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Juina Community-A Social Survey
the ulterior motive of avoiding evil influences and securing constant favours. This is so because the Jainas do not believe in the principle that the outside divine agency can help an individual in achieving his salvation, which is his ultimate aim in life. It has already been noted that the important theory of Karma in Jaina philosophy completely denies the existence of divine dispensation and lays full stress on individual action20. Even though the acceptance of a family deity is an irreligious practice according to Jainism still many Jainas have adopted it possibly through Hindus with whom they are associated for the last so many centuries. Not only the system of family deity has entered among the Jainas but also the Hindu gods and goddesses are considered by them as their family deities. At the same time it must be remembered that the orthodox Jainas never worship Hindu gods and goddesses as it is against the spirit of Jainism. Hence with a view to ascertain the present state of affairs in this regard the question number 29 was asked and from the replies it will be seen that nearly 25% of the persons who have sent their replies specifically declare that they have no system of family deity at all and such persons belong to all the main sects of Jainism. Among those who observe the system of family deity it may be noted that they have adopted both the Jaina and Hindu gods as their family deities. It can be stated that the practice of family deity appears to be more widespread among the Śvetāṁbaras and Sthānakavāsis than among the Digambaras and that in their family deities the proportion of Hindu gods and goddesses appears to be preponderantly more among the Svetāmbaras and Sthānakavāsis than among the Digam
as. The Jaina deities, which are commonly adopted as family deities by Jainas of all sects, are Ādinātha, Chandranātha, Vimalanātha, śāntinātha, Pārsvanātha, and Mahāvira; and the Jaina deities like Bāhubali, Padmāvati and Kshetrapāla, seem to be prevalent only among the Digambaras. The Hindu gods and goddesses who are regarded as family deities by the Jainas of different sects are as follows: Digambera Jainas : Bhairava, Khandobā, Brahmadeva and
Kālikā Devi. Svetārbara Jainas : Mahālakshmi, Chakreśvari, Būtamātā,
Ambikāmātā, Bherai Devi, Gotrijā, Chandikā and Nānamā.
