Jay Viyaraya Sutra - Part 2

Jaya Viyaraaya Sutra: Resolutions of a Spiritual Seeker – Part 2

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 Part 1 of this article published in June 2024, Mr. Hasaniya has highlighted the imortance of the Jaya Viyaraaya Sutra and has explained the first two prayers. In this Part 2 of the article, meaning of the rest of the Sutra is described.)

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)

The third prayer is ‘ishta phala siddhi’ (fulfilment of one’s cherished wishes). If we keep in mind the previous two requests and comprehend ishta phala siddhi in the same sequence then it becomes clear that one who prays for dispassion from the world and strength to tread on the path of liberation, for him, istha phal i.e. cherished wish can be nothing apart from liberation. After seeking strength to walk on the path of liberation, the seeker will eventually attain liberation by the dint of self-efforts, yet he says: may I get istha phal of liberation by Your Grace. One point to be noted here is: prayers are simply august, yet there will be variability in the level and feelings of the person saying these prayers. Often when a seeker is unable to walk on the spiritual path due to worldly miseries, then it is appropriate according to his level, if he requests for eradication of such miseries with the intention of being able to practice dharma. Truly speaking, dharma/nature itself takes care of the person walking on the path of dharma; as if the seeker is placed in the lap of nature. Yet, it is not inappropriate, when the seeker who wants to remain engrossed in spiritual practice and attain liberation as early as possible, prays for the elimination of factors causing hindrance, obtaining conducive circumstances for spiritual practice and eventually obtaining istha phal in the form of liberation.

The next prayer is ‘loga-viruddha-chchao’. Oh vitraag Lord! By Your grace, may I refrain from performing

acts considered inappropriate or contrary by the learned, virtuous people. Here, loga means noblemen and not common men. Abstain from undertaking acts which great people condemn. May I not tread the wrong path. May I

perform the things practised by virtuous people/monks to as much extent as possible but completely abandon performing actions considered unacceptable by them.

The seeker attempting to walk on the path of liberation prays to be saved from the contrary path. It is difficult to tread on the true path and easy to turn towards the wrong path. A renowned essayist Bholabhai Patel once in his essay named ‘vidisha’ while talking about climbing a mountain states: 'dungar chadataa naake dama aavi gayo, pan utartaa vaar na lagi. Aame utartaa kyan vaar lage chhe.’—‘We were fully strained climbing the mountain, but it took no time to descend. Even otherwise, where does it take time to come down.’ A seeker here prays to God to save him from unwholesome acts which take one to the lower forms of existence. There is the principle of samvara behind the feelings of the seeker to: abstain from taking the wrong path and safeguard oneself from committing sins like violence, falsehood, theft, misconduct, etc.

The seeker walking on the path of spiritual practice now prays for the opportunity to worship elder ones “gurujana puaa”. Elder ones, here definitely include spiritual masters and teachers who impart knowledge/ skills, but from a practical perspective, they also include parents and other elders. On the spiritual path, just as it is necessary to refrain from unwholesome acts, it is essential to have respect, reverence and devotion towards our immediate benefactors i.e. parents, teachers and elders. Because, how can someone who does not express gratitude to the direct and immediate benefactor comprehend the benevolence of the indirect benefactor—Lord Arihant? Also, it is equally important to maintain appropriate dignity towards elders. The seeker prays to exhibit humility and maintain respect and honour for the elders. He wishes to honour the elders (in terms of knowledge, age or otherwise) and never disrespect them. It is also possible that a seeker may advance to higher levels in terms of maturity, knowledge, leaving behind his parents and elders; yet he prays that irrespective of his progress, he does not falter in humility towards elders. A seeker knows that if he falters, it is certain that he will tumble down from the path. This seeker is very alert. He does not want to commit any mistake that could create hindrance on the path to liberation and delay his attainment of liberation. Therefore, he makes such a prayer.

Benevolence, “paratha karanam cha”, is the next milestone in a seeker’s prayer. The feeling of benevolence comes naturally to a seeker progressing on the spiritual path. This path does not make one insensitive to others. He does self-development as well as benevolence. He develops compassion towards others like him and those lower than him. He develops virtues like humanity and service to others. An aversion towards others should not be developed for own spiritual welfare. Some withdraw from helping others saying ‘No one belongs to anyone’ or ‘Each one bears the consequences of their own deeds’. They do not serve others saying that it will attract unwholesome karma to them. They lack a true understanding of dharma. They have selfcenteredness and ignorance. One cannot achieve the sublime truth/dharma without the feeling of benevolence.

