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Jain · Daily practice

Navkar Mantra,
understood.

णमोकार मंत्र
📿 108 repetitions⏱ 10–20 minutes🌅 Best at sunriseShwetambar & Digambar
⚠️ Draft — awaiting review by a Jain scholar. Practices differ between sampradayas; follow your own tradition and guru's guidance.

१Why it's special

The Navkar Mantra asks for nothing and names no individual. It bows to qualities — to every soul who has attained, or is walking, the path of liberation. That is why it is considered universal, and the foremost of all auspicious things.

It is in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, the language of the Jain Agamas.

२Line by line

णमो अरिहंताणं
Namo Arihantanam
I bow to the Arihants — who have conquered all inner enemies (anger, pride, deceit, greed), attained perfect knowledge, and show the path to others.
णमो सिद्धाणं
Namo Siddhanam
I bow to the Siddhas — liberated souls, free from all karma and from the cycle of birth and death.
णमो आयरियाणं
Namo Ayariyanam
I bow to the Acharyas — the spiritual leaders of the sangh.
णमो उवज्झायाणं
Namo Uvajjhayanam
I bow to the Upadhyayas — the teachers of the scriptures.
णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं
Namo Loe Savva Sahunam
I bow to all Sadhus and Sadhvis in the world.
एसो पंच णमोक्कारो, सव्व पावप्पणासणो।
मंगलाणं च सव्वेसिं, पढमं हवइ मंगलं॥
Eso pancha namokkaro, savva pavappanasano. Mangalanam cha savvesim, padhamam havai mangalam.
This fivefold salutation destroys all sins, and of all auspicious things, it is the foremost.
The first five lines are the core mantra. The last four lines (the chulika) are recited in the Shwetambar tradition; many Digambar followers recite the first five lines.

३Why 108?

The five Parameshthis together have 108 virtues: Arihant 12 + Siddha 8 + Acharya 36 + Upadhyay 25 + Sadhu 27 = 108. One mala (navkarwali) of 108 beads honours each of them.

४Daily jaap

  1. Choose a time and place

    Early morning, around sunrise, is ideal. Choose a clean, quiet place. Bathe, or at least wash your hands, feet and face, and wear clean clothes.

  2. Sit comfortably

    Sit on a clean asan facing east or north, back straight. Hold your mala (navkarwali) in your right hand.

  3. Settle the mind

    Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths. Let go of thoughts of the day. Bring to mind the qualities of the Panch Parameshthi.

  4. Begin the jaap

    Recite the full Navkar Mantra once for each bead, moving one bead at a time — aloud, softly, or silently in the mind. Silent recitation is considered the deepest.

    णमो अरिहंताणं · णमो सिद्धाणं · णमो आयरियाणं · णमो उवज्झायाणं · णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं

  5. Complete the mala

    At the larger bead (meru), don't cross it — turn the mala around to continue. No mala? Count on your fingers, or recite with full attention for a fixed time.

  6. Close with intention

    Sit quietly for a moment. Choose one quality — forgiveness, non-violence or humility — to practise today.

५Sources

The Navkar Mantra is traditionally placed at the opening of the scriptures — the Bhagavati Sutra ↗ (Shwetambar) and the Shatkhandagama ↗ (Digambar). Background reading: Namokar Mantra ↗ on Wikipedia. Read the sources in our Granth library.

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