Gandharavada

Author(s): Esther A Solomon
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyasabha

Page 259

170
admit the existence of denizens of hell experiencing only pain as the fruit of their highly sinful actions and of gods experiencing only pleasure or happiness as the fruit of their highly virtuous actions (1874).
But if the gods exist why do they not come to the mortal world even when they are free to go wherever they like? As a rule they do not come as they have transferred their affections to celestial things, they are attached to the objects of pleasure there, they have not completed all their duties there, there is no special reason for them to come here as the work of mortals is not dependent on them. Moreover the world of mortals is ugly and they would not be able to bear the foul smell emitting from it. For these reasons jointly or severally gods as a rule do not visit the mortal world (1875).
But it is not true to say that they never come. They come on joyous occasions like the birth of a tirthankara, his initiation, his attaining omniscience, his nirvana. Some gods like Indra come instantaneously out of a sense of devotion, other gods follow him; still others come to dispel their doubts. There are other reasons also for their coming, viz. attachment to a son, friend, etc. of a previous life; appointment given to a friend, etc. for giving enlightenment, by being attracted by the severe austerity of great beings and ascetics; intention to harm a foe of a previous life or to favour a friend, son etc. of a previous life; solely for pleasure, to test good persons, and so on (1876-7).
The following inferences can prove the existence of the gods: One must have faith in the existence of gods, because
(i) Reliable persons, who have the power to know their previous existence, say that in a previous existence they were gods, (ii) there is direct perception of the gods in the case of some persons possessed of such attributes as austerity, etc; (iii) some persons get their work accomplished through the gods by means of vidya (lore), mantra (prayer, incantation) upayacana (entreaty), etc;