Jain Journal 1968 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 39

JANUARY, 1968
125
souls do not do any good or evil deeds to any one, i.e., when the soul bocomes Siddha, it loses all its connection with the worldly souls or beings.
The basic postulate of bhaktimārga is that God is the Lord of all beings and non-beings, the whole universe and its entire moving and nonmoving entities. According to this doctrine, the devotee regards himself as the servant of God in this world and even in the liberated state. But there is no place of this conception of bhakti (devotion) in Jainadharma. Nevertheless, the Jainas could not remain unaffected from the influence of bhaktimārga which spread to the four borders of India. The Jainacaryas, without having regarded the Tiirthankaras as the Lords of the universe, have made the description of their Lordships and their own humbleness (or servitude) and prayed to them for giving shelter.Just as Vişnusahasranama Stotra is famous among the bhaktimārgins, So Jinasahasranama Stotra composed by Jinasena and Arhannāmasahasrasamuccaya written by Acarya Hemacandra are noteworthy among the Jainas. Besides, the worship of Tirthankaras by the Jainas, having installed their images in the temples, shows the influence of bhaktimārga or Iśvaratattva current among the general people, on the Jaina worship. But this is the gross from a bhakti whose impact is evidently found among the Jainas.
There is the principle of priti (love) in human nature. The spiritual progress of soul is not possible, so long as the base of prīti (love) is the worldly object. Therefore, the base of it should be changed. If the vītarāga (the dispassionate) is made the base of prīti (love), then bhakti (devotion) finds place in Jainadharma. But the question is how can there be priti (love) between the dispassionate Tirthankara and the worldly being, for the former has attained perfection and he is pure, while the worldly being (or soul) is in the worldly life and is impure. There is no possibility of union between them from the point of view of dravya (substance), kşetra (field), kāla (time) and bhāva (condition) nor is the introduction possible by sending message. Another point is that there cannot be priti (love) from one side. The being who desires to love is
sionate (rāgi) but he with whom he wants to make love is a vītarāga (dispassionate). On account of these distinctions the question arises, how can prīti (love) be expressed. The reply to it is given by Devacandra in this manner. On desisting from infinite external objects priti (love) of the devotee unites with the vītarāga (dispassioante one), i.e., both the devotee and the vītarāga comes to an equal status due to the quality of dispassionateness. The devotee himself becomes the Lord by making him the object of love. Prabhujīne avalambata nija prabhuta ho pragate guna rasa14. From this point of view the meaning of bhakti to the Tirthankára is to follow his instruction or order ajñākārin bhanto', i.e.