Manuscripts of the Bhaktāmara-stotra are often artefacts with noteworthy aesthetic features, which underline the particular value and presence of this hymn in the Jain tradition. The song has magic powers and is part of the Jain tantric tradition, associated with mantras and yantras.
Each recto and verso page of this manuscript has a central vignette. All different from each other, they depict auspicious symbols or figures.
Here the painting shows a Jina seated cross-legged, in padmāsana. This is one of the two meditation poses in which a Jina can be shown. The Jina is represented in the typical Śvetāmbara style, as he is depicted with a garland, a crown and an ornamental tilaka on the forehead. Here the crown has five spikes.
The Jina is seated on a raised throne with a back. This is a painting of a Jina image in the cella of a temple, as the background shows.
There is no identifying emblem as such, but this is most likely to be the first Jina, Ṛṣabhanātha or Lord Ṛṣabha also called Ādinātha as the Bhaktāmara-stotra is dedicated to him.
On the other hand, this hymn can be viewed as a praise for the nature and power of a Jina in general, since it does not include individual characteristics. So it is appropriate that the opening image does not focus on an individual Jina.
Selected pages of this manuscript are digitised on JAINpedia.
There are several notable things about this page.
The elaborate script is the Jaina Devanāgarī script, here written in a form which recalls calligraphy. It is used for writing numerous Indian languages, here for Sanskrit.
The red vertical lines – daṇḍas – within the text are used to divide the parts of a verse. Single ones mark the end of a pāda, a verse part. Double ones mark the end of the whole verse.
On this page red ink is also used for some words. Red is used to write:
One of the most popular devotional hymns of the Jain hymns is the Bhaktāmara-stotra – Devoted Gods Hymn. With either 44 or 48 stanzas, it is accepted by both main sects of Śvetāmbaras and Digambaras. It is dedicated to the first Jina, Ṛṣabhanātha or Lord Ṛṣabha, frequently known as Ādinātha, meaning ‘First Lord’. The title comes from the first verse, which says that 'his feet enhance the lustre of the jewels set in the crowns lowered by the devoted gods'.
The Bhaktāmara-stotra is written in Sanskrit in an elaborate poetical style. Many followers know the original text by heart and may daily recite or meditate upon it. This hymn of praise belongs to the categories of Sapta Smarans – 'Seven Remembrances' – or Nava Smarans – 'Nine Remembrances'. These refer to seven or nine popular hymns that form the core of Śvetāmbara Jain liturgy.
Mānatuṅga is the author of this hymn, and a figure who is the starting point of several legends. Recent scholarship considers that he was 'a Śvetāmbara devotional poet who lived in the second half of the 6th century A.D' (Wiley 2004: 53).
The Bhaktāmara-stotra has generated a number of commentaries from the 14th century onwards. It is also part of the Jain tantric tradition and is often given a magical value. Manuscripts of this text are often artefacts with noteworthy features. This manuscript demonstrates vignettes in the middle of each side of every folio, showing Jinas, auspicious symbols or mystical diagrams.
1. //§O// Oṃ homage// They enhance the lustre of the jewels set in the crowns lowered by the devoted gods they shine, they have destroyed the mass of darkness of evil.
2. I have [literally 'having'] duly bowed to the feet of the Jina, a support for people falling in the ocean of rebirths in the beginning of the era //1// He has been praised [literally 'he who has been praised']
3. by the lords of the gods, who have become proficient on account of the insight they acquired by the understanding of the true principles of all sciences in hymns which captivate the three worlds,
4. which are excellent. I too wish to praise this first Jina //2// Although devoid of intelligence,
5. I made my mind to praise you, whose foot-stool is adored by the gods, shameless as I am. Except for a child,
6. who else would wish suddenly to catch the disc of the moon reflected in water? //3//
7. Ocean of qualities, who, even if he compares to Bṛhaspati [the tutor of gods] in intelligence, is able to tell your qualities, [which are] as beautiful as the moon?
