Navkar Mantra of Jainism is Moolmantra Urging for Overpowering Inner Enemies

 Navkar Mantra of Jainism is Moolmantra Urging for Overpowering Inner Enemies 

In Jainism, the Navkar Mantra is the most fundamental mantra with the freedom to be recited at any time of the day since it is related the invoking of virtues instead of worshiping a single entity. 

In Jainism, Nirvana – the ultimate aim of life - is the attainment of omniscience or Arihanta stage of life by defeating the inner-enemies. 

The Jain faith deems that our mental evils  in the form of passions like anger, violence, lust, ego, greed, attachment, deceit, etc.,  as inner enemies which defile the pure nature of our being  - our soul or Arihanta existential stage. 

The Navkar mantra, as calligraphically written in the inset picture by Pardeep Arora, noted for his mandala drawing, is the basic verse of Jainism, which goes like this: 

Namo Arihantanam / Namo Siddhanam / Namo Ayriyanam / Namo Uvajjhayanam / Namo Loe Savva-sahunam. 

It is followed by 4 more phrases:

 Eso Panch Namokaro / Savva-pavappanasano / Manglananch Savvesim / Padhamam Havei Mangalam. 

When translated into English, the main part of the manta means somewhat as follows:

 I bow down to Arihanta / I bow down to Siddha / I bow down to Acharya / I bow down to Upadhyaya / I bow down to Sadhu and Sadhvi.

  The next four phrases that tell the significance of  the mantra in English mean the following:  These five bowing downs / Destroy all the sins / Amongst all that is auspicious / This Navkar Mantra is the foremost.