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.
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. 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. 13623. Yaśo-vijaya. 1733
British Library. Or. 13478. Mānatunga. 1762
Bodleian Library. MS. Sansk. d. 317. Hemacandra. 1778