The Original Text
Namo Arihantanam.
Namo Siddhanam.
Namo Ayariyanam.
Namo Uvajjhayanam.
Namo Loe Savva-sahunam.
In plain meaning:
• Salutations to all the Arihants (enlightened souls, still embodied) in the universe.
• Salutations to all the Siddhas (fully liberated, bodiless souls) in the universe.
• Salutations to all the Acharyas (heads of the monastic order) in the universe.
• Salutations to all the Upadhyayas (teacher-monks) in the universe.
• Salutations to all the Sadhus (monks) in the universe.
The words "Loe" (in the whole world/universe) and "Savva" (all) in the final line carry special weight. Grammatically, they act as what tradition calls an "end-lamp" (antya-deepak) - just as a single lamp placed at the end of a row lights up everything that came before it, these two words extend the salutation to every Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu of the past, present and future, everywhere in the universe.
Language and Structure
The mantra is composed in Prakrit, in the Arya metre, and its letter-structure is remarkably precise:
Line Letters Matras Vowels Consonants
Namo Arihantanam 7 11 6 6
Namo Siddhanam 5 9 5 5
Namo Ayariyanam 7 11 7 5
Namo Uvajjhayanam 7 12 7 6
Namo Loe Savva-sahunam 9 15 9 8
Total 35 58 34 30
The entire mantra contains 35 letters, 58 matras, 34 vowels and 30 consonants - a structure that reflects deliberate phonetic and rhythmic craftsmanship, not mere coincidence.
Why Are Arihants Saluted First?
Among the five Parmeshthis, the Siddhas actually occupy the highest spiritual rank - they are fully liberated and bodiless. Yet the mantra salutes the Arihants first. The reasoning is practical: it is the Arihants - enlightened beings who are still embodied - who actually deliver the teaching that helps souls cross the ocean of worldly existence. Siddhas, being bodiless and beyond all worldly activity, give no discourse. Since it is through the Arihants' compassion and preaching that the world receives knowledge and the path to liberation, it is fitting to salute them first.
There is also a simpler logic behind the order: the soul passes through the Arihant stage (embodied) before reaching the Siddha stage (bodiless) - so the sequence of salutation mirrors that natural progression.
Arihant, Arhant or Aruhant - Which Word Is Correct?
Today both "Arihant" and "Arhant" are in common use for the first line of the mantra, and "Aruhant" is occasionally seen too. Each carries a distinct meaning:
• Arhant (Prakrit) - one worthy of worship by the gods
• Arihant (Sanskrit) - from Ari (enemy) + Hant (destroyer), i.e., one who has destroyed the enemy of karma
• Aruhant - one who has burnt the seed of the tree of worldly existence
A few points are worth weighing here.
First, the mantra as a whole is composed in Prakrit. Mixing in a Sanskrit word ("Arihant") within an otherwise Prakrit verse sits awkwardly from a grammatical standpoint - "Arhant" fits the linguistic register of the rest of the mantra.
Second, the oldest available inscriptions and texts use "Arhant." The pre-Christian-era Hathigumpha inscription of Emperor Kharavela at Udayagiri in Odisha uses "Arhant" in its opening invocation. The same reading appears in the original Shatkhandagam text preserved at Moodbidri, and in the Mularadhana text. Even the modern, ecumenical Samana Suttam - compiled in 1974 at the inspiration of Vinoba Bhave to mark Bhagwan Mahavir’s 2,500th Nirvana anniversary - opens its first verse with "Namo Arahantanam."
Third, and philosophically the more interesting point, is whether karma can really be called an "enemy" at all. In Jain philosophy, karma is jada - inert, non-conscious matter. It has no capacity for friendship or enmity. Just as a stone cannot hurt anyone by itself (it is our own act of striking with it that causes injury), the soul itself transforms matter into karmic form through its own attachment and aversion (raag-dvesh). As an old Jain verse puts it:
"Karm vichare kaun, bhool meri adhikaai,
Agni sahe ghan-ghaat, loh ki sangati paai."
("What does karma even think about - the fault is entirely my own. Fire endures the blacksmith’s hammer-blows only because of its contact with iron.")
In other words, the fault lies not with karma but with the soul's own conduct. If karma is treated as an enemy, it implies the soul still harbours attachment and aversion - and as long as that remains, omniscience (Keval Gyan) cannot arise. For this reason, the idea of "destroying an enemy" sits somewhat uneasily within the culture of non-violence (ahimsa) that this, the highest of all mantras, is meant to embody.
