You are right that:

• Bhaktamar was composed by Āchārya Maṇtuṅga in praise of Bhagwān Ādināth only.
• Its mukhya uddeshya (main purpose) is bhakti, stuti and samyak-darshan, not “material problem‑solving” in a worldly sense.

So why do people today say “this shlok for health, this for money, this for court case” etc.?

Let’s separate original purpose and later popular practice.

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1. Original purpose of Bhaktamar

From the Jain point of view:

• Bhaktamar is a stotra of pure devotion (bhakti) and praise of the infinite guṇas (qualities) of a Siddha / Tīrthankar – here, Ādināth Bhagwān.
• Its power lies in:

- Shraddhā (faith in the Jina), - Shuddha bhāva (pure inner feelings), - Dhyan on Jina’s guṇas (meditation on virtues), - This creates punya and antarik shakti (inner strength), which helps one bear karmas and walk on the path of moksha.

In the traditional story of Āchārya Maṇtuṅga, the “miracles” (chains breaking, prison opening etc.) are shown as the effect of intense bhakti and punyanubandhi punya, not as “magic tricks for material life”. ( jainknowledge.com)

So, originally it is a moksha‑mārgi, bhakti‑mārgi stotra, not a “problem‑wise manual”.

You can read a simple explanation of Bhaktamar and its importance here and

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2. How did “one shlok for every problem” come?

Over time, in Jain society:

• People observed that reciting Bhaktamar with faith often coincided with:

- relief in illness - success in difficulties - protection in fear, etc.

• Based on such experiences and gurubhakti, some ācāryas / sadhus / lay scholars:

- associated certain shlokas with certain types of difficulties, - made lists like “for health – this shlok, for knowledge – this shlok” etc. ( jainknowledge.com)

This is called “lok-vyavahār” or paramparā (devotional tradition), not original scriptural instruction.

So:

• Scripture side: stotra is for bhakti, guṇānusmriti and moksha‑mārga.
• Popular side: “this shlok for this problem” is a traditional belief to help common people connect more easily.

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3. Is this wrong or against Jain Dharma?

It depends on bhāva (inner intention):

1. If a person recites only for money, court, exam, etc., with no interest in guṇas of Jina:

- Then their drishti stays outward and materialistic. - Punya may still come, but samyak-darshan and real spiritual progress remain weak.

1. If a person starts with some worldly wish but gradually:

- develops faith in Tīrthankar, - starts thinking “Jina is vitarāg, I should also reduce anger, greed, ego”, - then these “problem-wise shloks” become a stepping stone towards true bhakti and dharma.

So the tradition is not necessarily wrong, but:

• It must be clearly taught that:

- Bhaktamar is not a business deal with Bhagwān. - The highest fruit is inner shānti, virāgya, and progress towards moksha, not only outer comfort.

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4. How to understand it correctly?

You can keep these points in mind:

1. Nīyati (destiny) = karmic law

- No shlok can “break” karmic law. - Recitation with bhakti can weaken, delay or mature karmas in a softer way through punya and inner strength.

1. Main focus during recitation:

- Think: “I am bowing to a kevalī, perfect vitarāg. Let me cultivate a little of his kshamā, daya, aparigraha.” - If material problem also gets eased, take it as bonus, not the main target.

1. Respect the original intent of Āchārya Maṇtuṅga:

- His stuti is direct, deep devotion to Ādināth Bhagwān, - not a marketing list of solutions.

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5. Simple conclusion

• Yes, you are correct: Bhaktamar was composed as a pure devotional stuti to Ādināth Bhagwān, not as a “material-problem catalogue”.
• The idea “har taklīf ke liye ek alag shlok” is a later devotional tradition, created from faith and experiences of devotees.
• If we:

- keep Jina-bhakti and guṇānusmriti in the center, and - see worldly benefits only as secondary, then we are in line with the true spirit of Jain Dharma and of Āchārya Maṇtuṅga’s Bhaktamar.