Prakrut Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava

This document is a scholarly analysis of a Jain text titled "Prakrut Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava" (A Jain Prākrit Riddle-Based Stanza on the Five Supreme Beings) by Professor Nalini Balbir, published by ZZ_Anusandhan. The analysis highlights the significance and unique nature of this text within Jain literature, particularly concerning the Namaskār Mahāmantra.

Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points discussed in the text:

1. The Significance of the Namaskār Mahāmantra:

• The author begins by emphasizing the widespread influence and recitation of the Namaskār Mahāmantra in the Jain community.
• It's described as a mantra that dispels obstacles, provides protection from fear, and is often referred to as the "Jain Gayatri."
• A personal anecdote illustrates the mantra's power in gaining access to a Jain temple.
• The text acknowledges the vast body of literature (stotras, rasas, kathas) written about the Namaskār Mahāmantra in various languages and the ongoing debates surrounding its variants and symbolic representations.

2. "Prakrut Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava" - A Unique Approach:

• This specific text is presented as a work that elucidates the importance of the Namaskār Mahāmantra through a riddle-question-answer format.
• It consists of six stanzas in Māhārāṣṭrī Jain Prākrit.
• The first five stanzas (in the chandasragdhara meter) present individual questions and answers, aiming to identify the constituent parts of the mantra for the Arhats, Siddhas, Ācāryas, Upādhyāyas, and all Sadhus.
• The final stanza is a phalashruti (statement of benefits).
• The author notes the absence of discussion on the culikā (Concluding verse) of the Namaskār Mahāmantra ("Esho Panch Namokkaro").

3. Nature and Purpose of the Riddles:

• The stanzas are described as both humorous and instructive, uniquely highlighting the words and phrases of the Pancha Namaskāra mantra.
• They also touch upon certain doctrinal concepts and the mantric nature of the verse.
• The riddles are not merely linguistic games; they serve a deeper purpose of identifying and revering revered individuals, akin to expressing devotion in religious contexts.

4. Doctrinal and Symbolic Connections:

• Some questions and answers within the stanzas refer to general principles and values of Jainism.
• While the stanzas don't explicitly provide etymologies of the Pancha Parmeshthis' names, they do highlight the value and meditative benefits of the mantra, similar to passages in Hemacandra's Yogashastra.
• A significant point is the connection established between the five Parmeshthis and five elements/colors in the fourth stanza (Upādhyāya and blue color). This association, though its origin is unknown, has become a tradition in the meditation of the mantra, with such representations found in medieval manuscripts. This relationship is also seen extended to the five bhutas (elements) and five limbs of the body. The text visualizes this as:
  • Arhat - White - Head
  • Siddha - Red - Body/Heart
  • Ācārya - Yellow - Heart
  • Upādhyāya - Blue - Navel
  • Sadhu - Black - Feet
  • (The fifth element, Ākāsha (sky/ether) and Pāni (water) and Prithvi (earth) are also mentioned, implying a broader connection)

5. Mantric Powers and Practices:

• The third stanza suggests that chanting "Namo Āyariyāṇaṁ" can lead to "stambhana" (paralysis or stopping), particularly of water or fire, a power attributed to mantra recitation as mentioned in the Yogashastra.
• The concluding eight-petaled lotus motif in the stanzas is interpreted as both a form of riddle and a diagram for meditation or a yantra (mystical diagram), aligning with the Yogashastra's instructions to visualize the Pancha Namaskāra mantra in this form.

6. Manuscript and Attribution:

• The analysis indicates that manuscripts of "Prakrut Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava" are scarce, limiting its dissemination. Only two copies are mentioned in the New Catalogus Catalogorum.
• The author utilized these two manuscripts: one from the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (Pune) and another from the India Office Library (British Library, London).
• Both manuscripts contain another text titled "Vardhamana-Stotram Samasyāmayam" after the Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava. This second text also deals with riddles but in a problem-completion format and is attributed to Jayachandrasuri.
• The attribution of the Prashna Garbha Panch Parmeshthi Stava itself is less clear. Jayachandrasuri's name appears only at the end of the commentary on the Pune manuscript, leading to the possibility that he authored both texts, though his identity and period remain unknown.

7. Hindi Translation:

• The document includes a detailed Hindi translation of the five riddle stanzas and the final benedictory verse, providing the questions and their corresponding answers, which are parts of the Namaskār Mahāmantra. This translation helps in understanding the specific riddles and the way they lead to the mantra's components.

In essence, Professor Nalini Balbir's analysis delves into a fascinating Jain Prākrit text that ingeniously uses riddles to explore and reinforce the significance, components, and meditative aspects of the universally revered Namaskār Mahāmantra, highlighting its deep spiritual and symbolic connections within Jain tradition.