Padmavati Devi Sadhana

Goddess Padmavati is the Guardian deity of 23^rd Tirthankar Parshwanath. She is believed to be the most worshipped and actively present goddess in Jainism. Devotees have experienced her lifechanging vibrations through jap, tapa and sadhana. Here in this article we’ll discuss about some aspects of Padmavati devi sadhana which can be a lifechanging experience for you.

Padmavati Katha

Devi Padmavati was a snake in her previous birth. In that birth she was burning in the fire of Havana along with her partner. This Havana was organized by Kamatha. Lord Parshvanath saw this in his divine knowledge and rescued this pair of snakes. Snakes were blazed in fire and in their last breath they were made to hear navkar by Parshwanath bhagwan. Parshwanath bhagwan directed them to apologize for all the sins they committed in their lifetime. The apology that they made with pure heart and the vibrations of navkar which they got to feel in their last breaths gave them samadhi and after death they reincarnated as demigods- Dharnendra and Padmavati. Kamath was insulted by people and with time died with immense hatred in his heart. In his next birth Kamath became a demon named Meghmali

One day Parshwanath Bhagwan was meditating in a forest which was governed by Meghmali. Meghmali inspired by the hatred of his past life began to cause trouble in Lord Parshwanath’s sadhana. He flooded the entire forest with immense rain. Gradually water started to rise above Lord Parshwanath’s throat. Dharnendra and Padmavati saw this in their divine knowledge when their sinhasan began to shake. This was a signal for the guardian deities to offer their seva to the tirthankara. Goddess padmavati took form of a huge cobra and gave shelter to Lord Parshwanath under the hood. On the other hand, Dharnendra Dev became a Lotus flower below the feet of Parshwanath bhagwan. With the rise in water level, lotus would also rise and with the hood over his head Lord was protected from heavy rain. With two powerful deities to protect Parshwanath, Meghmali felt defeated and left the place. Devotees believe that Dharnendra and Padmavati help the devotees of Parshvanath Bhagwan and are active guardians of Jinshasan.

Padmavati Swarup

There are various forms in which Goddess Padmavati is visualized in ancient scriptures and paintings. Interestingly she is attributed to be in the form of Tridevi. This means that Goddess Padmavati is seen in the different forms of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali. Sadhaks worship the form of Padmavati which attunes to their life path and sadhana. One of her statues is also seen to have open third eye. In most of her statues she is seen to be sitted on lotus and has a cobra hood over her head. Lord Parshwanath is seen to be sitted on this cobra hood.

In other statues she is accompanied by various creatures who serve her as her vehicles. Animals and birds like snake, cock, swan and garud are seen to be her vehicles in different paintings. In one interesting illustration she is seen to have a vehicle which has a body of cock and head of a cobra and vice-versa. She is seen to have 4,6 or 24 hands in various descriptions. All the forms of Goddess are pious and will assist you in your journey of liberation.

Mantra Sadhana

There are various Mantras of Padmavati Devi which can make you capable of getting her blessings. Every Mantra has a different effect. Some are listed below.

1. Mantras listed below are naam and beej mantras of Padmavati devi. They are immensely potential and makes you worthy of Goddess’ blessings.

ॐ पद्मे नमः। (Om Padme Namah)
ॐ ह्रीं कलीं पद्मे नमः। (Om Hrim Klim Padme Namah)
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं पद्मावत्यै नमः। (Om Hrim shrim Klim Padmavatye Namah)
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं पद्मावत्यै नमः। (Om Hrim Shrim Padmavatye namah)

According to many mantra shastras Hrim (ह्रीं) is a beej mantra which worships 24 tirthankaras. Alternatively, it is also considered that Hrim (ह्रीं) beej mantra collectively worships Parshwanath bhagwan, Padmavati Devi and Dharnendra devta. Here sound H (ह) denotes Parshvanath bhagwan. Matra of R (र) below H (ह) denotes dharnendra devta and matra of Im (ीं) which looks like a hood on Parshwanath Bhagwan denotes Devi Padmavati. Thus, with the mantra mentioned below one can worship Parshwanath bhagwan, Padmavati devi and Dharnendra devta. Its sadhana should be understood by a guru.

ॐ ह्रीं नमः। (Om Hrim Namah)

Padmavati devi being devi of Dharnendra Dev and guardian deity of Parshwanath bhagwan gets pleased when we worship them. Thus, the mantra below which worships shankheshwar parshwanath is very apt for getting the blessings of goddess.

ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं धरनेन्द्र पद्मावती सहिताय श्री शंखेश्वर पार्श्वनाथाय नमः। (Om hrim shrim dharnendra padmavati sahitay shree shankheshwar parshwanathay namah)

This mantra of Padmavati devi has a potential of making you victorious and wealthy.

(ॐ पद्मावती पद्मनेत्रे पद्मासने लक्ष्मी दायिनी वांछापूरणी ऋद्धिं सिद्धिं जयं जयं कुरु कुरु स्वाहा।)

Chanting Uvasaggaharam stotra regularly will increase your healing energy and will also make you worthy of Padmavati Devi’s blessings.

Padmavati Yantra

Parshwa-Padmavati Tapa

Starting from the Friday of the waxing phase of the moon, if one observes ekasan (eating only once a day) for consecutive 16 Fridays (16 shukravar), one can increase their tapobal and can attain the siddhi of Padmavati devi. One should do this tapa out of devotion to get solution to their life problems. The rules and regulations that one needs to follow during these fasts are listed below.

Observe Brahmacharya during your fasts.
Read Padmavati Katha sitting on a clean place. Then chant mantras and stutis of Parshwanath bhagwan and Padmavati devi. One should also chant uvasaggaharam stotra on the fast day.
Eat food only after reading katha and chanting mantras.
Women should avoid mantra chanting and reading katha during their periods.
Don’t eat kandmul (onion, garlic, potato, etc.) during your sadhana period.
Include some white color food in your ekasan.
Don’t eat anything sour in your ekasan.
Don’t wear black clothes on fast days.
Perform charity once you complete your 16 ekasanas.

Notes and Precautions

Strictly follow celibacy in your sadhana.
Offer Coconut, lotus, marwa, Kumkum, mehendi and rose to devi.
Burning an akhand diya of cow’s ghee during your sadhana period or burning a diya during your jaap will give you a fast progress in your sadhana.
Complete atleast 1.25 lacs of jaap of the mantra.
Respect women. (Not only for being a good sadhak but also for being a good human!)
Face towards north or East direction during your jaap.
Have utmost devotion. Padmavati devi’s sadhana is incomplete without Parshwanath Bhagwan’s bhakti.
Perform guru Vandana before your sadhana. Also take guidance from your guru before starting this sadhana.
Never hurt snakes or any other animal intentionally.
Go to derasar and worship Parshwanath bhagwan daily.
Padmavati devi also serves the navkar sadhaks as it is navkar which gave her a life of a devi.
Being a guardian deity she helps every shasan sevak.

Hope you liked this sadhana. Do read our other articles and let us know which sadhana do you want to associate yourself with. Let’s make a worthy use of this human life.