Bhaktamar
Bhaktamar
Bhaktamar
When the gods bow down at the feet of Bhagavan Rishabhdeva the radiance of the jewels of
their crowns is intensified by the divine glow of the nails of his feet. Mere touch of his feet
absolves the beings from sins. He who submits himself at these feet crosses the mundane
barriers of rebirth into the state of liberation. I convey my reverential salutation salutations at
the feet of Bhagavan Rishabhdeva, the first Thrthmkara, the propagator of religion at the
beginning of this era.
Celestial lords, having prudence acquired through the true understanding of all the canons,
have eulogized Bhagavan Adinatha with hymns captivating the audience in the three realms
(heaven, earth and hell). I (Manatungacharya, an humble man with little wisdom) too shall
indeed endeavour to eulogize that first Tirthamkara.
O Ocean of virtues! Can even Brihaspati, the guru of gods, with the help of his unlimited
wisdom, narrate your virtues pure and blissful as the moon ? (certainly not.) Can a man swim
across the reptile infested ocean in fury, lashed by gales of deluge? (certainly not.)
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OApostle of apostles! I do not possess the widdom to narrate your infinite virtues. Still, inspired
by my devotion for you, I intend to compose a hymn in your praise. It is well known that to
protect her fawn, even a doe puts her feet down and faces a lion, forgetting its own fraility.
(Similarly, devotion is forcing me to face the great task of composing the hymn without
assessing my own capacity.
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The malignant Karmas accumulated by the living beings are instantaneously wiped out by
eulogizing you. Just as the piercing sunrays dispel the all enveloping dense darkness, black as a
bumble-bee.
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I compose this panegyric with the belief that, though composed by an ignorant like me, it will
certainly please noble people due to your divine influence. Indeed, when on lotus leaves, dew
drops gleam like pearls presenting a pleasant sight.
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The brilliant sun is far away; still, at dawn its soft glow makes the drooping lotus buds bloom.
Similarly, O Jina! Let alone the immeasurable powers of your eulog, mere utterance of your
name with devotion destroys the sins of the mundane beings and purifies them.
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O Lord of the living! O Eminence of the world! It is not surprising that he who is engrossed in
praise of your infinite virtues (assimilating the virtues in his conduct) attains your exalted
position. It should not be surprising if a benevolent master makes his subjects his equals. In
fact, what is the use of serving such a master who does not allow his dependents to prosper to
an exalted position like his ?
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O Jina! Your divine magnificence is spell-binding. After looking at your divine form nothing else
pleases the eye. Obviously, who would like to taste the saline sea water after drinking fresh
water of the divine milk-ocean, pure and soothing like moonlight ?
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nirmapitastribhuvanaika lalamabhuta.
O Crown of the three realms! It appears as if the quiescence and harmony imparting ultimate
particles became extinct after constituting your body, because I do not witness such out of the
world magnificence other than yours
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Analogy of your face with the moon does not appear proper to me . How can your scintillating
face, that pleases the eyes of gods, angels, humans and other beings alike, be compared with
the spotted moon that is as dull and pale, during the day, as the autumn leaves. Indeed, even
the best available analogy for your face is lowly in comparison.
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Ye samshritastrijagadishvara! Nathamekam
O Lord of the three realms! Surpassing the glow of the full moon, your infinite virtues are
radiating throughout the universe even beyond the three realms; the hymns in praise of your
virtues can be heard everywhere throughout the universe. Indeed, who can curb the freedom
of movement of devotees of the only omnipotent like you? (certainly no one is capable of).
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O Passionless ! Divine nymphs have tried their best to allure you through libid gestures, but it is
not surprising that your tranquillity has not been disturbed even fractionally. Of course, the
tremendous gale of the doomsday, that moves common hillocks, can not disturb even the tip of
the great Sumeru mountain.
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O Lord! You are an all enlightening divine lamp that needs neither a wick nor oil, and is
smokeless, yet enlightens three realms. Even the storm that moves the immovables does not
effect it.
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O Monk among monks! Your unabounding glory is greater than that of the sun. The sun rises
every day but sets as well, but the orb of your omniscience is ever shining, it never sets. The
sun is eclipsed but you are passionless and infinitely virtuous; as such, no mundane passion or
desire eclipses the glory of your virtues. The sun slowly rises over parts of the world, but the
glow of your omniscience reaches every part of the world at once. The sunrays are obstructed
by insignificant clouds, but there is nothing that can obstruct the radiance of your knowledge.
