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The Jain The Jain PoetsPoets

Yashwant K. Malaiya

JAINA Convention, Chicago JAINA Convention, Chicago 20012001

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The Jain Poets

• Poetry & faith• Mantunga’s Bhaktamar Stotra

(Sanskrit)• Ramasimha’s Dohapahud (Apabhransha)• Banarasidas’s Ardhakathanak• Padas & Prayers• Budhjan, Dyanat, Anandghan, Bhudhar,

Daulat

• Modern: Yugvir’s Meri Bhavana, RavindraJain, Pankaj

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Poetry & faith

• Poetry is often devotional.

• Magic of poetry lies in both words and the meaning.

• Poetry is enhanced by mystery.

• Songs and music can be more convincing than exact reasoning.

• Of thousands of great Jain poets, only some samples are presented here.

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Jain Poets of India• Some of most remarkable poets of India have been Jain.

• Early Tamil Poets:

– Illankadigal, Thiruvalluvar,Nachinarkiniyar etc.

• Earliest Kannda poets:

– Pampa, Ranna, Pona etc.

• Early Hindi poets:

– Devasen (Sravakachar) etc.

• Early Gujarati poets:

– Shalibhadrasuri (Bharateswara Bahubali Rasa) etc.

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Acharya Mantunga • Composed Sanskrit Bhatkamar

Stotra

• Popular among all Jain sects

• Masterpiece of elegent Sanskrit poetry

• Thought to have mantra-like powers

• Legends surround Mantunga and Bhaktamar Stora

• Subject of books, videos and paintings

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I, the Ignorent Onebuddhya vinaapi vibudharchita padapitha

stotum samudyata matirvigatatrapoaham |

balam vihaya jalasansthitamindu bimba -

manyah ka ichchhati janah sahasa grahitum | 3 |

O Lord ! seated on the throne adored by gods.

I am trying to praise you , although  feeble-minded.

Who else, but a child, would try to catch

the image of the moon reflected in water .

bauw\yaa ivanaa|ip ivabauQaaica-t padpIz staotuM samauVt maitiva-gat~pao|hma\ . baalaM ivahaya jalasaMisqatimandu ibamba\– manyaÁ k [cCit janaÁ sahsaa ga`hItuma\ . 3 .

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Who Influenced Kabir?

• Kabir: one of the most influential poets

• Did not believe in rituals

• Staunch proponent of vegetarianism

• Sikhism: heavily influenced by Kabir

• Who influenced Kabir?

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Muni Ramsimhamanu miliyau paramesaraham,

paramesaru vi manassa.

vinni vi samarasi hui rahiy

pujja chadhaaun kassa? 50

My mind has met the supreme being,

the supreme being has met my mind,

both have become one,

who should I offer the puja?

maNau imailaya] prmaosarhM¸prmaosaÉ iva maNassa.ivaiNNa iva samarisa huš rihyapujja caZa]M kssaÆ 50

Quoted by

• Acharya Amritchandra (904-962 CE),

• Acharya Jayasen (1292-1323 CE),

• Hemachandra Suri (1088-1173)

Lived in Rajasthan

• No personal informaion available.

Kabir follows his expression.

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Who am I?

tarunau buddhau balu hau.

surau pandiu divvu

khavanau vandau sevadau

ehau chinti ma savvu .33.

tÉNa] bauD\Z] baalau h].

saUr] pMiD] idvvauKvaNa] vand]

saovaD]eh] icaMit ma savvau

.33.That I am a young man, old or child,

brave warrior or a noble scholar,

I am a kshapanaka, vandak or shvetapat,

don't think that way.

Kshapanaka=

Shvetapat=

Vandak=?

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Banarasi Das• Born 1586, Akbar ruling.• Grew up in Jaunpur• Later in Agra• Faced many troubles in

life.• Wrote Samayasar Natak• Led Adhyathm movement• First autobiography in

India: Ardha-Kathanaka

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When Akbar Died

C~pit Akbar saaih jalaalanagar Aagaro kInaao

kala¸Aaš Kbar jaÝnapur

maÐahp`jaa Anaaqa BayaI

ibanau naah.

saIZ,I pr bazyaao hutaoBayaÝ Barma icat caala

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When Akbar Died

Gar Gar dr dr ikyao kpaT¸hTvaanaI naihM baOzo haT.

Balao vas~ AÉ BaUYaNa Balao¸to saba gaaZo QartI tlao.

Gar Gar sabaina ivasaaho Sas~¸laaogana pihnao maaoTo vas~.

