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of their accumulated auspicious karmas. They enjoy better empirical existence or some extraordinary power than human beings and other class of beings. The cult of yaksha and yakshini i.e. worship of attending god is often practised for some ceremonialism. It is worth noting the views of Dr. P.B. Desai - 'In Tamil Nadu, yakshini was allotted an independent status and raised to a superior position which was almost equal to that of the Jina. In some instances the worship of yakshini appears to have superseded even that of Jina. 102 Goddess Padmavati, Jwala-malini, Chakreshwari, Osiyamata, and Nakodabhairu, are worshipped by man to make himself free from sufferings miseries and to fulfil desire. But, in fact, they have no power to release the sufferer from the misery since the sufferer is bound by his own karma. Worship may bring the purity and thereby the sufferer may feel relief. Even devas are bound by their own karmas. They are not the objects of adoration because, they are not pure, perfect, omniscient but, live in a bondage of karma in Devagati (celestial existence). 103 However they are respectable beings because they serve the Jina104, help for the propagation of Jina dharma105, and help to virtuous10% and hence they are respected.
Avataravada Vs Uttaravada
Jainism believes not in Avataravada (the descent or incarnation of God) but in uttaravada (the ascendance of man to Godhood). Uttaravada stands for the rise of man from the deteriorating life of a human being and reaching to that godly life that knows no deterioration. To become divine it is absolutely essential for one to develop one's own internal qualities or excellences. With the full flowering (complete development) of one's spiritual powers any soul can become an omniscient. There is no place for divine grace or the capricious whims of a superior deity for a soul to attain the spiritual development.
Now we shall discuss the stages of the spiritual development which leads to divinity.
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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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