Sri Bhairava Padmavati Kalpa

About the Book

The book Jaina Mantrasastra presents a detailed comparative and critical analysis of Mantrasastra in general and Jaina mantras in particular. It analyses the whole mantravada and tantric tradition of all sects and sampradayas i.e. the Hindu, the+ Buddhist and the Jaina sects. The Parsis mantra tradition has also been analyzes in the first volume. The second volume starts from the Sanskrit text of Sri Bhairava Padmavatl Kalpa of Kavisekhara Sri Mallisena Suri with the Sanskrit commentary vivarana of Sri Bandhusena. The work supported with 31 appendices which cover the Sanskrit texts of Adbhutapadmavattkalpa, Padmavati pujana, Raktapadmavattkalpa, sri parsvanathastotra, Padmavattstotra, Sarasvattmantrakalpa, Sri Ambikastakam, Sncakresvanstotram, Sricatuh sastiyoginistotram, the anubhava- siddhamantradvatrimsika etc. The volume 2nd completed with the laghusantistavah of Sri Manadeva Suri, In addition, the volume furnishes with twelve colour paintings of the Jaina Goddesses

Introduction

The purpose and scope of an introduction. in these days have become much wider. Many a time it is not merely an introduction to the work which is being published but is also an introduction to the subject treated therein. That is not all. A history of the subject treated is expected to be given, and in giving the history the writer of an introduction is also expected to solve knotty historical as well as antiquarian problems relating to the subject. Thus an introduction is many a time more in the nature of an independent treatise than confined strictly to its original purpose of introducing the’ reader to the work. It is natural when a subject treated is abstruse or is such that about whose utility diverse conflicting opinions are held or about which doubt is raised whether it can have a place at all amongst the scientific subjects, that more is expected of the writer of an introduction. However, unless the writer can assume that the class of readers for whom the introduction is meant is sufficiently educated and cultured in the lores of the day his task becomes difficult. He may be unnecessarily occupied with the elementary phases of the subject and may not be able to do’ full justice to’ the comparatively advanced and important phases. thereof. The writer has also to bear in mind that the class generally interested in the present subject in this country is comprised largely of members who, though very educated and cultured according to the ancient modes of instruction prevailing in India, are yet comparatively ignorant of the English language and many a time do not have even tolerable acquaintance with the modern thoughts and culture. While writing, therefore, this part of the introduction dealing with. the general’ aspect of the subject, the writer has kept in view before him the well-educated reader who is well conversant with the Eastern as well as the Western thoughts; but while writing the remaining parts he has kept in view the other class also. The work here published is a Jain Tantra entitled ‘Sri Bhairava Padmavatikalpa.’ The subject treated therein is Mantrika worship of goddess Sri Padmavati, who is a deity attendant on Sri Parsvanatha the 23rd of the 24 Tirthankaras worshipped by the Jains. This brings us to the subject of ‘Mantra’ or magic which is common to all early religions. ‘We shall quote here what Sir John Woodroffe says on the .subject of magic and magical symbolism in his work’ ‘Shakti and Shakta.’

THOUGHT FORCE That Psychology nowadays considers that ‘Thought’ itself is ‘Force’-a form of energy and that as stated above various physical results follow through concentrated attention and especially when it assumes emotive form, we shall substantiate by extracts from various works. In his work entitled ‘Thoughts are things’, William Walker Atkinson, while generally showing that Thought is a form of energy quotes Prof. Ochorowicz: What Prof. Ochorowicz calls dynamic correlate of thought has not been yet scientifically named and is known by various names such as (thought force’, (dynamic thought’, and (mind power’. These terms, however, cover ‘the static as well as dynamic phases of the thought-currents. The better terms would be ‘thought-vibrations’, (thought-waves’, ‘mental currents’, etc. ‘The matter of names, however, is not important, the vital fact being that every person is constantly sending forth mental currents of different degrees of power, character, and quality, which often travel to great distances, and which come in contact with the minds of persons in whom is manifested a- degree of harmony with the character of the thought, there tends to induce or reproduce the original thought, emotion, feeling, desire or ether mental state.’ Thoughts are Things pp.-29-30. Prof. Oehorowicz says ‘It (thought) is propagated more widely if it assumes the character which subjectively we call emotive.’ There are, however, ‘certain fixed persistent abstract ideas which form mental images as clearly defined as the strongest. feeling, desire, or emotion-for instance, the result of the concentrated thought-of an inventor, scientist, or artist, which produces a mental image of a remarkable degree of depth and clearness, from which emanate thought waves of unusual power and vitality.’ Thoughts are Things-p. 33. We may refer the reader who may be anxious to pursue the subject further to another work by the same writer entitled ‘Thought Force in Business and Everyday Life’, which will convince him how the dynamic force .acting in all matters relating to the Practical Men- tal Science is really ‘Thought’ and how it develops into personal magnetism or psychic influence giving distinct personality to each. Again the whole subject has been treated by what is termed the new Psychology and has been set forth succinctly by the same writer in his work ‘The New Psychology.’ This work is principally relied on and utilized while treating the subject in. the following pages and the writer acknowledges his indebtedness to the learned author thereof.

NEW THOUGHT-NEW PSYCHOLOGY A new set of psychologists began working along the lines of a utilitarian psychology-a psychology that could be used in everyday life, psychology that was workable. They unconsciously worked along the lines of what is now called the pragmatic school of thought -the school that holds that the truth and value of science, philosophy, or idea, consists of its value when applied and set to work.’ An important feature of the new psychology has been the raising of certain little-understood phases of mental activity from the region of the occult and mystical, and the placing of them among the recognized and at least partially understood phenomena of psychology.’ But what was formerly regarded as a part of ‘abnormal psychology’ especially that wonderful field of mental activity outside the range of consciousness, generally known as the ‘sub-conscious’, ‘subjective’, or ‘subliminal’ fields, is now freely accorded a place in the normal psychology?  Not only that but ‘these fields are now regarded as containing within them at least nine-tenths of our mental activities.’ ‘The New Psychology has succeeded in showing that, so far as its investigations have extended, there is no super-natural-that every Thing is natural – that what has been considered super-natural is merely natural phenomena the nature of which has not been understood – that natural law and order is ever in evidence in these may be turned to account in the everyday lives of the people both in the regions of developing desirable qualities and in the restraining and inhibiting of the undesirable once.