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Bhaktambar stotra line by line meaning
Bhaktamar Stotra is a very deep and poetic stotra. Here I am giving simple, easy Jain-arth, verse by verse (1–48), in a short way.
Note on traditions:
- Digambar: 48 shlokas
- Śvetāmbara: generally 44 main shlokas (a few are not commonly recited)
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1. भक्तामर-प्रणत…
Bhagwan, your feet are the only support for souls drowning in the ocean of worldly life. Your light destroys all darkness of sins, like the sun removes night.
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2. जितेन्द्रियं …
You have conquered all senses and passions completely. Even the Devas (gods) come and bow to you, leaving all their pride.
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3. विधुम् कलेवर…
Your body is pure, shining and without defect; it is not made by ordinary karma like ours. Your form is calm, steady, and full of peace, giving fearlessness to devotees.
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4. तुंगं स्तवनम्…
Bhagwan, your greatness is beyond words, but still the devotee tries to praise you. Like a small child trying to touch the sky, the poet still sings with faith and love.
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5. नात्यद्भुतं भुवन…
It is not surprising that your praise removes all sorrows. Because you are the ocean of compassion, even a little worship to you brings big results.
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6. उद्यद्भानु …
Your knowledge and light are like the rising sun. They remove ignorance from the hearts of beings and show the path to liberation.
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7. कल्पान्त-काल …
Even at the time of great destruction, when worlds are shaking, your peaceful nature remains undisturbed. Those who remember you are protected from fear and confusion.
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8. संसेव्यमान …
By serving your feet, even a weak person becomes strong. Like a dry stick catches fire, the soul catches the flame of spiritual power by your remembrance.
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9. भूयो भवंभय…
Bhagwan, your name and remembrance protect from all types of fear – ghosts, black magic, evil thoughts, and inner weaknesses. Your pure vibration destroys negative influences.
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10. संसार-दाव…
This world is like a huge forest-fire. Your message and presence are like cool rain, saving the soul from burning in passions.
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11. अतीव भूयो …
Even great scholars and poets cannot fully praise you. Yet, you listen with kindness, even to the simple and broken words of devotees.
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12. श्लाघ्यास्ते …
Your charitra (conduct) – complete non-violence, truth, celibacy, non-stealing, non-possessiveness – is truly praiseworthy. It becomes a path and example for all souls.
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13. वाचामवश्य…
Speech has a limit; your qualities are endless. Whatever anyone says in your praise remains small before your real greatness.
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14. यस्योत्संग …
Those who keep your virtues in their heart become purified. Their mind, speech and body slowly turn towards dharma and self-control.
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15. दूरं याते …
As one goes closer to you through devotion, worldly worries go far away. Like darkness runs away as we approach light.
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16. वाती न वाता …
For a true devotee, no external trouble really shakes the inner peace, because he remembers you. Your śaraṇ (refuge) gives inner stability.
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17. दु:स्वप्नानाम …
Bad dreams, diseases and deep mental fears calm down by your worship. This shloka is especially taken for health and relief from suffering (in Digambar tradition).
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18. सर्पेभ्यो …
Your remembrance protects from dangerous creatures, poisons and outer fears. Here the poet shows that bhakti to a Jina gives fearlessness.
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19. किम् शर्वरिषु…
When your face shines, there is no need of sun or moon to remove darkness. Like a ripe field doesn’t need more rain, the world doesn’t need any other light when your keval-gyān glows.
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20. शंभोः स्तुति…
Praising you is different from praising worldly gods. Others may give temporary things, but you show the path to permanent liberation.
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21. अर्थानामार्ति …
Bhagwan, by your grace, the true needs of devotees are fulfilled – peace, stability, right faith. The focus is on spiritual gain, not only worldly wishes.
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22. श्रीमत्सत्कृत …
Even Indra and high Devas serve you, though you are without any ego. You sit in complete detachment, yet you are central to all worship.
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23. कस्ते स्तोतुं …
Who can really praise you, the one who is beyond birth and death, beyond attachment and hatred? Still, a devotee speaks, pushed by bhakti, not by pride.
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24. देवानामिन्द्र…
All gods, including Indra, become small before your infinite attributes. They may have powers, but you are free from karma, so you are truly supreme.
