Meaning of Navkar Mahamantra

Navkar Mahamantra, also called Namokar Mantra, is the central, most revered prayer in Jainism. It is a salutation to the fivefold revered beings and to all living beings, expressing veneration, humility, and the wish to follow the path of right conduct.

Simple meaning (arth) in Jain terms:

• Namo Arihantanam: I bow to the Arihants, the perfect beings who have conquered inner enemies (kleshas) and attained keval-jnan but are still on the path to liberation.
• Namo Siddhaanam: I bow to the Siddhas, the liberated souls who have attained moksha and reside in bliss.
• Namo Ayariyanam: I bow to the Acharyas, the senior spiritual teachers who guide monks and nuns and preserve the true Jain doctrine.
• Namo Uvajjayanam: I bow to the Upadhyayas, the preachers/teachers who impart sacred Jain scriptures and ethics to aspirants.
• Namo Loe Savva Sahvva Gaananam: I bow to all the sadhus (monks and nuns) and to all beings everywhere in the universe.

Key points:

• It is a concise creed of reverence: to the enlightened, the liberated, the teachers, the spiritual guides, and all beings.
• The mantra emphasizes humility, non-violence, and the pursuit of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.
• There are minor textual and grammatical variations between Digambar and Shwetambar traditions in pronunciation and order, but the essential meaning remains the same: respect for the true path and for those who uphold it.

If you’d like, I can provide the exact original Sanskrit/Prakrit wording as it appears in a specific Jain scripture, or explain any line in more detail.