Dev Darshan and puja (Digambar Jains traditions)

A Jain house holder should get up early in the morning and recite Namokar mantra at least nine times before starting all other house hold chores.
The most important element of Jains worship is the daily visit to the temple. Before going to the temple, one should bathe and wear clean clothes and then one should go to the Jains temple and carry with him/her the rice /samagri.

After reaching in the compound of the temple one should take off shoes & socks, sleepers, leather belt & purse vault etc and wash his/her hands and feet’s before entering into the temple.

When entering the temple one should recite as follows: -

"Om jai Neshahi… Om jai Neshahi… Om jai Neshahi "

and ring the bell. Approach near the deity/ idol of Arihanta’s and start offering the prayers like this:-

Om Nameh Sidhebhayam, Om Nameh Sidhebhayam, Om Nameh Sidhebhayam.

Om Jai-Jai-Jai, Namoastu, Namoastu, Namoastu.

Thereafter recite Namokar mantra along with manglacharan at least nine times.

Also recite the names of all the 24 Tirthankars and offer the rice while offering rice recite Para as given bellow :-

Take Prekarma around the idol thrice and recite prayer as given bellow or any other one one feel like saying: -.

A prayer generally people like is as follows: -

After finishing prayer one should take Gandhodak the holly water collected after Prakshal and apply it on eyelids and forehead etc while doing so one should recite the following shaloka :-

The meaning of Asht Dravya: -

Water: -The pure and clean & clear water. I offer you this water for destroying my cycle of life and death. This has not been able to quench my eternal thirst.

Chandan (Sandal wood): -The water mixed with chandan (sandal wood paste). I offer you this sandalwood to destroy the anger in me, as this has not been able to keep me calm and undisturbed.

Akshat (Rice): -Properly washed unbroken white rice. I offer you this unbroken rice to achieve the non-destructible treasure of joy.

Pushp (flowers): - The rice colored with Saffron. I offer you these flowers to destroy lust and passion in my being.

Newaidhya (coconut): - The inner white portion of coconut cut into very small cubicles. I offer this Newaidhya in order to win victory over my passion of greed.

Deepak (lamp or candle): - The inner white portion of coconut cut into very small cubicles colored with saffron. I offer you this Deep (lamp) in order to destroy the darkness of my delusions.

Dhoop (Incense): -These are pieces of chandan wood. (Also taken as Havan samagri). I offer you this incense in order to destroy the eight kind of karmic matter that settles in my being.

Fruits (Phal): - These are almonds, clove, cardamom, chironji or dry dates. I offer fruits to achieve the fruit of complete liberation of my soul.

Argh (A mixture of all the above mentioned items): - I offer the Argh to get the highest position that is Moksha.

Terminology: -

Jalabhishaik: -The bathing of the idols is called Jalabhishaik.

Prakshal: - The cleaning of idol with wet cloth is called Prakshal.

"The root of religion is real belief"

" wealth is for life but life is not for wealth"

Note :- The words shown in Italic are from Prakrit / Hindi Language.

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