DO IT, DO IT NOW

New Year resolutions apart we have so many wishes to start something. Be it morning jog, change to a healthy lifestyle, offer charity, learn a new language and build up your skill at the personal level.  In a more esoteric level, develop your idea into a project plan, implementing a much dreaded but much needed revamp of systems and procedures, etc.  We generally postpone, vacillate, wait for some nudge that won't come but from self.  We take time for granted.

I was listening to a Jain monk whose discourse put time in its right perspective. I quote him here,  'life time already spent is like water flowing in a river. River flowing down the mountain can't flow back and climb the montain. Your breath rising up and down with air flowing in and out is working like a saw, front and back, cutting down your lifetime. Each new day has taken out one more day from you'.

So let us do it, do it now, whatever we have to do.

Jain Fastings - Muktavali

MUKTAVALI  - A Jain Fasting Procedure 

Days of fasting

1. Bhadrapatha Month (Tamil Purattasi) - Shuklapaksha (Waxing Moon) - Sapthami (7th day),    the day is called Nirvana day.  Fasting and abiding by vows on this day leads to Mukthi.

2. Same month - Krishnapaksha (waning moon) - Sashti (6th day), the day is called    "Adithyaprabha". Fasting on this day gives a bright body like the sun.

3. Same month - Krishnapaksha (thriyodasi 13th Day), the day is called "Chandraprabha".    To be born in a glorious family shining as the moon.

4. Asvija (Tamil Aypasi) - Shuklapaksha (waxing moon) - Ekadasi (11th day). The day is    "Kumarasambavam" - Gives the boon of good progeny. 

5. Same month, krishnapaksha (waning month) - Duvadasi (12th day) - "Nadiswaram" day.    Gives the boon of visiting Jina temples on Nandiswara dweepa.

6. Karthika (Tamil Karthigai) - shuklapaksha - thrithiyai (3rd day) - "sarvarthasiddi" day.    Fasting on this day makes on be born in the heaven named sarvarthasiddi.

7. Same month, shuklapaksha - Ekadasi (11th day) - "Pradhiharyam" day. Pradhiharyam is    the shining halo behind the Thirthankara seated in Samavasaran.  Fasting on this day    gives an opportunity to be born as a Thirthankara.

8. Same month, krishnapaksha - Ekadasi (11th day) - "Trilokasaram" - Jinadharma is the    essence of the three worlds (heaven, earth and hell). Fasting austerities on this    day one gets the benefit of gaining or retaining Jinadharma.

9. Margasirsa (Tamil Margazhi) - Suklapaksha - thrithiyai (3rd day) - Asankyadopavasa -    Benefits of innumerable days of fasting.

This method of fasting was propounded to a brahamin lady called Durgandha by Jain muni Manogupti.  Durgandha was born with a malodourous body because of her past karma for having insulted and having vengeful emotions against Jain muni Yasodara.  As a result of such horroenous act and thought she was born in 6th Hell and was resident there for 22 sagaropa period. Later she was born in Jambudweep, poorva videga, kaccha desha in a brahmin family. Lost her parentS soon after her birth. 

Born with stinking body, she suffered untold miseries and sought refuge at the lotus feet of Jain muni Manogupti. Taking pity on her, the sage offered her ways of penance and shedding of bad karma. That is Muktavali Vrat (Muktavali nonbu in Tamil).

On the days of fasting, one has to visit the Jain temple and offer prayers to 24 thirthankaras and perform 8 fold archana to Bagawan Vasupoojya Swamy. After performing the pooja, the vow of fasting should be taken. Whole day should be spent only on reading scriptures, performing meditation and japa.  The mantra japa for these days is "ON HREEM ARHAM SREE VASUPOOJYA SWAMINE NAMA:".

Four months starting Bhadrapatha month till Margasirsa, 9 days of fasting is undertaken. This is carried on for 9 years and on 10th year Bhadrapatha month suklapaksha sapthami (7th) day, Udyapana is performed by installing Jinabimba at the temple and performing abhishek poojas and offering perfect food to muni sanga, aryikas and other sastra dhaan, oushad dhaan, vastra dhaan and abhaya dhan.

By performing such a penance, Durgandha later reachd Soudharmakalpa heaven and from there born as a prince named Padmarathan.  On visiting the Samavasaran of Bagawan Vasupoojya, he was revealed his previous births and he took diksha and became a Ganadhara, attained Kevalagyan  and mukthi.

Hope learning leads to undertaking of "Mukthavali" vrat and attainment of Kevalagyan and Mukthi.

Sree Rastu Shanti Subamastu.