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vidyotayajjagadapurvashashanka bimbam.
O Lord! Your lotus face is a moon par-excellence. The moon shines only at night and that too in
a fortnightly cycle, But your face is ever radiant. The moon light penetrates darkness only to a
limited extent, your face removes the universal darkness of ignorance and desire. The moon is
eclipsed as well as covered by clouds, but there is nothing that can veil your face.
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O Lord of the Universe! Where is the need of the sun during the day and the moon during the
night when your ever radiant face sweeps away the darkness of the world. Indeed, once the
crop is ripe what is the need of the thundering rain clouds.
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O Lord! The pure, incessant and, complete knowledge that you have, can not be found in any
other deity in this world. Indeed, the lustre and light of priceless gems can hardly be seen in
the glass pieces glittering in a beam of light.
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O Supreme Lord ! It is good that I have seen other mundane deities before seeing you; because
the discontent even after seeing them has been removed by the glimpse of your detached and
serene expression. Now that I have witnessed the ultimate I can not be satisfied with anything
lesser in this or the later lives.
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O Unique One! Numerous stars and planets can be seen in all directions but the sun rises only in
the East. Similarly innumerable women give birth to sons but an illustrious son like you was
born only to one mother; you are unique.
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O Sage of sages ! All sages believe you to be the supreme being beyond the darkness, and
brilliant as the sun. You are free of the malignance of attachment and aversion and beyond the
darkness of ignorance. One gains immortality by perceiving, understanding, and following the
path of purity you have shown. There is no other path leading to salvation.
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Brahmanamishvaramanantamanangaketum.
Yogishvaram viditayogamanekamekam
O Lord ! Viewing you in different perspectives the sages address you as : Amaranthine (in
existence), All pervading (in knowledge), Unfathomable (in perception), Infinite (in virtues),
Progenitor (of philosophy), Perpetually blissful (in state), Majestic (in spiritual glory), Eternal
(in purity), Serene (with respect to sensuality), Lord of ascetics (in meditation), Preceptor of
Yoga (in the yoga philosophy), Multidimensional (in perspective), Unique (in identity),
Omniscient (in form), and Pure (free from all vices).
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Jina ! The wise have eulogized your omniscience, so you are the Buddha. You are the ultimate
benefactor of all the beings in the universe, so you are Shamkara. You are the originator of the
codes of conduct (Right faith, Right knowledge and Right conduct) leading to Moksha, so you
are Brahma. You are manifest in thoughts of all the devotees in all the splendour of the
ultimate, so you are Vishnu. Hence you are supreme of all.
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O Deliverer from all the miseries of the three realms! I bow to you. O Virtuous adoration of this
world! I bow to you. O Lord paramount of the three realms! I bow to you. O Terminator of the
unending chain of waves of rebirths! I bow to you.
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svapnantareapi na kadachidapikshitosil.
O Virtuous ! It is not surprising that all the virtues have been drawn and densely fused into you,
leaving no scope for vices. The vices have creeped in multitude of other beings. Elevated by
the false pride, they drift away and do not approach you even in dream.
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Uchchairashokatarusamshrita munmayukham
O Tirthankara! Sitting under the Ashoka tree, the aura of your scintillating body radiating, you
look as divinely splendid as the orb of the sun amidst dense clouds, piercing the growing
darkness with its rays.
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O Tirthankara ! Sitting on a throne with multicoloured hue of gems, your bright golden body
looks resplendent and attractive like the rising sun on the peak of the eastern mountain,
radiating golden rays under the canopy of the blue sky.
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O Tirthankara! The snow white fans of loose fibres (giant whisks) swinging on both sides of your
golden body appear like streams of water, pure and glittering as the rising moon, flowing down
the sides of the peak of the golden mountain, Sumeru.
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0 Tirthankara! A three tier canopy adorns the space over your head. It has the soft white glow
of the moon and is decorated with pearl frills. This canopy has screened the scorching sun rays.
Indeed, this three tier canopy symbolizes your paramountcy over the three realms.
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The deep resonant drum beats fill space in all directions as if felicitating your serene presence
and giving a call to all the beings of the three realms to join the pious path shown by you. All
space is reverberating with this announcement of victory of the true religion.
