Navkar Mantranu Padakshar Swarup - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Navkar Mantranu Padakshar Swarup" by Ramanlal C Shah, based on the provided pages:

The book, "Navkar Mantranu Padakshar Swarup," delves into the profound significance of the Navkar Mantra, focusing on the form, letters (akshar), and words (pad) that constitute this paramount Jain mantra. While acknowledging the immense spiritual merit of the mantra's inner meaning, the author emphasizes that its external form and the power embedded within its letters and words are equally significant.

The Power of Letters and Words:

Letters as Embodiments of Meaning: The text explains that letters are symbolic representations of sounds produced by human vocal organs. Each letter possesses an intrinsic power to convey meaning, often acting as a word in itself with multiple interpretations. Words, in turn, are combinations of letters, and even these can have manifold meanings.
Words as Potent Carriers of Meaning: Some words are described as carrying the power of an entire sentence, while sentence structures allow for more detailed and nuanced expression. However, this requires mastery over language, as excessive words can lead to confusion.
Beyond Words: The Importance of Speaker and Emotion: The author highlights that the impact of a word is amplified by the stature and spiritual attainment of the speaker. A word spoken by a sage or a highly evolved soul carries far greater weight and influence than the same word spoken by an ordinary person.
Mantra as Concentrated Power: When highly evolved beings utter specific sounds with a pure intention for welfare, these sounds become mantras. Mantras possess inherent power, transcending mere literal meaning, due to the potent vibrational frequencies within their constituent letters. The science of mantras is considered a profound and esoteric discipline.
Inseparability of Mantra and Letters: The text quotes that "no effect is without seed (mantra-shakti-rahit) and no mantra is without a letter." This underscores the crucial role of letters in a mantra's efficacy.

The Navkar Mantra: A Condensed Essence:

Conciseness and Significance of Each Letter: Unlike ordinary language, mantras are characterized by their conciseness. Every letter in a mantra serves a specific purpose and holds significant meaning. Omitting or mispronouncing letters can diminish the mantra's power or lead to failure.
Letters as the Body of the Mantra Deity: Letters are considered the "body" of the mantra deity. Mantra-seers, through their divine insight, understand the form, vibrational patterns, subtle colors, secrets, and powers of each letter, composing mantras for specific beneficial outcomes.
Primacy of Navkar Mantra: The Navkar Mantra is considered an "originarily perfected" (anadi siddha) mantra. Each of its letters is laden with numerous meanings and emotions. The cumulative meaning and sentiment within its words are so vast that elaborating on them could fill scriptures equivalent to the Chaud Purva (Fourteen Purvas). This is why it is called the essence of the Chaud Purva.
Source of Other Powerful Mantras: It is stated that potent mantras like Pranav, Maya, and Aham originate from the letters of the Navkar Mantra, further solidifying its status as the "Maha Mantra" (Great Mantra).

The Importance of Pronunciation and Structure:

Meticulous Pronunciation: The text stresses the absolute necessity of precise and uncompromised pronunciation when chanting mantras. Sloppiness or a casual attitude ("it'll do") is detrimental to mantra practice.
The Example of the Disfigured Deities: An illustrative story is shared about two disciples who, due to subtle errors in their pronunciation of mantra letters, received the vision of their respective mantra deities in a distorted form (one with long teeth, the other blind in one eye). Upon correcting their pronunciation, the deities appeared in their original beautiful forms, emphasizing the critical importance of pathashuddhi (correctness of recitation).
Navkar Mantra's Identity through Letter Count: The Navkar Mantra is famously known for its sixty-eight (68) letters and nine (9) words (pada). The number nine is considered auspicious and fundamental, as many mathematical calculations ultimately resolve to nine.
The Significance of the Nine Words (Pada): The text quotes verses highlighting the importance of the nine words, stating they bestow the "nine treasures" and alleviate the sorrows of lifetimes. The significance of the first five words (representing the five Parmeshthis) is immense, but the tradition of chanting all nine words is ancient.
Structure of 68 Letters: The mantra comprises thirty-five letters in its first five words (pad) and thirty-three letters in the Chulika (supplementary verses), totaling sixty-eight letters. This is corroborated by ancient texts.

