Snatra Puja Overview - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Snatra Puja Overview":

The document, titled "Snatra Puja Overview" and published by the JAINA Education Committee, provides an introduction to and an overview of the Snatra Puja, a significant Jain ritual. It details the various activities conducted during different phases of the puja.

Overview of Snatra Puja:

The Snatra Puja is a multifaceted ceremony that includes:

Kusumanjali: The offering of flowers.
Re-enactment of Bhagawan's Janma Mahotsav: A re-creation of the birth celebration of a Tirthankar (Bhagawan).
Shanti Kalash and Chaitya Vandan: Rituals involving a "peace pot" and veneration of temples.

Kusumanjali:

This section explains the practice of Kusumanjali, detailing how many times, to whom, and why it is offered:

To Adeshwar Bhagawan: Offered to become sin-free, kind-hearted, and sympathetic.
To Shantinath Bhagawan: To remember the offerings made by all Devs (deities) and Devis (goddesses).
To Neminath Bhagawan: To be freed from all sins.
To Parshwanath Bhagawan: To achieve the state of Siddhi (liberation) or Moksha (salvation).
To Mahavirswami Bhagawan: To be freed from all sins.
To all 24 Tirthankars: For the peace and well-being of the entire Jain community (Sangh).
To past, present, and future Tirthankars: A general offering for these revered beings.

Janma Kalyanak Celebration:

This phase focuses on the re-enactment of a Tirthankar's birth. It involves:

Display of the 14 dreams: The meaning and significance of these dreams, which are believed to foretell the birth of a Tirthankar, are discussed.
Description of Bhagawan's birth: The actual birth event is narrated.
Activities by 56 Devis (Dikk-kumari): The actions performed by the celestial attendants.
Indra Maharaja's role: Indra, the king of the gods, learns of Bhagawan's birth, approaches the mother, and takes the newborn Bhagawan to Mount Meru for a grand celebration. The festivities and activities of the Devs and Devis are then re-enacted.

Activities by Dikk-kumaris:

This section elaborates on the specific roles of the 56 Dikk-kumaris, who are organized into 7 groups of 8. Their activities include:

Blowing fragrant wind in all eight directions.
Sprinkling water to control dust.
Holding and using various ritualistic items:
- Water Kalash (pot)
- Mirror (Darpan)
- Chamar (fly-whisk)
- Fan (Pankho)
- Lamp (Deepak)
- Raksha (Rakhadi - a protective thread or mark)

Celebration by Indra and other Dev-Devis:

This part details the celestial celebration led by Indra:

Learning about Bhagawan's birth.
Inviting other Devs and Devis.
Going to Bhagawan's mother and taking the infant Bhagawan to Mount Meru.
Bathing Bhagawan with different types of water, including water from the horns of a bull.
Engaging in music, dance, and festivities.
Returning Bhagawan to His mother.
Donating money, jewels, and clothes.
Waiting for Bhagawan's initiation (Diksha) and attainment of omniscience (Kevalgnyan).

Last Phase:

The concluding part of the Snatra Puja involves:

Ashta Prakari Puja: An eight-fold worship, consisting of:
- Jal (Water) Puja
- Chandan (Sandalwood) Puja
- Ful (Flower) Puja
- Dhoop (Incense) Puja
- Deepak (Lamp) Puja
- Akshat (Unbroken Rice) Puja
- Naivedya (Food Offering) Puja
- Fal (Fruit) Puja
Arti and Mangal Deevo: The waving of lamps and a propitious light.
Shanti Kalash: Performing the ritual with the "peace pot."
Chaitya Vandan: Offering prayers and salutations to temples.

In essence, the Snatra Puja is a devotional ritual that venerates the Tirthankaras, particularly commemorating their birth, and invokes peace and well-being for the entire Jain community through symbolic offerings and re-enactments of celestial events.