Meaning of sansar dava stotra
Sansar Davanala Stuti (also called Sansar Davanal Sutra) is a Jain prayer that addresses the danger and burning suffering of worldly life (samsar). It seeks care and shelter from the Jinas (Tirthankaras) to extinguish the fires of suffering and delusion that keep the soul bound to samsar.
- Key idea: Samsar is described metaphorically as a great fire or conflagration. The devotee prays for protection, guidance, and liberation through the teachings and grace of the Jina.
- Traditional note: This stuti is especially associated with the Śvetāmbara tradition (and is often taught or recited in Śvetāmbara contexts). Some sources also give it in prakrit/sanskrit-prakarit form and link it to Haribhadra-suri-era traditions of Jain prayer.
Original and meaning (brief, from authentic Jain renderings):
- Verse 1 emphasizes the worldly fire burning with pain; the devotee seeks the shelter and strength of the Jina to begin extinguishing this fire.
- Verse 2 moves through the beings of the world (gods, demons, humans) and humbly offers reverence to the Jina-rajapada (the Jina’s throne/line of teachers).
- Verse 3 describes the path of awakening, non-violence to living beings, and the service of holy saints, to reach the essence of true dharma.
- Verse 4 (where present in some recensions) expands the contemplative, protective, and devotional aspects, inviting divine grace to remove fear of worldly attachment.
If you’d like, I can provide a line-by-line explanation of each verse in either Śvetāmbara or Digambara understanding, or share the exact original text for a preferred tradition.