8. When the ocean is full of crocodiles stirred by the wind typical of the period marking the end of a kalpa, who is capable of crossing it
9. by swimming? //4// Even then, I, here, out of devotion for you, Lord of ascetics, I have started to write this praise, even though I have no power.
10. Out of affection, without thinking about its strength, the antelope rushes towards the king of animals, doesn’t it, in order to protect its child. //5// I am not learned,
11. I am an object of laugh[ter] for the learned. It is only my devotion for you that forces me to talk. If the cuckoo is said to [sing sweetly] in spring, [it has only one cause: the beautiful bunches of mango-seedlings].
There are several points about the hymn that are worthy of note.
The title of the hymn comes from its very first words, which are bhaktāmara – ‘the devoted gods’.
The identity of the Jina praised in this hymn is not given straightforwardly. Instead, it is mentioned indirectly in the phrase ‘in the beginning of the era’ – yugādau. This refers to the first Jina, Ṛṣabhanātha or Lord Ṛṣabha, who is often called Ādinātha. Meaning ‘First Lord' or ‘Lord of the Beginning’, Ādinātha’ uses the word ādi – beginning. Using this title emphasises the inaugural position of this Jina. Yugādīśa – ‘Lord of the beginning of the era’ – is another of his titles that also underlines this point.
The author's habit of expressing humility and incapacity for the task he has set for himself is expressed here in particularly extreme terms. This is a way to stress the power of devotion – bhakti – and hence the greatness of the Jina. If the author has any right and capacity to compose a hymn of praise – stotra – it is only because he is devoted to the Jina. Thus he as an individual has no importance.
1. //§O// oṃ namaḥ // bhaktâmara-praṇata-mauli-maṇī-prabhāṇā / m udyotakaṃ dalita-pāpa-tamo-vitānaṃ / sa-
2. myak praṇamya Jina-pāda-yugaṃ yugādā /v ālaṃbanaṃ bhava-jale patatāṃ janānāṃ //1// yaḥ saṃstutaḥ sa-
3. kala-vāṅmaya-tatva-bodhā/ d udbhūta-buddhi-paṭubhiḥ sura-loka-nāthaiḥ / stotrair jagat-tritaya-cittaharai-
4. r udāraiḥ / stoṣye<ḥ> kilâham api taṃ prathamaṃ Jineṃdraṃ //2// yugmaṃ // buddhyā vināpi
5. vibudhârcita-pādapīṭha / stotuṃ samu*dyata-matir vigata-trapo ‘haṃ / bālaṃ vihāya ja-
6. la-saṃsthitam iṃdu-bimbaṃ / m anyaḥ ka icchati janaḥ sahasā grahītuṃ //3// vaktuṃ /
7. guṇān guṇa-samudra śaśāṃka-kāntān / kas te kṣamaḥ sura-guru-pratimo ‘pi bu-
8. ddhyā / kalpāṃta-kāla-pavanôddhata-nakra-cakraṃ / ko vā tarītum alam aṃbu-nidhiṃ bhu-
9. jābhyāṃ //4// so ‘haṃ tathāpi tava bhakti-vaśān munīśa / kartuṃ stavaṃ vigata-śaktir api pravr̥tta / prī-
10. tyâtma-vīryam avicārya mr̥go mr̥geṃdraṃ / nâbhyeti kiṃ nija-śiśoḥ paripālanârthaṃ //5// alpa-śrutaṃ
11. śrutavatāṃ parihāsa-dhāma // tvad-bhaktir eva mukharī-kurute balān māṃ / yat kokilaḥ kila madhau
The asterisk symbol * indicates obvious scribal errors in this manuscript.
In line 5 the syllable mu had been omitted originally, and has been added in the margin, probably by a later user of the manuscript.
JainSquare.com provides a recording of the popular hymn Bhaktāmara-stotra on Box.com. This version features a male and female singer reciting the hymn, considered a masterpiece of Sanskrit poetry. The title Devoted Gods comes from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha.
YouTube provides a video of the original Sanskrit Bhaktāmara-stotra, accompanied by pictures of Jina figures. The Digambara version of 48 stanzas is sung by the Rajasthani classical singer Rattan Mohan Sharma.
