Jaya Viyaraaya Sutra: Resolutions of a Spiritual Seeker – Part 1
By Dr. Ramjan Hasaniya (Translated from Gujarati to English by Kinjal Sanghavi, CA)
Dr. Ramjan Hasaniya is a Professor of Gujarati at the Government College of Arts and Commerce, Rapar, Kutch, India He has done PhD from Kutch University on the depiction of spirituality in modern Gujarati poems. He was awarded the ‘Acharya Yashwant Shukla Gold Medal’ by Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam (Former President of India) for his Master’s degree in Arts. He has delivered lectures on diverse topics including Jain sutras, stavans, Hindu scriptures, poems of Indian saint-poets, social reformers like Gandhi, Vinoba, etc. on various platforms including reputed ones like JAINA. His articles are regularly published in magazines like Prabudh Jivan, Shabdashruti, Parab, etc. His lectures are available on his YouTube channel – Ramjan Hasaniya.(Email: ramjanhasaniya@gmail.com)
In Jainism, utmost importance is given to the theory of karma. Here, God is not the creator. A Jain follower worships Lord vitraag who is devoid of craving and aversion Tirthankar Lord neither grants something being pleased by someone nor takes away something being displeased by someone. Despite this, abundant literature of psalms has been composed in the Jain religion. In order to express reverence and awe towards their beloved Lord, many poets have composed poetic prayers in the form of hymns, lyrics, psalms, etc. These poetic prayers stand out from those of other religions because here entreaty is not made for liberation by the grace of God but instead delight for receiving the understanding of the path to liberation, gratitude towards the one who showed this path is expressed and the strength to walk on this path is asked for. Sutras are an ancient form of this type of psalms literature Jaya viyaraaya sutra is one such ancient and excellent prayer. This prayer consists of five verses out of which the first two verses are said to be composed by Gandhara bhagwants. The next three verses are composed by ancient acharyas which have been added to this prayer subsequently. In the scripture named ‘Lalit vistaraa’, Acharya Haribhadrasuriji has elucidated the first two verses of this prayer.
Jaya viyaraaya jaga-guru, hou mamam tuha pabhaavao bhayavam, bhava -nivveo, maggaanusariaa, ittha phala siddhi. (1)
Loga viruddha -chchao, gurujana puaa, paratha karanam cha, suhaguru jogo, tavvayana -sevanaa, aabhavamakhandaa.(2)
Varijjai jai-vi niyaana, bandhanam viyaraaya tuha samaye, tahavi mama hujja sevaa, bhave bhave tumha chalanaanam. (3)
Dukkha-kkhao kamma -kkhao, samaahi maranam cha bohilaabho a, sampajjau maha eam, tuha naaha! panaama karanenam. (4)
Sarva mangala maangalyam, sarva kalyaana kaaranam, pradhaanam sarva dharmaanam, jainam jayati shaasanam. (5)
Jaya viyaraaya sutra is also known as ‘Panihansutta’ or ‘Pranidhansutra’. Pranidhan means resolution. This psalm describes what kind of resolution a true Jain aspirant working towards liberation should have This sutra is also called ‘prarthanasutra’ – a prayer. But, based on the initial two words of this sutra, it is widely known as ‘Jaya
viyaraaya sutra’. In this sutra, a total of thirteen sublime requests are made, out of which eight are listed in the initial two verses and five in the subsequent verses.
Defining the word ‘prarthana’ – prayer, the scriptures say: 'Prakrushtta yachanah iti prarthana' 'Entreaty for the sublime is a true prayer ’ The words prarthana (prayer) and yachana (entreaty) are used as synonyms in common parlance, however, there is a difference in the meaning of these two. Entreaty binds one. Whereas prayer sets one free. A prayer ‘O Lord! we worship you, Great is thy name, we praise your virtues daily, so our work is done.’ enthusiastically sung in childhood, does not appeal once true understanding develops. To worship God so that our tasks are accomplished becomes hard to swallow. It seems strange, like to love someone with a selfish motive or a give-and-take attitude. The search for a true and sublime prayer arose from this dissatisfaction and I found an extraordinary prayer Jaya viyaraaya Sutra.
In this sutra also, entreaties/ requests are made; however, the requests are made for such sublime and great things that the dignity of the word ‘request’ is enhanced. Very few people possess the discernment regarding what to request from whom. Also, the level of the person making a request can be understood from his request. A few great people win in this art of selecting When Lord Shiva, pleased with Narsinh Mehta, tells him to ask for a boon, Narsinh instead of demanding worldly pleasures or riches, asks for God himself ‘Tamne je vallabh, hoy je durlabh, aapo te mujne daya aani re’ ‘Beloved to you, and rare to achieve, give me that O Lord, showering mercy.’ Narsinh Mehta makes a place for himself in Lord Krishna’s heart by saying this and we feel amazed at Narsinh’s art of selection. Our Gandhara bhagwants and ancient revered acharyas have selected some such sublime things
In current times, when even Jains have started singing prayers to this effect ‘In times of difficulties when nobody comes to my rescue, my God comes. He is very helpful in my days of sorrow’, very humbly it needs to be said that this cannot be a Jain prayer or a Jain hymn. Jaya viyaraaya Sutra presents before us the true form of a Jain prayer in the times when we have started forgetting the fundamental Jain principles. A true Jain layman or monk will never make an entreaty for materialistic pleasures or riches. We should study Jaya viyaraaya Sutra to understand what prayer an aspirant, walking on the true path expounded by Lord Jina, makes. It is beyond my capability to discuss the underlying principles in the Jaya viyaraaya Sutra. My only attempt is to share the points which touched me deeply as an aspirant in my study of Jaya viyaraaya Sutra.
