Jainism's central mantra of homage to the five supreme beings, recited at the start of prayer and meditation.
Tagged: Daily Prayer Mantra Prayer Jain
The Text
Namo Arihantanam. Namo Siddhanam. Namo Ayariyanam. Namo Uvajjhayanam. Namo Loe Savva Sahunam.
"I bow to the Arihants (the victorious ones who have destroyed their inner enemies). I bow to the Siddhas (the liberated souls). I bow to the Acharyas (the teachers). I bow to the Upadhyayas (the instructors). I bow to all the Sadhus (monks and nuns) in the world."
Historical Context
The Namokar Mantra, also called the Navkar Mantra, is the most important prayer in Jainism and one of its oldest, composed in Prakrit, the language of the early Jain scriptures. It bows to the Pancha Parameshti, the five supreme beings — from the still-embodied victors down to ordinary monks and nuns — and notably asks nothing of them: Jain teaching holds that these beings grant no favors, and that the merit of the recitation lies in the humility and purification it works in the one who recites it.
Use and Practice
Jains recite the Namokar Mantra on waking, before meals and journeys, at the opening of every prayer, meditation, and religious gathering, and in moments of fear or difficulty, often counting the repetitions on the fingers or on beads.
References
- Jain eLibrary Free / open access
Related Prayers and Creeds
- Refuge Prayer (Tisarana) — The formula of going for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha — the act that makes a person a Buddhist.
- Five Precepts (Pancasila) — Five voluntary training rules — against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants — undertaken by lay Buddhists.
Related Across the Site
- Al-Fatiha Prayer or Creed — The opening chapter of the Qur'an, recited in every unit of the ritual prayer.
- Amidah Prayer or Creed — The standing prayer at the center of every Jewish prayer service, recited silently while standing.
- Gayatri Mantra Prayer or Creed — The most revered mantra of the Rig Veda, a meditation on the divine light that illumines the mind.
- Jesus Prayer Prayer or Creed — A short, repeated invocation of Jesus asking for mercy, central to the Orthodox hesychast tradition.
- Refuge Prayer (Tisarana) Prayer or Creed — The formula of going for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha — the act that makes a person a Buddhist.
- Salah Prayer or Creed — The ritual prayer performed five times daily, with fixed postures, recitations, and the closing testimony (Tashahhud).
- The Angelus Prayer or Creed — A thrice-daily prayer of versicles and Hail Marys commemorating the Annunciation and the Incarnation.
- The Lord's Prayer (Our Father) Prayer or Creed — The prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, shared by Christians of every tradition.