The 48 Sanskrit verses of the Digambara version of the hymn are presented in Nagari and transliteration with English translation below, on a faculty private page on the Colorado State University website. The hymn is considered to be a masterpiece of Sanskrit poetry.
The original Sanskrit Bhaktāmara-stotra is recited by the Śvetāmbara monk Param Pujya Vijay Bhuwan Shekhar Surishwarji Maharaj. This 2010 YouTube video contains pages of an illustrated publication of the hymn, which is a masterpiece of Sanskrit poetry.
The HereNow4U website provides the Sanskrit text of the Śvetāmbara hymn in Nagari, English translation and word-to-word translation, accompanied by modern illustrations. There is also a glossary of Sanskrit terms.
To move to another verse, click on one of the arrows above the title or slide the button along the scroll bar.
JainSquare.com provides a recording of the Bhaktāmara-stotra on Box.com. This version of the Jain hymn is in Hindi, while the original song of devotion was composed in Sanskrit. The hymn is extremely popular and has been translated into many languages. The Sanskrit title Devoted Gods is taken from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha, the first Jina.
The International Digamber Jain Organization provides a digitised manuscript of the Bhaktāmara-stotra. This manuscript contains:
The International Digamber Jain Organization provides a digitised manuscript of the Bhaktāmara-stotra. This manuscript contains:
The International Digamber Jain Organization provides a digitised manuscript of the Bhaktāmara-stotra. Kept in Arrah, Bihar in India, this manuscript contains:
The University of Michigan Museum of Art holds pages of a Digambara manuscript which Phyllis Granoff of Yale has identified as illustrated pages of a Digambara Bhaktāmara-stotra. Her 2010 article, 'Illustrating the Bhaktāmarastotra', can be seen on the HereNow4U website.
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?type=bbaglist;view=bbthumbnail;bbdbid=796751910
This YouTube slideshow features a recording of the Namaskāra-mantra followed by the Bhaktāmara-stotra, a famous Sanskrit hymn of praise to the first Jina, Ṛṣabha.;
Also known as the Navkār-mantra or Namokār-mantra, the Namaskāra-mantra is a very old mantra in Prakrit. It can be sung to different tunes and is chanted daily to honour the 'five types of beings worthy of worship' or Supreme Beings':
Bhaktāmara-stotra means Devoted Gods. This title comes from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha. The slideshow includes colour-tinted yantras and mantras to help listeners meditate.
This is the first of four parts of the Śvetāmbara hymn, which has 44 verses. This part contains stanzas 1 to 12.
This YouTube slideshow features a recording of the Bhaktāmara-stotra, a famous Sanskrit hymn of praise to the first Jina, Ṛṣabha. The title Devoted Gods comes from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha. The slideshow includes colour-tinted yantras and mantras to help listeners meditate.
This is the second of four parts of the 44-verse Śvetāmbara hymn, covering stanzas 13 to 25.
This YouTube slideshow features a recording of the Bhaktāmara-stotra, a famous Sanskrit hymn of praise to the first Jina, Ṛṣabha. The title Devoted Gods comes from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha. The slideshow includes colour-tinted yantras and mantras to help listeners meditate. The yantras in this part begin with the svastika, ancient Asian symbol of well-being and good fortune.
This is the third of four parts of the 44-verse Śvetāmbara hymn, covering stanzas 26 to 38.
This YouTube slideshow features a recording of the Bhaktāmara-stotra, a famous Sanskrit hymn of praise to the first Jina, Ṛṣabha. The title Devoted Gods comes from the first verse, which describes how all the gods offer homage to Ṛṣabha. The slideshow includes colour-tinted yantras and mantras to help listeners meditate.
This is the last of four parts of the 44-verse Śvetāmbara hymn, covering stanzas 39 to 44.
British Library. Or. 13741. Mānatunga. Perhaps 18th to 19th centuries
Bodleian Library. MS. Sansk. d. 317. Hemacandra. 1778
British Library. Or. 13623. Yaśo-vijaya. 1733