Yantra Rachna Prakriya Aur Prabhava - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Yantra Rachna Prakriya aur Prabhava" by Satishchandramuni, focusing on its key themes and instructions:

The book, "Yantra Rachna Prakriya aur Prabhava" (The Process and Effect of Yantra Creation), authored by Muni Shri Satishchandra 'Satya', a disciple of Shri Ratan Muni Ji M.Sa., emphasizes the Jain principle of "first know, then do" (Padhamam Naanam). It highlights that without proper understanding, actions won't yield desired results. True Sadhana (spiritual practice) and the attainment of its benefits are only possible after understanding the purpose and outcomes of any action.

Key Principles for Sadhana and Yantra Creation:

Devotion and Dedication: Sadhana requires complete faith and unwavering dedication. A wavering mind will prevent success. The enthusiasm shown in acquiring a tangible benefit should be mirrored in spiritual practice.
Guidance from a Guru: A practitioner must first be resolute and obtain mantras from a qualified guru to learn the method of creating yantras.
Mantra Recitation and Contemplation: After receiving a mantra, it should be memorized and chanted as instructed. Contemplation of the mantra's meaning is crucial. Yantra creation follows the completion of the ordained mantra recitation.
Conducive Environment and Materials: Success in Sadhana depends on having suitable conditions, including a favorable location, seat, mala (rosary), wooden plank, and red or white cloth for covering. Materials for writing yantras include Ashtagandha (a mixture of eight fragrant substances), Varu (ink), or a golden pen, and rosewater.
Daily Rituals and Purification: Daily practices include reciting the Namaskar mantra 5, 7, or 11 times upon waking, meditating on "Hreem" in the heart, and chanting "Om Hreem Aham Namah" three times. During the Sadhana period, the practitioner must engage in daily repentance (pratikraman) and lead a virtuous life, maintaining mental, vocal, and physical purity.
Body and Mind Cleansing Rituals: Before yantra writing, specific purification rituals are described:
- Chanting "Jhi Paun Swaha" three times forward and three times backward stimulates energy and consciousness.
- Pranayama (breathing exercises) is recommended, with contemplation during exhalation to release mental impurities and foster a healthy mind.
- Nyas Kriya (placement of syllables/mantras on the body) is described using verses from the Vajrapanjar Stotra for self-protection. Specific mantras are to be chanted while touching different parts of the body, from the hair tuft (Shikha) to the feet, invoking the blessings of the Five Supreme Beings (Arhants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, Sadhu).

Understanding and Creating Yantras:

Purpose of Yantras: Yantras are described as tools that condense vast forms into specific spaces, leading to spiritual accomplishments.
Types of Yantras: Various geometric shapes like triangles, lines, squares, and circles form yantras.
Materials for Yantra Writing: Ashtagandha is commonly used. The choice of pen material also matters: gold for auspicious tasks, silver for attraction, and banyan wood for subjugation and stambhan (immobilization).
Purity During Writing: Complete physical and mental purity is essential during yantra creation. Negligence can render the yantra ineffective. Adhering to rules like consuming sattvic food, maintaining a quiet environment, and purifying the yantra with fragrant substances after writing ensures success.
Utilizing Yantras: Yantras can be used for both material and spiritual benefits. However, the text emphasizes their spiritual application for self-upliftment through contemplation.
Specific Jain Yantras and Their Applications:
- Painsath Yantra (Chaturvinshati Jin Yantra): Dedicated to the 24 Tirthankaras, this yantra is associated with specific rituals and chanting, particularly during the Dhanteras to Diwali period. It's said to fulfill desires and alleviate fear and sorrow.
- Solah Sati Yantra: Placing this yantra at the entrance of a home is believed to remove obstacles, fears of spirits, and negative influences. Faith is highlighted as paramount for its efficacy.
- Sarvasiddhi Yantra: This yantra is considered miraculous for achieving objectives. It requires prior consecration through chanting. Writing it on birch bark with Ashtagandha and focusing positive emotions while using it leads to benefits.
- Roga Nivaran Yantra (Disease Eradication Yantra): This yantra can be consecrated on a specific day by chanting a mantra 108 times. It can be placed in a patient's room or tied to a child to alleviate illness.
- Yantra for Wisdom and Purity: Another yantra is described for mental clarity, destruction of sins, and removal of ailments. It can be prepared with fragrant substances, dissolved in water, and consumed by the patient.
- Yantra for Affection and Prestige: This yantra, when written with saffron and fragrant substances on specific occasions and carried, is said to enhance affection, respect, and achievement of goals, bringing happiness and peace.

Important Considerations:

Guru's Guidance is Paramount: The text repeatedly stresses that following all rules of mantra and yantra Sadhana, along with the guru's instructions and guidance, is crucial.

Broader Philosophical Context (from the additional text by Pt. Devkumar Jain):

The latter part of the provided text delves into the ultimate goal of Indian philosophies, including Jainism. It posits that all Indian philosophical systems, despite their differences, aim to liberate the soul from the cycle of birth, death, aging, disease, and suffering, leading to ultimate happiness and equanimity, known as Moksha (liberation). Moksha is presented as the highest human pursuit (Purusharth). The text then introduces Jainism's specific perspective on Moksha, emphasizing its spiritual nature and the path to achieving ultimate bliss by overcoming karmic impurities that obscure the soul's true, pure nature.

In essence, "Yantra Rachna Prakriya aur Prabhava" serves as a practical guide within the Jain tradition for understanding and utilizing yantras as tools for spiritual advancement and the attainment of specific benefits, all within a framework of rigorous spiritual discipline, devotion, and the essential guidance of a guru.