verse calls for recognizing and dedicating oneself to those who have conquered attachment, aversion, and desires, and who guide others towards the path of liberation. It emphasizes aligning one's mind with such enlightened beings, regardless of the names they are called (Buddha, Vira, Hari, Hara, Brahma, or the soul itself).
Verse 2: Qualities of True Ascetics: This verse describes the characteristics of enlightened ascetics: they are free from sensual desires, maintain equanimity, are dedicated to the welfare of themselves and others, and practice selflessness through difficult penance. These knowledgeable ascetics alleviate the suffering of the world.
Verse 3: Personal Aspirations for Conduct: This verse expresses a personal aspiration to always associate with holy ascetics, be engrossed in their way of life, never cause pain to any living being, speak truthfully, refrain from coveting others' wealth or women, and always remain content.
Verse 4: Cultivating Humility and Service: The prayer asks for the absence of ego and anger, and the avoidance of envy when witnessing others' progress. It expresses a desire to maintain a simple, truthful, and fair attitude towards all and to serve others as much as possible.
Verse 5: Universal Friendship and Compassion: This verse emphasizes fostering a spirit of friendship towards all living beings. It expresses a deep desire for compassion to flow for the distressed and suffering. It also includes a prayer to remain undisturbed by the actions of the wicked or cruel, maintaining equanimity towards them.
Verse 6: Appreciating Virtue and Avoiding Negativity: The prayer expresses a wish to feel love upon seeing virtuous people and to find joy in serving them. It aims to never be ungrateful or harbor jealousy, instead focusing on adopting the virtues of others and avoiding their vices.
Verse 7: Steadfastness in Principles: This verse is a powerful declaration of unwavering commitment to righteousness, regardless of external circumstances. It expresses a prayer to remain steadfast on the path of justice, whether praised or criticized, whether experiencing prosperity or loss, whether living a long life or facing immediate death, or even when tempted or threatened by worldly temptations.
Verse 8: Emotional Stability and Resilience: This verse is a prayer for mental fortitude. It seeks to prevent being overly joyful in happiness or distressed in sorrow. It aims to overcome fear of dangerous environments and to develop a calm, composed, and strong mind that demonstrates tolerance in both favorable and unfavorable situations.
Verse 9: Universal Well-being and Spiritual Progress: This verse is a prayer for the happiness and freedom from distress of all beings. It calls for the abandonment of animosity, sin, and pride, and the embrace of auspiciousness. It expresses a wish for religious discussions to be prevalent in homes and for inauspicious events to cease. Ultimately, it desires for everyone to achieve the fulfillment of human life by enhancing their wisdom and conduct.
Verse 10: Societal Harmony and Justice: This verse is a prayer for the eradication of distress and suffering, and for timely rains. It wishes for righteous rulers who administer justice to their subjects. It also prays for the absence of diseases, epidemics, and famine, and for Ahinsa (non-violence) to spread universally, bringing benevolence to all.
Verse 11: Mutual Love, Righteous Speech, and Progress: This final verse expresses a desire for mutual love to spread worldwide and for delusion to be dispelled. It prays that no one speaks harsh or unpleasant words and that everyone becomes a dedicated contributor to their nation's progress. It concludes with a wish for everyone to understand the true nature of things and to develop tolerance for all forms of hardship.

In essence, "Meri Bhavna" is a profound and holistic prayer that encapsulates the core Jain principles of self-discipline, ethical conduct, compassion, equanimity, and the pursuit of spiritual liberation for the benefit of oneself and all living beings. It serves as a daily guide for cultivating a righteous and mindful life.