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O Tirthankara! The divine spray of perfumes and shower of fragrant flowers, like Mandar,
Sundar, Nameru, Parijata, etc., float toward you with the drift of mild breeze. This enchanting
scene creates an impression as if the pious words uttered by you have turned into flowers and
are floating toward the earthlings.
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O Tirthankara! The splendorous halo around you is more brilliant than any other luminous
object in the universe. It dispels darkness of the night and is more dazzling than many suns put
together; but still it is as cool and soothing as the bright full moon.
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saddharmatatva kathanaikapatustrilokyah.
0 Tirthankara ! Your divine voice (discourse) is potent enough to show the path of liberation to
all beings. It has the clarity to reveal the mystery of matter and its transformation. Profound
but candid, it has the astounding capacity of transforming into the language understood by
each being of the world.
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O Jina! Your feet are resplendent like fresh golden lotuses. Their nails have a comely glow.
Wherever you put your feet the gods create divine golden lotuses.
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dharmopadeshanavidhau na tathaparasya.
Yadrikprabha dinakritahprahatandhakara
O Lord of ascetics ! The height of eloquence, lucidity and eruditeness evident in your discourse
is not seen anywhere else. Indeed, the darkness dissipating dazzle of the sun can never be seen
in the twinkling stars and planets.
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Schyotanmadavilavilolakapolamula
Airavatabhamibhamuddhatam apatantam
O Jina ! The devotees who have submitted to you are not scared even of a mad mammoth with
dripping humor and being incessantly goaded by humming bees. (They are always and
everywhere fearless as the quietitude of their deep meditation pacifies even the most
oppressive of the beings.
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nakramatikramayugachalasamshritamte.
O Jina ! A ferocious lion tears open the temples of elephant and scatters around white bone-
pearls made crimson with blood. Even such angry and roaring lion, ready to leap at its prey,
gets pacified and does not attack a devotee who has taken shelter at your secure feet. (In
other words, your devotee is free of the fear of ferocious lions.)
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Visvamjighatsumivasammukhamapatantam
tvannamakirttanajalam shamayatyashesham.
O Jina ! Even the all consuming forest conflagaration, as if kindled by the doomsday tempest
and having incandescent sparking flames, is extinguished in no time by the quenching stream of
your name laudition. (That is, your devotee has no fear of fire.)
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krodhoddhatamphaninam utphanamapatantam.
tvannamanagadamanihridiyasyapumsah.
O Benevolent! A devotee who has absorbed the anti-toxin of your pious name crosses fearlessly
over an extremely venomous and hissing serpent that has blood red eyes, pitch black body,
obnoxious appearance and raised hood. (That is, your devotee has no fear of snakes.)
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Udyaddivakaramayukhashikha aviddham
O Conqueror of vices! As darkness recedes with the rising of the sun, the armies of formidable
kings, creating tumultuous uproar of whinnying horses and trumpeting elephants, retreat when
your pious name is chanted. (In other words, your devotee is free of the fear of enemies.)
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O Vanquisher of the passions! In the fierce battle, where brave warriors are eager to plod over
the streams of blood gushing out of the bodies of elephants pierced by sharp spears, the
devotee having sought protection of the garden of your lotus feet embraces victory ultimately.
(In other words,your devotee is always victorious in the end.)
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trasamvihayabhavatahsmaranadbrajanti.
O Equanimous ! Abroad a ship caught at the crest of giant waves and surrounded by attacking
alligators, giant oceanic creatures, and marine fire, with the help of your name chanting, the
devotees surmount such horrors and cross the ocean. (That is, your devotees are free of the
fear of water).
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O Omniscient! An extremely sick person, disfigured due to advanced dropsy and having lost all
hopes of recovery and survival, when rubs the nectar-like dust particles taken from your lotus
feet, fully recovers and becomes handsome as Adonis.
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0 Liberated soul! Persons put in prison, tied from head to toe in heavy chains, whose thighs
have been bruised by the rough edges of the chain- links, get unshackled and freed from
bondage by chanting your name.
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O Jina ! The wise who recites this panegyric with devotion is always free of fears of mad
elephants, ferocious lions, forest fire, poisonous snakes, tempestuous sea, fatal diseases, and
bondage. In fact, fear itself is afraid of him.
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O Jina! With devotion I have made up this string (panegyric) of your virtues. I have decorated it
with charming and multicoloured (words) flowers (sentiments). The devotee who always wears
it in the neck (memorises and chants) attracts the goddess of success (attracts highest honour,
the goal of liberation).