COMPASSION LEADS TO EMANCIPATION

It is not true that only humans can develop compassion and love toward all living beings. Some animals also have capacity to develop such level of compassion toward other living beings. In the ancient Jain texts it is mentioned that how compassion plays major role for the progress of the soul toward liberation. There is a beautiful story in the history of an elephant in the history of Jainism which states that how compassion and kindness toward all living being plays major role in spiritual upliftment.

This is a story about an elephant. Once, there was a wild fire in the forest where that elephant used to live. All the animals came running and took refuge on the safe place. The elephant also went there. During that time, the elephant raised his foot to scratch his body because of an itch. That very time a rabbit was pushed in that space by the pressure of other animals. As the elephant tried to put the foot back, he felt the presence of the rabbit and decided to hold the foot up in order to save it. The fire raged for two and a half day during which the elephant continued to hold the foot up out of compassion for the rabbit.

At the end of fire as the animals retreated, the elephant tried to lower his foot. It had however stiffened during that time. The elephant could not maintain his balance and fell down. He felt agonizing pain and could not get up. That way he spent three days and night facing much affliction and acute pain. Ultimately the elephant left that body and were born as the prince, named Meghrath of King Shrenik, because of compassion for the rabbit.

At the age of 8 he was sent to school where he learned all 72 arts and crafts and became known as an accomplished youth. He was then married to 8 beautiful girls with whom he enjoyed all the pleasures of the worldly life. Once Lord Mahavira came to Rajgruhi and camped in Gunashil monastery. Almost every resident of Rajgruhi used to go to His sermon. Meghkumar went as well, and was very much impressed. Realizing the transitory nature of the worldly situations, as explained by the Lord, he decided to renounce his worldly life. But his parents were sad to hear about his intentions. They tried every means to stop him from renouncing. He however remained very firm. He left everything and became a possession-less monk of Lord Mahavira.

After becoming a monk in Lord Mahavira’s order, Meghkumar undertook fasting, meditation and other austerities in order to shed his karma. The Lord and his chief disciple Indrabhuti Gautam too praised him for that. When his body became very weak and could no longer observe the rigors of monk-hood, he decided to observe fast unto death. That he did for a month on mount Vaibhargiri near Rajgruhi and took birth in heaven. The Lord has stated to Indrabhuti Gautam that at the end of the heavenly life, he would be reborn in Maha-Videha part of the Universe and would attain salvation.

The story states how an elephant reached the level of higher purity of soul just because he had compassion for the rabbit in that birth.

PREVIOUS BIRTHS OF LORD MAHAVIR

It is said that a soul attains liberation after countable births after it attains samyak darshana (Right View). Jainism declares the hallmark of a person who has the right vision are, spiritual calmness (Prasanna), desire for liberation from the endless birth-life-death cycles (Samvega),without any attachment or aversion to anything (Nirveda), kindness (Anukampa), and belief in these fundamental principles (Astikya). After attaining Right View, the soul attains liberation after few births either by becoming a Tirthankar or by becoming ordinary Arihant.

If we glance in Lord Mahavir’s previous births then we would know that the soul of Lord Mahavir attained Right View in his birth as Nayasar. Before being born as Nayasar, the soul had transmigrated through infinite births but after attaining Right View in Nayasar’s birth the soul that became Lord Mahavir attained Liberation after 26 more births. So there were total 27 births along with Nayasar’s birth. Below is the list describing Lord Mahavir’s 27 births.

1. Nayasara – A village headman who secured samyaktva or partial enlightenment in this birth on account of preaching of true dharma by Jain monks

