Navkar Mahamantra Jaapni Nondh Pothi

This document, titled "Navkar Mahamantra Jaapni Nondh Pothi" (Record Book for Navkar Mahamantra Chanting) by Dipratnasagar, Deepratnasagar, is a guide for Jain practitioners to record and track their chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra. The book is designed to help individuals meticulously perform the mantra chanting for spiritual upliftment and mental peace.

Here's a breakdown of the key aspects covered:

Core Purpose:

• Record Keeping: The primary function is to provide a structured way for individuals to track their progress in chanting the Navkar Mahamantra. This is achieved through a system of numbered boxes (likely 9000 or more) where the user marks each recitation.
• Spiritual Growth: The book aims to facilitate spiritual development and mental tranquility by encouraging consistent and dedicated chanting of the Mahamantra.
• Understanding the Mahamantra: The text emphasizes the significance and benefits of the Navkar Mahamantra, positioning it as the essence of Jainism.

Content Highlights:

• The Navkar Mahamantra: Page 2 displays the nine-line Navkar Mahamantra itself, which is central to Jain devotion. The mantra is presented in its Gujarati script.
• The Five Supreme Beings (Panch Parmeshthi): The book repeatedly refers to the "Panch Parmeshthi" (Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya, Sadhu), highlighting their importance and the veneration offered to them through the mantra.
• Significance and Benefits: Various pages delve into the profound significance of the Navkar Mahamantra:
  • It's described as the destroyer of all sins (Page 2).
  • It's the foremost auspicious chant (Page 2).
  • It saves one from hell and helps in crossing the ocean of existence (Page 3).
  • It's the core mantra for all Jain followers, regardless of differing opinions within the faith (Page 98).
  • Chanting it is believed to bring the qualities of the revered beings to oneself (Page 98).
  • It leads to eternal happiness (Page 99).
  • It's presented as a key to spiritual elevation and mental peace (Page 97).
• Historical and Scriptural Context: The book references the historical importance of the mantra, noting that while names of past Tirthankaras might fade, the Navkar Mahamantra remains eternal (Page 97). It also touches upon its scriptural basis, mentioning its significance in works like "Aavashyak Niryukti" and "Bhadra Bahu Swami" (Page 4, Page 100).
• Practical Guidance:
  • The book instructs the user to mark each box with a numeral or a symbol (like 'Ekde' or a similar mark) to track the number of chants. Completing 9000 recitations fills one set of 9000, leading towards the goal of nine lakh (900,000) chants (Page 99).
  • It suggests that the mantra can be chanted at any time, in any direction, and even from the end backwards, highlighting its flexibility and accessibility (Page 4, 5).
• Dedication and Sponsors: The latter pages include lists of individuals who have provided financial support (Dravya Sahayak) for the publication, acknowledging their contribution to spreading the spiritual message.

Overall Message:

The "Navkar Mahamantra Jaapni Nondh Pothi" is a practical and devotional tool for Jain individuals committed to spiritual progress through the chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra. It serves as a guide, a motivator, and a record-keeper, emphasizing the mantra's power to purify the soul, mitigate negative karma, and ultimately lead to liberation and eternal bliss. The book underscores the Jain principle of focusing on virtues rather than individual personalities, as exemplified by the reverence for the Panch Parmeshthi enshrined in the Mahamantra.