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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
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Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
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(avidyā). He danced much in the world by wearing in various forms of passion and anger, sensuous enjoyment, temptations, harsh criticism, delusion, desires, greed, and māyā. Sūradāsa frequently realises that he is a fallen (patita ) individual and is full of all possible vices like anger, passion, greed, crookedness, cruelty, deception, falsehood, etc.' He clearly admits his faults and his sinful nature being possessed by the vices which lead him away and away from the Lord.
Sūradāsa is thoroughly conscious of the sinful nature of man and the miserable nature of the worldly life. He appeals to the God who loves his devotees extremely (bhaktavatsala ), and is an ocean of infinite compassion (kịpānidhi),? to relieve them of their sufferings of the worldly life and to uplift them. Who else than the Lord Himself can be capable ( samartha ) of giving him resort, like the Lord who is the Lord of the helpless and forsaken (anātha )?3 To whom else can he go and offer himself with all humility ? The Lord is his end (gati). Once he becomes of the Lord, why should he seek any other resort ? Why should he milk a goat when he has already secured the wish-fulfilling cow (Kamadhenu)? Why should he ride an ass by getting down from the king of elephants (Gajendra ) on whom he has already mounted ? Why should he tie round his neck glass beads on removing those
1 Sūradāsa : Sūrasā gara, Vol. I (Hindi), Skandha I, Verse 140, p. 46.
2 Ibid. Verse 161, p. 53. 3 Ibid. Verse 160, p. 53,
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