2. Birth in the 1^st Celestial World (Heaven) called Saudharma

3. Prince Marichi – Grandson of Rsabha, the first Tirthankara and Son of King Bharata

4. Birth in the 5^th Celestial World called Brahmloka

5. Kaushika – A Brahmin

6. Pushyamitra – A Brahmin

7. Bith in the 1^st Celestial World called Saudharma

8. Agnidyota – A Brahmin

9. Birth in the 2^nd Celestial World called Ishaan

10. Agnibhuti – A Brahmin

11. Birth in the 3^rd Celestial World called Sanatkumar

12. Bharadwaja – A Brahmin

13. Birth in the 4^th Celestial World called Mahendra

14. Sthavira – A Brahmin

15. Birth in the 5^th Celestial World called Brahmloka

16. Prince Vishvabhuti

17. Birth in the 7^th Celestial World called Mahashukra

18. Triprishtha Vasudeva – First Vasudeva of this half-time-cycle

19. Birth in the 7^th Hell called Mahatamaha Prabha (pitch dark hued)

20. A lion

21. Bith in the 4^th Hell called Panka Prabha (Mud Hued)

22. A human being (Name unknown)

23. Priyamitra – A Chakvartin (The universal ruler of seven continents)

24. Birth in the 7^th Celestial World called Mahashukra

25. Prince Nandana – Accepted the vow of self control and gained Tirthankara nama karma

26. Birth in the 10^th Celestial World called Pranat

27. Birth as Tirthankar Lord Mahavir, the final birth

Note: Between the births 5^th as Kaushika Brahmin and 6^th as Pushyamitra Brahmin, the soul transmigrated through countless births as insects, animals, plants, birds etc. Those births are not counted in Lord Mahavir’s 27 births. Again after the 21^st birth as a hellish being in the fourth hell the soul had taken countless births as insects, animals, plants, birds etc and those births are not counted.

UVASAGAHARAM STOTRA

The Uvasagaharam Stotra is composed by Acharya Bhadrabahu (433-357 B.C.), is dedicated to Lord Parshva, the 23rd Tirthankar. Acharya Bhadrabahu had a brother named Varahmihir. Both were in the same kingdom. When a son was born to the king, Varahmihira declared that he would live for a hundred years but Bhadrabahu declared that he would live for only seven days, and that he would be killed by a cat. On the eighth day the prince died because of a door's anklet falling on his head which had a picture of cat drawn on it. Due to this humiliation Varahmihira left the kingdom and died after some time.
According to the story Varahmihira became evil and tortured and terrorized the Jains, especially disciples and followers of Bhadrabahu. Acharya Bhadrabahu then formed a mantric prayer to 23rd Jain Tirthankara Parshvanath called the Upsarga stotra (now known as Uvassagaharam Stotra) and called upon Dharnendra, the divine follower (a "devta") of Parshvanath. As an effect of it, Varahmihira was defeated and Jain society was relieved. That mantric prayer is still famous among the Jains and they chant it with due respect and faith. And that prayer had made Bhadrabahu's name immortal among Jain ascetics.

The Stotra is as below:

UVASAGGA-HARAM PASAM,
PASAM VANDAMI KAMMA-GHANA MUKKAM;
VISAHARA VISA NINNASAM,
MANGALA KALLANA AVASAM. (1)
VISAHARA PHULLINGA MANTAM.
KANTHE DHARE'I JO SAYA MANUO;
TASSA GAHA ROGA MARI,
DUTTHA JARA JANTI UVASAMAM. (2)
CHITTHAU DURE' MANTO,
TUJZHA PANAMO VI BAHUFALO HOI;
NARA-TIRIE'SU VI-JIVA,
PAVANTI NA DUKKHA DOGACHCHAM. (3)
TUHA SAMMATTE LADDHE',
CHINTAMANI KAPPAPAYA VABBHAHIIYE';
PAVANTI AVIGGHE'NAM
JIVA AYARAMARAM THANAM. (4)
IA SANTHUO MAHAYASA !
BHATTIBBHARA NIBBHARENA HIYAE'NA,
TA DE'VA ! DIJJA BOHIM,
BHAVE' BHAVE PASA ! JINACHANDA.

The meaning of the Stotra in English is as below:

I bow to Lord Parshwanath, who is served by the demi god. Parshwa, who is the remover of all afflictions, free from all sorts of Karmas, the destroyer ofthe poison of the poisonous animals, and is the abode of bliss and well-being.

If a man(manuo) who can recite this mantra by-hearted will get healed from all vish(poison) of life.All his problems will be solved by reciting this mantra daily

Aside from that charm, even bowing to you would be highly fruitful (resulting in divine life etc.); all beings would not (thereby) be in an unhappy or a miserable state.

If one gains the truth presented by you, which is superior even to thedesire yielding tree, the soul can gain age-less and immortal state withoutany obstacles. Great graceful Lord, I have adored you this way with devoted heart, therefore Lord Parshwanath, kindly bless me with the true knowledge in every(remaining) birth.