Because, one cannot commence his journey on the path of dharma, until one renounces selfishness and unwillingness to share with others. It is crucial for a seeker to have broadness and tenderness of heart. Acharya Haribhadrasuri has termed this quality as a characteristic of gallantry.

Benevolence can be done at two levels—physical and sublime, worldly and spiritual. To donate food, clothes, medicine, money or other necessities is physical or worldly benevolence. Whereas to describe selfknowledge and the path to attain it or to create favourable circumstances for it is sublime or spiritual benevolence.

It is a great favour done by Lord tirthankara and ancient acharyas when they imparted teachings of dharma to the

world. The seeker here aspires to start with physical benevolence and then progress to sublime benevolence. The intention of benevolence is hidden even in the feeling of ‘savvi jiva karu shasana rasi’ – ‘May I help every soul to develop inclination towards dharma’ which is the cause of acquiring extraordinary merits to become Lord tirthankara. Thus, it is worth undertaking benevolence which yields excellent merits. Knowing this well, a seeker here prays to God to instil the virtue of benevolence in him.

It is necessary to have sadguru for all the earlier prayers to yield fruits. To develop dispassion towards the world (bhava-nirved), walk on the path of liberation (marganusarita), attain the desired result of liberation (ishta phala siddhi), refrain from performing acts considered unacceptable by great, virtuous people (loga-

viruddha-chchao), respecting the elders (gurujana puaa) and undertake benevolent tasks (paratha karanam cha) it is crucial to obtain training from a living true guru. Thus, by praying for a sadguru who possesses all aforesaid virtues, a seeker asks for all the missing links on the spiritual path. A seeker prays ‘suhaguru jogo, tavvayana-sevanaa, aabhavamakhandaa’ which means till the time he has to tread in the cycles of birth and death, may he get the association of sadguru in every birth and the strength to act according to sadguru’s guidance. Yog means union or to connect. It is essential to have a connection/ association with sadguru to walk on the path of ultimate truth. Perhaps, obtaining an association with sadguru could be considered the greatest achievement. Shrimad Rajchandraji has said to the extent that ‘pratyaksha sadguru sama nahi, paroksha jina upkaara’ which means that the favour of a living true guru is greater than the indirect favour done by Lord Jina.

Here, the seeker prays for a sadguru, not a guru. In muhapatti bol, we say ‘kudeva, kuguru, kudharma pariharu; sudeva, suguru, sudharma aadaru.’ which means I renounce pseudo-deva-guru-dharma and accept true deva-guru-dharma'. The aspirant seeks such a genuine, true guru. By obtaining a self-realised guru, numerous disciples have experienced the ultimate truth. A seeker having a guru is called ‘saguro’ and the one who does not have a guru is called ‘naguro’. Anandaghanji Maharaj has said ‘Sagaraa hoy so bharbhar pive, nagaraa jaye piyasa mere bhai re.’ which means to this effect, the one having a guru quenches his thirst fully, whereas, the one without a guru remains thirsty. Unfortunately, some people are unable to benefit even from the best of the best guru. They do not hesitate to make trivial worldly requests from such a guru. When the queen comes to Anandaghanji Maharaj and seeks blessings for obtaining a child, that time though the guru is best, the receiver is unable to obtain appropriate benefit from such guru because of lack of discernment of what to ask for from whom. A seeker should first strive to identify a sadguru but once he obtains a sadguru, he should strictly adhere to the teachings of such guru. The seeker here prays for the strength to faithfully follow sadguru’s words. It is not enough to merely obtain a sadguru, the goal shall not be achieved until one faithfully conducts oneself as per the guru’s command. Moreover, the seeker prays for strength to act according to the guru’s command not only in this birth in but all the subsequent births. The seeker seeks blessing not only for obtaining refuge in a sadguru but also for obeying such guru’s commands. If all these virtues are lost in future births, then the journey towards liberation will remain incomplete. Hence, the seeker entreats that may all these prayers be honoured in each and every birth until he is liberated. As discussed earlier, the prayers till here are composed by Gandhara bhagwants and the subsequent prayers are composed by able ancient acharyas. They have been subsequently added here in this sutra.

In prayer psalm, a devotee inspired by a heartfelt and intimate connection to the Lord says: Oh dispassionate Lord! as per your exhortations and teachings, one is prohibited from doing a ‘niyaanu’ i.e. entreaty

for desired outcome for wholesome deeds performed; yet I will certainly pray for the good fortune to be able to serve you in all my future births. Jainism mainly emphasizes selfless devotion and hence prohibits ‘niyaanu’. But this entreaty cannot be called ‘niyaanu’. It is mere language of devotion. In continuation with the virtues sought in ‘aabhavamakhandaa’ in all subsequent births, the devotee further requests refuge in the Lord. The devotee understands that if he does not find refuge in the Lord or teachings of the Lord then there is a possibility of going astray. Therefore, until the time of attaining liberation, the devotee prays to obtain the teachings and the path propounded by the Lord in all future births to mitigate the fear of deviating from the true path.

