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It is true, but these great souls forget that for the sake of purity and awareness of the *upādāna*, it is essential to manifest the *upādāna* as the cause of the *upādāna*, and for this, the indispensable need for the dependence on the *padma* (lotus) like *jinabhakti* (devotion to the Jinas) and other beneficial causes. The service of the Lord is the strong *lakshana* (sign) that manifests the *upādāna* (soul) as the cause of the *upādāna*. The scriptural scholars have repeatedly proclaimed that the *jinarāja* (king of the Jinas), the mine of the nectar of equality, is the ultimate cause, and his dependence is the attainment of *niyama* (discipline). The great soul, *matthātmā* (great soul) *daivacandraji* (a Jain saint) and others have sung with devotion:
“The *upādāna* is the soul, O friend, the strong *lakshana* is the Lord… worship the Jinas! The *upādāna* is the cause, O friend, the service of the Lord manifests it… worship the Jinas! The *jinarāja* is the ultimate cause, the mine of the nectar of equality; the dependence on the Lord is the attainment of *niyama*, this is the proclamation.” – *Śrī Daivacandraji*.
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“If the work is done due to the cause, there is no argument in that; but to say that the cause is Vishnu and to accomplish the work, is the delusion of one’s own opinion.” – *Śrī Anandghanaji*.
It is extremely difficult to ascend directly (directly) through the series of forms without such a strong dependence on the cause. But for those who have manifested the *ātmasvarūpa* (true nature of the soul), it becomes easy to ascend through that series by depending on the meditation of the *sahujātmā* (one who is the same as the soul) *aham* (I) *ta-siddh* (self-realized) Lord. Because, as *Śrīmad Rājacandraji* has said, “To contemplate the form of the Lord is to contemplate the form of the *parama dṛṣṭivān puruṣa* (the man of supreme vision) from a secondary perspective. Just as the *ātmasvarūpa* of the perfected Lord is, so is the *ātmasvarūpa* of all beings; therefore, the noble being should have an interest in perfection.” If we look at it from the fundamental perspective, the worship of the Jinas is the worship of the *ātmasvarūpa*. *Śrī Daivacandra* has said, “The worship of the Jinas is the worship of oneself.” Someone might say, “What is the use of this cause? We should directly cling to the *upādāna* soul, and only contemplate the *adhyātmasvarūpa* (spiritual form).” But this belief is wrong, because such contemplation of the *adhyātmasvarūpa* without the *lakshana* is for the excellent *adhikārī* (qualified person) who has attained the very high, un-distracted state; but without such a high state of *adhikārī*, reading the *adhyātmashastra* (spiritual scriptures) with one’s own imagination, and talking about the contemplation of the *adhyātmasvarūpa* in the name of the *upādāna*, there are many dangers. For example, sometimes it causes *vyāmoha* (delusion) in the being. Even though one has not attained such a state of *śyātmā* (self-realized), one develops a delusion of such a state, and instead of “I am Brahman,” one becomes “I am delusion!” Sometimes, due to the lack of the sweetness of *bhaktirasa* (devotional feeling), dryness sets in, and one becomes a dry spiritualist, and in speech, one acts as if one is in a state of *mahāveśa* (great trance), and thus develops a dry intellectualism, and therefore…
plays, but pure *dandachāra* (conduct)