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holy or divine personages; a mode of bhakti, or an act of sharing in the divine glories of the holy beings; and act of declaring and affirming faith, belief and convictions in the doctrines and practices of Jains to attain the divinity.234 Dr. William considers Pancha-namaskara as the aparajitamantra.235
The offering of prayers to and meditation on the five pada are reverences to the essential attributes of the five divinities only and not the person. It is strong faith of the Jains that divinities (Pancha parameshtis) neither can remove the karma of the devotee nor even can fulfil the wants desired by him. The offering of prayers to and the, meditations of the gods in Jainism -- as in the highest form of a rational religion -- are perfectly disinterested. No favours are sought from the God or the gods and the result of the divine worship is simply the development and perfection of one's own self. Acharya Hemchandra observes that stuti (devotion) purifies knowledge.236 Jainism believes that neither the Tirthankara can give any object nor can release the sinner. In Hinduism, Lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita declares 'just surrender unto me and I shall save you from all sins."237 A Tirthankara in Jainism does not make such promises and does not give boons but gives the guidance and directs one to realise the truth and thereby achieve for himself the salvation. He cannot release the sinner and fulfil the desires of devotees for worldly objects. One suffers or enjoys the consequences of his own doings. As he sows, so does he reap. Therefore, karmaphala is not granted by the Bhagavan or God. Bhagavan Mahavira says, “There is no escape from the karma already floated.”— kadana kammana na mokkha
atthi.238
Acharya Hemchandra Suri observes, ‘Prayer or recitation of Pancha Parameshti Mantra purifies the mind and speech. They are prayed for not fulfilment of worldly desire and for getting rid of any misery but it is for the purification of one's own mind and to get embodied one's self the qualities of Pancha Parameshtis.' Pt. Sukhlal ji rightly observes, 'They are saluted for the acquire
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THE CONCEPT OF DIVINITY IN JAINISM
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