Translation and explanation of Pratikramana Stotras in English
By Rati Dodhia

Preface

Jaina scriptures have prescribed six necessary duties for a Jaina householder, which are: sämäyika, chaturvimashati stava, vandanaka, Pratikramana, käyotsarga and pratyäkhyäna. Pratikramana is the central theme of these necessary duties as all the other five are included in it.

It has been a tradition for Swetamber Jains all over the world to do Pratikramana several times a year. The most important being the Samvantsari Pratikramana on the last day of Paryushana when a lay person confesses and atones for the sins committed knowingly or unknowingly during the past year. However, as the sutras and the prayers which are recited during the Pratikramana are mostly in Sanskrit and Prakrit (Ardhmaghdhi), most devotees do not understand the exact meaning behind the sutras and prayers.

Excellent Gujarati and Hindi texts are available on this subject but I am not aware of any works in simple English.

I must confess that I am not a scholar of Jain Religion and this is not a literary translation. It is my interpretation of the sutras and prayers after going through various texts on this subject written by scholars and very able writers. My purpose of writing this book is to give a simplified unconventional English translation to make it
easy for an average reader to understand the meaning of the Pratikramana stotras.

This book “Exposition of Pratikramana Stotras” includes the original verses in Gujarati, with transliteration in English followed by as accurate as possible meaning and as clear as possible commentary of the verses. This book will be very helpful to the people who are familiar with the Pratikramana stotras but do not understand the original meanings as they are not well versed in Indian dialects.

Rati Dodhia
12 Mitris Blvd.
Lincoln RI 02865, USA

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