Nav Smarana

SR No.: 008333
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi
Total Pages: 224
Language: English, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English, Devotion, Worship, Worship, J000, & J999
File Size: 922 KB

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Afterwards, people usually recite a short hymn, which again protects different parts of the body. In this hymn one imagines that his body is protected by the invisible shield or a cage, which is indestructible and solid like a thunderbolt. (The original name for the stotra, which is to be recited, is the Vajra-Panjar Stotra)
The Stotra of Indestructible Cage. (Vajra-Panjar Stotra):
The Stotra goes like this:
"Aum, I am reciting this 'Indestructible Cage Stotra', which is an essence of the Namaskära Mantra, consisting of nine sentences. (1) Aum Namo Arihantänam covers and protects) my head and Aum Namo Savva Siddhänam covers my face. (2) Aum Namo Äyariyanam protects the whole body whereas with the recitation of Aum Namo Uvajjayanam, I get weapons in my hands.(3) Aum Namo loe savva sähunam protects my feet and there is a solid rock under my seat as I recite Eso pancha nammukkäro. (4) Savva Päva panäsano words are like a castle and mangalanch savvesim is the protective ditch around the above castle. The body and the castle are protected from the sky by padhamam Havai mangalam with the word svähä at the end of this phrase. The ancient seers have devised this protection, consisting of five Godly venerations, it is a great power and is capable of destroying all obstacles. An aspirant who protects himself by this five obeisances does not suffer from any disease, fears or mental tensions."
One who recites the above stotra systematically uses his hands and fingers as if he has been protected by the mantra's power. The illustrations of this have been given here which are self-explanatory.
Group Japa:
One ritual of reciting one hundred and twenty-five thousand Namaskära Mantras is explained below. This ritual of chanting one hundred and twenty-five thousand Navkära Mantras is called 'Sava-Lakh Japa'. The Japa are usually done in congregations and therefore people do it in their minds so as others people are not disturbed.
The prescribed procedure is as follows:
Someone who is committed to organise the japa invites his (her) friends and relations to join him. He has taken a vow or planned that the one hundred and twenty-five thousand japa will be finished in a day. The person (host) who has committed or undertaken this invites two to three hundred guests to do the group japa. For example, two hundred and fifty guests are invited and they all arrive, each guest will have to do five hundred japas (125.000 divided by 250). Everyone will be provided proper seating on a woollen cloth. They will come after doing a basic 'cleansing' at home (taking bath, wearing clean clothes and arriving without consuming anything which has been forbidden by the Jain religion).
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