]Mca naIca kao} naihM pihcaana¸QanaI dird`I Bayao samaana.

At all the houses, doors were kept closed,merchants stopped sitting at the shops. 

Nice clothes and ornaments were all buried under the ground. 

People started keeping their swords ready,they started wearing coarse clothes. 

You could not recognize the status of a person,the rich and poor looked alike.

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My Qualities & Faults Then at Banarasi's home, the third son too, closed his eyes.Banarsi has been very sad, his heart has been overwhelmed with grief.  Attachment is so powerful, it overpowers both ignorent and the wise.Two years have passed, but I haven't overcome my grief.

Banarasi has told his tale of 55 years.Married three wives, had two daughters and seven sons. All nine died,like trees in fall, we remain like bare trunks.  ..Now let me mention the qualities and flaws of Banarasi,   I can speak in pure Sanskit and Prakrit. I know the dialectsof many regions. My heart is pure and it is supported by samyakatva. But no one is perfect or flawless. ..

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My Qualities & Faults

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Budhjan:Jaipur 1773-1838

prabhu patit pavan main apavan, charan ayo sharan ji.

yo virad ap nihar svami, met jaman maran ji.. 1..

jachun nahin suravas puni, nar raj parijan sathaji.

"budh" jachahun tuv bhakti bhav-bhav, dijiye shivanathaji.. 8..

Lord ! redeemer of the fallen! I seek the shelter of your feet.

Looking at your face, eliminates the cycle of birth & death

Seek neither heaven nor companionship of royals,

I seek devotion to you, life after life. O Lord in Moksha.

p`Bau pitt pavana maOM Apavana¸ carNa Aayaao SarNa jaI. yaao ivard Aap inahar svaamaI¸ maoT jaamana marNa jaI.. 1.. jaacaUM nahIM saurvaasa puina¸ nar raja pirjana saaqajaI. "bauQa" jaacahUÐ tuva Bai> Bava\– Bava¸ dIijayao iSavanaaqajaI. 8.

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Daultramham to kabahun na nij ghar aye,

par ghar phirat bahut din bite,

nam anek dharaye

I have never been home

have spent a long time in other's homes

have had many names. .

hma tao kbahuÐ na inaja Gar Aayao¸pr Gar ifrt bahut idna baIto¸naama Anaok Qarayao

• Hathras (1798-1666)

• Chhipa by profession

• Inspired by Budhjan

• Author of Chhah Dhala

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Anandaghan

ab ham amar bhaye na marenge

ya karan mithyat diyo taj

kyon kar deh dharenge

Now I will be immortal, I will not die

that is why I have given up false hoods

why will I bear a body again?

Aba hma Amar Bayao na maroMgaoyaa karna imaqyaat idyaao tja@yaaoM kr doh QaroMgao

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Ghasiram is nagari men kis vidhi rahana..ek kuva pancho paniharinir bharain sab nyari nyaribur gaya kuva, sukha gaya panibilakh rahi panchon panihari dhasiram sahaj ka melaud gaya hakim, lut gaya dera.

How can I live in this city?One well and five women, each fetched

water separately.The well is blocked and the water has

dried up, The five women are crying.Say Ghasiram, it has been a nice

gethering,but the governer has fled, and camp has

been plundered.

[sa nagarI maoM iksa ivaiQa rhnaa ek kuvaa paMcaao piNaharInaIr BarOM saba nyaarI nyaarI.pur gayaa kuvaa¸ saUK gayaa panaIibalaK rhI pMcaaoM piNaharI. GaasaIrama sahja ka maolaa]D, gayaa haikma¸ lauT gayaa Dora.

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Jugalkishor Mukhtar koi bura kahe ya achchha,lakshmi ave ya javeanek varshhon tak jiun,ya mrityu aj hi a jave ..athava koi kaisa bhi bhay, ya lalach dene aveto bhi nyay marg se mera,kabhi na pag digane pave.

Let someone call me good or bad, let riches come or turn away, Whether I live for million years, or I face death this very day. Whether someone does frighten me, or even tempt me in some way; May my steps never falter from proven good and righteous way.

kaoš baura kho yaa AcCa¸ laxmaI Aavao yaa jaavaoAnaok vaYaao-M tk jaI}и yaa maR%yau Aaja hI Aa jaavao ..Aqavaa kaoš kOsaa BaI Baya¸ yaa laalaca donao Aavaotao BaI nyaaya maaga- sao maora¸ kBaI na pga iDganao pavao..