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25. निर्वाण-मार्ग …
You are the living example of the path to moksha. By meditating on your life, a person learns how to remove karma and attain keval-gyān.
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26. सृष्टिस्थिति …
You are not the creator or destroyer of the world like other beliefs say of their gods. You are the knower-seer (gyātā-drashtā) of all, staying in pure awareness.
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27. कालानन्तर …
Time keeps changing, bodies arise and fall, but your siddhahood is permanent. Your pure soul-state never becomes old or weak.
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28. एकैकस्य …
Even one small virtue of yours is too big for all books to describe. So the mind bows in silence, knowing its limitation.
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29. वाचामिच्छामि …
Bhagwan, I wish my speech may not go in wrong directions, but always in your praise or in dharma. Pure speech supports right faith and right conduct.
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30. भीतिः केन …
For the one who remembers you, fear loses its power. Fear of death, loneliness, insult, poverty – all reduce with strong spiritual faith.
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31. ये संसारे …
Those deeply stuck in worldly attachment can also change, if they truly bow to you. Even a long, dark life can turn towards light and right path.
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32. आस्तां तावद …
Let worldly people run behind pleasures and positions. A true devotee finds greater joy in remembering your qualities than in any sense-object.
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33. भ्रांतिं चित्वा …
When a person reflects on your life, many wrong beliefs and doubts are cut. He starts seeing soul as separate from body, mind and possessions.
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34. धिग् दुर्गतिं …
The poet blames his own carelessness and passions that lead to bad states. Then he turns back to your feet, asking for inner strength to follow dharma.
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35. जानन्नपि …
Even after knowing dharma, the soul fails again and again due to old habits. Still, Bhagwan’s door of forgiveness and guidance is never closed.
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36. लक्ष्मीं श्रियम् …
Here, prosperity and well-being are shown as coming to one who serves your feet with right bhāv and honesty. Not as magic, but as karmic result supported by purity.
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37. मायां त्यक्त्वा …
The wise person leaves deception and show-off in worship. He comes to you with straightforward, simple, honest devotion.
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38. पापान्येव …
The biggest enemy is not outside powers but our own pap (bad karma) and passions. Your remembrance gives courage to fight inner enemies.
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39. दीनानाथ …
“O Lord of the humble,” the devotee calls himself small and weak, and Bhagwan as the protector and guide. This deep humility is the door to spiritual upliftment.
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40. कृत्स्ना ते …
Your infinite knowledge clearly knows all worlds, all beings, all times. Yet you remain in pure detachment, not controlling or forcing anyone.
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41. व्यालादिभ्यः …
Protection is sought from snakes, poisons and dangerous beings. The deeper sense: your bhakti saves from poison of anger, ego, greed, deceit.
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42. उद्भूतभयं …
When sudden dangers come – natural, social, mental – your smaraṇ gives courage. The devotee does not feel totally helpless, because he rests in your shelter.
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43. केन व्यूढं …
Who tied us in this heavy chain of birth and death? Our own karmas. Who can guide us out? The Tirthankara, by showing the three jewels – samyak darśan, jñān, chāritra.
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44. मत्वा नाथ …
Considering you as the only safe support, the devotee fully surrenders. He prays that life, speech and mind may remain aligned with your path.
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(Mainly in Digambar tradition – extra 4 verses, 45–48)
If you follow Śvetāmbara recitation, these may not be in your common version. In Digambar tradition, they continue the same bhāv:
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45. कृत्स्नं हित्वा …
Leaving all other worldly shelters, the devotee holds only your charan (feet) as his true protection.
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46. संसारोत्थित …
The stotra says: through faithful recitation with right conduct, strong karmic obstacles can be weakened or destroyed.
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47. नान्यत् पुण्यम् …
There is no greater puṇya for the poet than praising the Jina. Among good acts, stuti of a siddha is declared very high.
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48. भक्तामर-स्तोत्र…
In the last verse, the poet offers the entire Bhaktamar Stotra at the feet of Bhagwan Ādināth. He prays that it may bring śānti (peace), protection, right faith and finally moksha to all who recite it with shraddhā and samyak bhāv.
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For more on Bhaktamar and its importance, you can read here Audio and text are also available here
