Jain Theism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah

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Jain Theism
Here God has been addressed as 'Sanam which means beloved.
The relationship between God and soul through erotic longing or love is also seen in 'Prema Lakṣaṇa' Bhakti of Hindu religion where God is the only male and all the souls, like a lady lover (Priyatama) crave for Him. As Mira, a famous Hindu lady mystic and poet expresses in one of her verses
"O ! Mohan (Lord Krisna).
I have been very much enchanted
by your lovely complexion.
Ever since I have witnessed your beauty
The world has lost all attraction for me. 121
The Upanisads describe Brahman (God) as "That (being) from which all beings (souls) are born by which they live and into which they finally merge."
122
In the final summing up, about the relationship between God and soul we find whatever the relationship described and whatever the symbols used but it is between the supreme and the spirit or between the perfect and imperfect between pure and impure. Moreover, we find the supreme or the pure (God) divine in his love and mercy upon the impure and imperfect, souls. We also find each soul as part of the spirit, a drop of the ocean, miniature, (Vibhu) form of the sublime (Virāt).
God and World
The world or the universe or as we say 'Jagat' also indicates its relationship with God. In the philosophical perspective the problem of the world raises two questions: (i) Whether the world or the universe is created or is there since the beginningless of time and (ii) Whether the world is real or illusion?
The nature of God's relationship to world depend solely upon the answers one arrives at on the above questions. If the universe is
121.
122.
मुखडानी माया लागी रे, मोहन तारा,
मुखडुं में जोयुं तारुं, सर्व जग तो थयुं खारुं ।
Taitreya Upanisad 3-1.
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मीरां