The beginning of this sutra itself is so beautiful –‘Jaya viyaraaya jaga-guru’. The word ‘jaya’ is the indicator of victory and also upon reciting it, one is filled with energy, zeal and joy. Usually, ‘jaya’ comes at the end but here, it is mentioned right in the beginning. Who's ‘jaya’? ‘viyaraaya no’ means of the vitraag Lord. Hails to those who have conquered cravings and aversions. Normally, we hail the one in whom we trust/have faith. Here, at the outset, the aspirant expresses his faith in vitraag Lord and the quality of being free from cravings and aversions. He understands that there is victory in non-attachment and defeat in attachment. There is no other way to liberation but to conquer attachment. Thus by saying ‘Jaya viyaraaya’, an aspirant is paying obeisance to vitraag Lord and the quality of being free from cravings and aversions. Also, glory to Lord vitraag means may the exhortations of Lord arihant spread in the whole world. Here, a feeling is also expressed that may more and more beings attain supreme bliss by adopting the path laid down or teachings of Lord Jina.
Furthermore, only Lord arihant who has attained omniscience and has the right vision to view the reality of the world can give true guidance to the beings of the world and can become a true guru hence, addressed as ‘jagaguru’. This word ‘jaga-guru’ is also equally beautiful and needs to be understood. The one, who is a guru not of a particular religion or sect but of each and every being of the world. Lord arihant shows immense compassion towards all the living beings of the world. Munishri Amarendravijayji has said that ‘to be a monk is not a restriction of love but an expansion of love’. The realm of love of Lord arihant is so vast that even the minutest of the minute beings cannot remain untouched by it. Not only this, the guru must show the true path. Lord arihant explains the path of liberation, without any kind of discrimination, to all living beings hence, they are ‘jagat guru’.
With the reverence and awe that an aspirant develops towards Lord arihant, he says ‘hou mamam tuha pabhaavao bhayavam’. This means Oh Lord! by Your grace, the power of the holy order established by You and the truths and the principles expounded in Your teachings, may my prayers mentioned hereunder be fulfilled. Here, the gratitude of the devotee is expressed. The reverence towards God/guru works. Just as Eklavya mastered the skill out of his reverence for Guru Dronacharya, in the same way, the seeker’s desired prayers bear fruits due to his reverence for the Lord. Also, by saying ‘through your power ’, ego, etc. vices are dispelled and virtues like humility are developed. In the ensuing paragraphs, let us see which prayers are made to Lord vitraag.
The first prayer is ‘bhava -nivveo’ – bhava-nirved (abhorrence towards worldly things) The worthiness of the seeker is introduced here in the first request itself. Normally, where one prays to God for worldly happiness, the seeker here asks for detachment from the world. He asks for dispassion As long as one cherishes the material world, how can he truly adore God or His teachings? Anandghanji Maharaj’s attachment towards the material world vanished, hence, he could say: ‘mitho lage kantdo, kharo lage lok, kant vihoni gothadi, te ranmahe pok' ‘Sweet is the beloved and bitter are the people of the world, when beloved is not with me, talking to people is like crying in a desert (for me).’
The strong attachment to this material world should be uprooted. It is difficult to achieve It requires abhorrence (nirved) It happens when the mind of an individual rises from the world and becomes absorbed in God When this quality of abhorrence develops, despite living in this world, the aspirant’s attachment and clinging towards it diminishes. Gradually, it dissipates and then completely disappears. Realizing the impermanence of this world, he remains detached from it even though he stays in it like a lotus stays in water A good term used for nirved is udaseenta Here, udaseenta does not mean to be sorrowful or walk with a frowning face or to stay unhappy, but to be equanimous in the joys or sorrows of the world. Neither happiness nor misery touches him. Such spiritual dispassion is cultivated that neither pleasures delude him nor sorrow afflicts him. This spiritual dispassion is very beautifully described in ‘Sudama charitra’ by Premanand. Sudama, who remains steadfast amidst sorrows, when obtains enormous riches, he still remains neutral to it Worldly riches cannot sway him. The worldly happiness cannot overpower him. Premanand says to this effect: ‘Yadyapi vaibhav indrano, toye rishi rahe udas’ ‘Even though a saint receives heavenly riches, he remains dispassionate’. Such dispassion is the first prerequisite to tread the path of liberation. Even among the main characteristics of samyag-darshana, this virtue holds a prime place. A seeker prays that such udaseenta – spiritual dispassion develops in him with the grace of God.
The second prayer is to become marganusari and develop the virtue of marganusarita through His grace. The pure state of the soul devoid of karmas and defilements is liberation and the means to attain it through austerities,
self-restraint, etc. is the path to liberation. To walk on this path is marganusarita. It is quite natural that once the direction of the seeker’s life changes, the subsequent requests are also made accordingly. Instead of praying that may I get liberation, the seeker prays for the ability and strength to walk on the path of liberation. I do whatever it takes to walk on the path of liberation. I do as the seekers who have already walked or are walking on this path do or guide The lines of a poem by Upadhyay Shri Bhuvanchandraji Maharaj Saheb also suggest something similar:
‘One has to search for the footprints of the travellers gone by before, The path unfolds step by step, no use making haste ’
This shows that the journey of a seeker has commenced. He turns towards the path of liberation. The main path is still ahead but if he becomes marganusari, he will develop morality. He will understand the principles of merits and sins, morality and immorality, etc. Here, the seeker identifies the true path and prays to God for strength to walk on it. The scriptures depict thirty-five attributes of a marganusari. He possesses the virtues of abhorrence of sins, benevolence, compassion, gentleness, gratitude, farsightedness, etc. Developing dispassion to the world when the journey towards liberation commences, the seeker here, prays for the necessary tenacity to tread on this path.
(The rest of the prayers of Jaya viyaraaya Sutra will be covered in the next issue of Jain Digest.)