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Ravindra Jain: Composer/Poet

• Born blind in 1944 Aligarh, UP• Father Pt. Indramani Jain Vaidya

Shashtri• His brother read books for him• Sangit Prabhakar, Prayag• Inspired by Daulatram, Bhudhar Das,

Dyanatrai & Budhjan• First film: Kaanch Aur Heera in late

1972.• Wrote and composed:

– ankhiyon ke jharokhon se, maine dekhaa jo saanvare (ankhiyon ke jharokhon se)

– geet gaataa chal o saathii gunagunaataa chal (geet gaataa chal)

– saa.Nchii kahe.n torI aavan se hamare..(Nadia ke par)

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ham yahi kamana karate hain

ham yahi kamana karate hain

aisa ane vala kal ho

hon nagar nagar men bahubali

sari dharati dharmasthal ho.

This we wish

that tomorrow

There will be Bahubali in every town,

And the whole world will be the land of dharma.

hma yahI kamanaa krto hOM

eosaa Aanao vaalaa kla hao

haoM nagar nagar maoM baahubalaI

saarI QartI Qama-sqala hao.

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ham yahi kamana karate hainham nahin digambar shvetambar

terahpanthi sthanakvasi,

ham ek panth ke anuyayi

ek dev ke vishvasi,

ham jaini apana dharm jain

itana hi parichay keval ho.

Neither Digambar or Shwetambar

Or Terapanthi or Sthanakvasi,

We follow one path, and believe in one Lord,

We’re Jain, and our dharma is Jainism

That is enough to introduce ourselves.

hma nahIM idgambar Svaotambar

torhpMqaI sqaanakvaasaI.,

hma ek pnqa ko AnauyaayaI

ek dova ko ivaSvaasaI.

hma jaOnaI Apnaa Qama- jaOna

[tnaa hI pircaya kovala hao.

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baahubali bhagavan ka mastakabhishek

parvat par nar nar chale, kalashonmen nir bhare

hod lagi abhishhek prabhuka pahale kaun kare

nir kshiraki bahati dhara, phir bhi na bhiga tan sara

aisi anya vishal murtika kahin nahin ullekh.

dhanya dhanya ve log yahan jo aj rahe sir tek

mastakabhishek, bahubali bhagavanaka …

Men & women climb the hill with water in kalashasVie to be the first to anoint the LordStream of water & milk could not wet the whole bodyThere is not other murti of such dimensionsBlessed are those who bow before the lord today.Anointing of Lord Bahubali ..

pva-t pr nar naar calao¸ klaSaaoMmaoM naIr BarohaoD, lagaI AiBaYaok p`Bauka phlao kÝna kronaIr xaIrkI bahtI Qaara¸ ifr BaI na BaIgaa tna saaraeosaI Anya ivaSaala maUit-ka khIM nahIM ]llaoK.

Qanya Qanya vao laaoga yahaÐ jaao Aaja rho isar TokmastkaiBaYaok¸ baahubalaI Bagavaanaka mastkaiBaYaok

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Pankajtumase lagi lagan, lelo apani sharan, paras pyara.

meto meto ji sankat hamara..

nish din tumako japun, par se neha tajun.

jivan saraa, tere charanon men bite hamara.. meto meto ..

I’m now attached to you & seek your shelter,

dear Lord Paras

Relive my distress

Day & night I think about you and no one else

May I spend my life at your feet..

tumasao laagaI lagana¸ laolaao ApnaI SarNa¸ parsa Pyaara.

maoTao maoTao jaI saMkT hmaara..

inaSa idna tumakao japUM¸ pr sao naoha tjaUM.

jaIvana saara¸ toro carNaaoM maoM baIto hmaara. maoTao maoTao .

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Dyanat Rai 1676-1726 Agra

ih vidhi mangal aarati kijai

panch param pad bhaj sukh lijai

 

pahali aarati shri jinaraja

bhavadadhi par utar jihaja

 

saatami arati shri jinavaani

dyanat surag mukati sukh dani

Thus do mangal arti, celebrate the worship of the five great ones

The first arti is for lord Jina, like a ship to cross the ocean of rebirths.

…Seventh arati for Jina-vani, giver of bliss of

heaven and freedom.

[h ivaiQa maMgala Aarit kIjaOpMca prma pd Baja sauK laIjaO

phlaI Aarit EaI ijanarajaaBavadiQa par ]tar ijahajaa

saatima Aarit EaI ijanavaaNaIVanat saurga maukit sauK danaI