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to Mahavira as the Lord of yogins.185 Mallisenasuri observes “O, of infinite knowledge (vijnana), with failings outgone, of tenets irrefutable, the one worshipped by immortals; the Jina, the chief of authority, the self-originated, O Glorious Vardhamana, I shall endeavour to praise you”. 186
Numerous stars, planets raise from all directions, but the sun rises from the east direction only. Similarly, innumerable women give birth to hundreds of sons, but, Arhat, born from the womb of a great mother, is a unique, accomplished omniscient, a supreme Divinity.187 Thus, Arhat who knows the happenings in the fourteen Rajju Loka, has infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite conduct, infinite austerities, infinite power with thirty four atishayas and thirty five vachana atishayas, is adored, saluted and worshipped by sixty four Indras. 188
A devotee bows to such divinity and pays his obeisance as follows. “Praise to the Arhats, the blessed ones....... who provide the path across, who have of themselves attained enlightenment, the best among men, the lions among men, the lotus among men, the gandhahastins (perfumed-elephants) among men, the best of those in the world, the lords of the world, benefactors of the world, the lights of the world, the irradiators of the world, those who give freedom from fear, who give insight, who give the right direction, who give refuge, who give enlightenment, who give the sacred doctrine, who expound the sacred doctrine, who are the authorities on the sacred doctrine, the guides to the sacred doctrine, ecumenical monarchs of the sacred doctrine, those who maintain the irrefutable knowledge and insight, who have thrown off all travesties, the Jinas, who drive away evil, who have crossed over, who aid others across, the enlightened and the enlighteners, the liberated and the liberators, the omniscient, the all-seeing, those who have reached the place that is called Siddha-gati from which there is no return, and which is bliss immutable, inviolable, endless, imperishable and undisturbed; praise to the Jinas who have overcome fear”. 189
THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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