Bhaktāmara Stotra

'Hymn of an immortal devotee') is a Jain religious hymn (stotra) written in Sanskrit.

An unidentified Sanskrit poet Matanga, composer of Brahaddeśī on music theory, may also have been the same person.

Bhaktāmara Stotra was composed sometime in the Gupta or the post-Gupta period, making Manatunga approximately contemporary with other navaratnas like Kalidasa and Varahamihira.

Mayura Pandit worshipped the Sun God with a hymn he composed known as Surya Sataka.

Envying him, Bana Pandit got his hands and legs chopped off and took it as a challenge to make Goddess Chandi bless him in 6 letters.

Thereafter, the courtiers told the king that Śvetāmbara Jain Acharyas did not possess such mantric powers and that they must be banished from the kingdom.

He was called to the king's court and was challenged to prove the greatness of Tirthankaras or leave the kingdom otherwise.

Acharya Manatungsuri replied "our Lord, free from love and hatred as He is, does not perform miracles.

Thereafter, Manatungsuri got himself fettered in 44 chains and stood behind a jinaalay (Jain Temple) facing its rear side.

[2] The oldest surviving palm leaf manuscript (dated 1332 AD) that illustrates this stotra is found at the Patan Library.

[10][11] A 1332 AD palm leaf manuscript of the stotra illustrating only the 44 verses (as believed by Śvetāmbaras) is well-preserved at the Patan library.

There is a temple at Bharuch with a section dedicated to the Bhaktāmara Stotra and its author Manatunga.

Photo of Bhaktāmara Stotra manuscript- now owned and preserved by the British Library (Manuscript ID: Or 13741)