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Räjgeetä
My innumerable obeisance be at the feet of the enlightened, who behave transcendentally while being embodied. (142)
Explanation & Discussion: At the time of commencing this composition the obeisance was offered to the enlightened Guru. That was done for securing his blessing in carrying out the work. Since that work is now over, the obeisance is offered to all the enlightened personages, who stay beyond the physical mode while being embodied. Such personages are mainly the omniscient Lords, who abide in the transcendental state. Though it is hard to describe that state, one can try to comprehend it in terms of the ladder of spiritual elevation.
Jainism stipulates 14 stages of spiritual elevation, which are analogous to the rungs of a ladder. The ascendance on the ladder is mainly in the form of overcoming the deluding Karma. Since the time immemorial the worldly souls have been in delusion about the true nature of soul. They are conditioned to react to the different situations with craving or aversion. Thereby they acquire the bondage of Karma; and for bearing the consequences thereof, they continue to take births. That stage relates to the baseline of the ladder. It is the 1st stage known as Mithyätva.
The perception-related delusion is overcome in the 4th stage when one gains the right perception. As the aspirant goes ahead, the perception becomes clearer, and thereby the character-related delusion also continues to go down. This is concomitant to climbing on the succeeding rungs of the ladder. If the progress stays uninterrupted, one can reach the 8th stage, which is termed as unprecedented. Thereafter the progress in overcoming delusion is swift. It culminates in the 12th stage, when the character-related
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