After seeking the opportunity to serve the Lord, the seeker now makes another four requests before the vitraag Lord, one of which is eradicating suffering. The devotee prays: Oh Lord! by paying obeisance to you may my suffering be eradicated. None of the living beings likes suffering, but the seeker here prays for the eradication of such sufferings which act as a hindrance on the spiritual path. Here, eradication of suffering means eradication of pain felt during suffering. Happiness and sorrow are inevitable in this world, but by receiving the holy order of Lord Jina, may I reach a stage where these lines of a well-known hymn come true—‘prabhu tamne pamyanu e sauthi motu sukh ke dukh have lage na dukh’ which means ‘the greatest joy of getting you Lord is that suffering does not seem like suffering anymore’. From a practical standpoint, one could also interpret this as: the seeker has not prayed for the eradication of suffering due to fear of suffering, but for the postponement of the arrival of suffering until one develops the ability to remain neutral and stable and walk on the spiritual path even amidst such suffering. Also, for a seeker to tread in the cycles of birth and death is the biggest suffering and hence liberation from this transmigration could also be implied in this prayer.

Eradication of suffering is not possible without the annihilation of karmas, hence, the next prayer is the annihilation of karmas. A seeker is aware that until he has stock of karmas, happiness and suffering are bound to come due to the activation of karmas. For a true seeker, both happiness and suffering are obstacles. To be free from this bondage the only solution is: the annihilation of karmas and which can be achieved through samvara – stopping the influx of karmas and nirjara – exhaustion/shedding of karmas. The seeker prays that he stops attracting new karmas and exhausts the stock of accumulated karmas.

The next prayer is samadhi-maran which means having complete awareness and equanimity at the time of death. Samadhi means equanimous and stable mind during occasions of joy and sorrow. Samadhi-maran is the pleasant outcome of the life lived and is also a reason for getting birth in higher forms of existence. To maintain equanimity at the time of death is difficult. A devotee prays that Lord please take care of such moment.

Understanding the truth of this samsara, rising above the craving and aversion towards it, if I leave this body with equanimity then my next birth will be such that it furthers my journey on the spiritual path. The devotee prays that may he be able to accept death with complete ease, understanding that this is the moment of only change of abode. The devotee here expresses his desire to improve the moment of death.

The last prayer is the attainment of bodhilabh i.e. samyag-darshana which means self-realisation. One can progress on the spiritual path only by cultivating a true understanding of jnana (knowledge), darshana (faith) and charitra (conduct). As per Jain philosophy, one’s journey on the spiritual path commences in the real sense only after the attainment of samyag-darshana. Thus, in the end, the devotee prays to the Lord that may he get samyag-darshana i.e. right vision so that he can walk on the spiritual path amidst various virtues and favorable

circumstances asked for in the earlier prayers. Have heard this somewhere that one who attains samyagdarshana, is bound to be liberated. Thus, in this way, the devotee indirectly prays for liberation.

After presenting the prayers before the Lord, at the end of this sutra, sarva-mangal is recited. In which reverence, awe and gratitude are expressed towards the Lord, His teachings, the true path shown by Him and the true understanding imparted by Him. Here, the devotee’s heartfelt, inner feelings have been expressed. He cannot help but triumph and glorify shasana i.e. the teachings of the Lord Jina and the holy order of Lord Jina from where he received the path for true spiritual welfare. Hence, he exclaims with great delight, the auspicious most among all auspicious, the reason behind everyone’s spiritual welfare, the principal religion among all religions, glory to such Jain shasana. Thus, starting with jayakara, this sutra ends too with jayakara and the seeker who receives virtues/ circumstances as per the aforesaid prayers and remains engrossed in the spiritual practice ultimately triumphs.

Bibliography: 1. Shri Pratikramana-sutra Prabodh Tika, Part 1, written by Dhirajlal Tokarshi Shah, Second edition, V. S. 2010; 2. Sutra Samvedna, Part 2, Sadhaviji Prashamitashriji, Fourth edition, English calendar year 2012; 3. Mari ter Prarthana, Pujya Chandrashekharvijayji, First edition, 1992; 4. Jaya Vitaraagani prarthana, Pujya Bhadrankarvijayji Ganivarya, Second edition, V. S. 2034; 5. Prarthana sutra ke madhyam se paramatma ko prarthana, Acharya Shri Vijay Kirtiyashsuriji, First edition, V. S. 2059.