The Nine Words (Pada) and Their Interpretations:

"Pada" as a Meaningful Unit: The word "pada" in the context of the Navkar Mantra refers to a group of words or a unit of meaningful expression, rather than strictly grammatical terms with case endings. It can also refer to the verses of a stanza.
Various Countings of "Pada": The text notes that different scriptures count the "pada" of the Navkar Mantra differently, ranging from six to ten and even eleven words, depending on how the mantra is segmented.
Grammatical Definition of "Pada": Referring to Sanskrit grammar, a "pada" is defined as a word that carries a case ending or a word used in a sentence.
Twenty Grammatically Identified "Pada": Applying the grammatical definition, the text meticulously lists twenty "pada" within the Navkar Mantra, including compound words counted as single "pada."
Analysis of Word Types: Each "pada" is analyzed according to its grammatical function, such as indeclinable words (avyaya), nouns in different cases and numbers, pronouns, and compound words.
Poetic Structure: The first five words are described as prose but possessing a rhythmic quality, akin to a gatha (a type of verse). The subsequent four Chulika verses are in Anushtubh meter.

Detailed Letter Analysis:

The Significance of "Saptakshari": The first word, "Namo Arihantanam," containing seven letters, is specifically highlighted as "Saptakshari" (seven-lettered) and is said to be fruitful, eternal, and capable of dispelling seven types of fears.
Proportions of Short (Laghu) and Long (Guru) Vowels: The text provides a detailed breakdown of the sixty-eight letters into short (laghu) and long (guru) vowels, analyzing their count within each word. This analysis also considers the phonetic length influenced by preceding conjunct consonants or nasalization.
Symbolic Meanings of Letters: The author presents symbolic interpretations of various letters and their frequencies within the mantra. For instance, the fourteen "na" sounds represent the Chaud Purva, twelve "a" sounds represent the twelve Angas, and so on. This demonstrates the symbolic depth embedded within the mantra's structure.
Absence of Certain Consonants: The text notes the absence of certain consonants like 'kh', 'gh', 'ch', 'ṭ', 'ṭh', 'ḍ', 'ph', 'b', 'bh', 'sh', 'ṣ' in the Navkar Mantra, attributing this to its origin in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.
Ease of Pronunciation: Despite its profound nature, the Navkar Mantra is characterized by its simplicity and ease of pronunciation, making it accessible even to young children and individuals with speech impediments. The nasal sounds in "Namo" are particularly noted for their ease of articulation.
Mantra's Resilience to Pronunciation Errors: A unique aspect is highlighted: even if vowels and consonants are slightly mispronounced due to childhood, speech defects, or ignorance, the mantra often still conveys a significant and appropriate meaning, and the flaw of disrespect (ashatana) is not incurred.
Mantras as Intuitive Creations: Mantra composition is not merely an intellectual exercise but an intuitive process where sounds naturally arise from the spiritual experience of the mantra-seer, forming the mantra organically.

Variations and Interpretations:

Variations in Pronunciation: The text acknowledges minor variations in pronunciation across different Jain traditions. For example, "Arihantanam" might be pronounced as "Aridantanam" or "Aruhantanam," and "Savvasahunam" as "Savvasadhu." Similarly, variations exist for "Namo" ("Jamo" in Shvetambar, "Param" in Digambar).
The Significance of "Namo" vs. "Jamo": The debate between "Namo" and "Jamo" is discussed. While both are considered correct, "Jamo" is more prevalent in Prakrit, and "Namo" has a longer historical presence in inscriptions.
The Significance of "Havai" vs. "Dovai": The ninth word, "havai" (becomes), is also discussed, with "dovai" being an alternative pronunciation. The textual support for "havai" and its connection to the 33-letter count in the Chulika (which allows for specific meditative practices) is emphasized.

Meditative Aspects:

Stages of Meditation: The text outlines a progression in mantra meditation: first through the letters (akshara), then through the words (pada), then to form (rupa), and finally beyond form (rupatiita).
Letter-Focused Meditation: Meditating on each letter, individually or in sequence, is considered beneficial for spiritual development. This practice can lead to a union of the practitioner's soul with the essence of the letter.
Kundalini Awakening: The sixty-eight letters of the Navkar Mantra can be used to awaken the Kundalini energy, with each letter meditated upon sequentially, starting from the Muladhara chakra.
Sixty-Eight Letters as Sixty-Eight Pilgrimages: Meditating on the sixty-eight letters is akin to performing pilgrimage to sixty-eight sacred sites, signifying their immense purifying and transformative power. They are considered a boat to cross the ocean of worldly existence and the bestower of liberation.

In essence, "Navkar Mantranu Padakshar Swarup" is a deep dive into the structural and phonological significance of the Navkar Mantra. It reveals that beyond its devotional and philosophical meaning, the mantra's very construction – its letters, their arrangement, and their pronunciation – holds immense spiritual potency, making it a powerful tool for spiritual progress and liberation. The author emphasizes that understanding and properly reciting the Navkar Mantra is a rare achievement, even though the mantra itself is universally accessible in its form.