pancha namaskra - to who do we bow
In Pañcha Namaskār (Navkār Mantra) we bow to the five supreme beings (Pañcha‑Parameṣṭhī) in this order:
- Arihant –
- Perfectly enlightened beings who have destroyed inner passions (kashāyas) but still have a body. - We bow to their supreme qualities of keval‑jñān (omniscience), compassion, and victory over attachment/aversion.
- Siddha –
- Fully liberated souls who have completely destroyed all karmas and are forever free in Siddha‑śilā at the top of the universe. - We bow to their state of eternal purity, knowledge, bliss and formless existence.
- Āchārya –
- Heads of the Jain monastic order. - They preserve and guide the path of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct for all monks, nuns and laypeople.
- Upādhyāya –
- Spiritual teachers who specialize in teaching Jain scriptures and conduct. - They help others understand and practice the Dharm correctly.
- All Sādhus and Sādhvīs –
- All Jain monks and nuns in the world who practice vows, renunciation and self‑discipline. - We bow to their efforts toward purity and liberation.
Important spiritual point: In Jain Dharma we actually bow to the guṇa (virtues) of these beings, not to their physical form. By remembering and bowing to these five categories, our own inner impurities slowly reduce, and we move toward the same pure state.
Both Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions accept these same five beings; there are only small pronunciation differences in the mantra, not in the meaning.