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88 Jaina Religion: Its Historical Journey of Evolution
grant happiness to a devotee; hence befitting the conditions of prevalent times, the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the devotees was entrusted upon the yakṣa and yakṣis.
Similarly, the Jaina samgha was also influenced by the path of devotion. The joint effect of Bhakti-märga and tantra resulted in the cult of worship and yajña etc in various forms of rituals in Jaina temples. Jina-idols were being worshipped in seventeen forms of worship like the sixteen forms of (Sodaṣopacārī) worship of Hindu tradition. Not only was the Jina-idol decorated with clothes and ornaments but fruits and naivedya etc started being offered. It was indeed ironical that the Tīrathankaras or liberated souls were being invited and abandoned after worship along with Navagrahas etc. because of the irrational imitation of the customs of worship of Hindus. Though Śvetämbaras were more influenced by this, even Digambaras could not remain uninfluenced. Different types of mantras and tantras entered in their rituals. Yajñas were performed in Jinatemples. The religious system of Śramaņa tradition, which was free from varṇa and caste system, was abandoned. On the contrary, it emphasized that a low caste Śūdra cannot attain liberation; a social taboo was also imposed upon the water offered by a Śūdra.
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