Taken together, these points make a reasonable case for "Arhant" as the more linguistically and philosophically consistent term. That said, both words remain in active use today, and the final choice is left to each practitioner's own reflection and conviction.
The Many Names of the Namokar Mantra
The mantra is known by several names, each capturing a different facet of its significance:
1. Panch Namaskar Mantra - because it salutes five categories of supreme souls.
2. Mahamantra / Aparajit Mantra (the "unconquered" mantra) - Acharya Umaswami observed that if the Namokar Mantra were placed on one side of a scale and all three worlds on the other, the mantra's side would still weigh heavier.
3. Mool Mantra / Mantraraj (root mantra / king of mantras) - traditionally held to be the source from which 84 lakh (8.4 million) other mantras have emerged.
4. Anadi-Nidhan Mantra (beginningless and endless) - because the five Parmeshthis have existed since beginningless time and will continue endlessly; no one composed this mantra, and it will never be destroyed. Acharyas Bhutabali and Pushpadanta were the first to commit it to writing, in Prakrit, in the great Jain text Shatkhandagam.
5. Mangal Mantra (the auspicious mantra) - because it destroys sin and brings auspiciousness.
The Glory of the Mantra
"Eso panch namoyaro savva-pavappanasano.
Mangalanam cha savvesim padhamam hoi mangalam."
("This fivefold salutation destroys all sins, and among all auspicious things, it is the very first.")
What Makes This Mantra Unique
6. It does not salute any single named individual or deity - it salutes every soul, across all time, who has attained (or is striving toward) the rank of Parmeshthi through their own austerity and spiritual practice.
7. It is not bound to any particular religion, sect, caste, nationality or economic status - any being, regardless of background, can benefit from it.
8. It contains no request or petition. Most other mantras ask for something - even a well-meaning line like "Sarva shantim kuru-kuru svaha" is still a plea for peace. The Namokar Mantra, by contrast, expresses pure, disinterested devotion, with nothing asked in return.
9. It can be recited anywhere and in any state - a pure place or an impure one, standing or seated, moving or still.
10. Tradition holds that it can be recited in 18,432 different ways.
Jain conduct for householders (shravak-charya) names remembering this mantra as the very first duty of the day:
"Brahme muhurte uttishthet parameshthi stutim pathet."
("Rising in the Brahma-muhurta - the last quarter of the night - one should first recite the praise of the Parmeshthis.")
It is also customarily recalled before starting a journey, and before beginning and ending a meal.
True reverence, however, is not in the mere utterance of the words - it lies in the spirit of surrender that arises from genuinely reflecting on the qualities of the five Parmeshthis. The mantra opens with "Namo," and "Namo" itself represents the dissolution of ego: one who bows with true surrender leaves no room for pride.
Stories of Its Power
Jain tradition preserves several stories illustrating the mantra's transformative power. Prince Jivandhar is said to have recited it to a dying dog, whose soul was subsequently reborn as the yaksha-lord Sudarshan. The merchant Padmaruchi recited it to a dying bull, who was reborn as Prince Vrishabhadhwaj - and, several lifetimes later, that same soul became Rama, alongside a companion soul who became Sugriva. The thief Anjan, trusting the word of the merchant Jinadatta, placed his faith in the mantra indirectly, and gained the power of flight (Akashagamini Vidya) - transforming from "Anjan" (the darkened one) into "Niranjan" (the stainless one).
By contrast, tradition also warns against disrespecting the mantra. Chakravarti Subhaum is said to have written the mantra on the surface of the ocean to protect his life, then erased it with his own feet - an act of disrespect for which a Vyantar deity is said to have drowned him in the Lavan Samudra (salt ocean); he died and was reborn in the seventh hell.
Om: The Shortest Form of the Five Parmeshthis
The briefest possible symbol for the Panch Parmeshthi is considered to be Om (ॐ). It is formed from the first sound of each of the five: A from Arihant, Si from the "bodiless one" (Siddha), Aa from Acharya, U from Upadhyaya, and M from Muni. Following the rules of Sanskrit vowel-combination (sandhi) - A + A = Aa, and Aa + U + M = Om - these five sounds fuse into the single syllable Om, making it, in Jain tradition, the seed-mantra (bija-mantra) of the five Parmeshthis.
Conclusion
The Namokar Mantra is not merely a string of words - it is the very first step on the path to spiritual liberation. It praises no deity and asks for nothing. It is pure surrender to every soul that has, through its own effort, attained the highest spiritual stations. Recited with correct pronunciation, genuine understanding, and true devotion, it is regarded as capable of purifying the soul and bringing auspiciousness into every walk of life.