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41. Navakara Is My Saviour
Smt. Pushpavati C. Shah
Principal of the Jain Pathshala of
Lady Kikabhai Premchand, 1428, Shukravar Peth, Vasant Nivas, Pune-2.
In my childhood my mother taught the Navakara Mantra to me. My heart was overcome with honour when I memorised it. At the age of 21 I joined the school and Jain Pathshala as a lady teacher.
There were written and oral examinations in the school. In the syllabus were placed meaning, purport, question and answer etc. In the beginning of the prayers a mass singing of Shri Navakara Mantra would take place. Then would follow a study of the lesson, a gradual analysis of the meaning. Here the Navakara Mantra and its power would be described. At one function of our. Vir-Vanita Mandal the incident of Amarkumar was dramatised. On seeing it with my own eyes I had an inkling that in this mundane world only the protection of the Navakara Mantra is the truth. Consequently, I started with a regular Japa of the Navakara Mantra.
Many Revered Acharya Bhagavantas, Padastha Munis, Sadhviji Maharajas etc. come there; some even for Chaturmasa. Thus I was progressing in the Navakara Mantra. I took to Ekasana Tapa of Navakara Mantra for nine days. Again, in Samvat 2039 I took to 68 fasts and took to the Aradhana of the 68 letters of the Mahamantra. This led to the purity both of my mind and the body. I would commence any and every activity with the chanting
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