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YOGA.
451
ideal, and, incidentally, the worshipping of those who have already attained to its realization. The causal connection between the ideal of the soul and the worshipping of those who have already realized it is to be found in the fact that the realization of an ideal demands one's whole-hearted attention, and is only possible by following in the footsteps of those who have actually reached the
goal.
: The analysis of the nature of bhakti entitles us to say that no one who does not excite, in the fullest degree, the feelings of love and respect in our hearts is entitled to our devotion. This amounts to saying that the heart does not offer its devotion to any but the being who happens to be its greatest sympathiser and well-wisher. Now, since these qualifications are to be found in the Tirthamkara alone who preaches the dharma (religion or path) that leads to the Perfection and Bliss of Gods, in other words, who enables the soul to attain to the sublime status of Godhood, none but He is entitled to or can command the full adoration of the heart.
According to modern theologians, however, bhakti implies devotion to a Supreme Being on the ground of his being the creator of the world and the maker of souls and their bodies. But this is quite untenable, firstly, because the notion of a creator of the world and of the maker of souls and their material bodies has been seen to be illogical, and, secondly, because an act of this kind performed voluntarily in the past is incapable of engendering the emotion of love, much less of devotional love, though it might possibly give rise to a feeling of
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