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instrumental in the birth of some sects of Jaina Sangha who were opposed to idol-worship.
THE EFFECT OF TANTRA AND BHAKTI-MARGA ON JAINISM
From the Gupta period till 10th 11th century AD Indian society went through a gradual moral degeneration; though this was also a period that witnessed a high level of excellence in fine arts particularly in the erotic art of Khajuraho and Konarak. Jina temples also did not remain untouched by its influence. It was also the period when eroticism in art received religious sanction with the creation of Krsna-Radha Gopis legend.
Tantra and Tantrika way of worship also spread. This was just like a fire in which Buddhist Sangha got completely burnt but the Jaina Sangha also could not completely remain uneffected by the flames of this fire. The spiritualist Jaina religion also got influenced by Tantrika practices. Many of the gods and goodness of Hindu traditions changed into Yaksas and Yaksis or as caretaker gods and goddesses, they became members of big circle of Jaina gods. Many rules and regulations were framed in the tantrika rituals to gain their mercy or to get mundane happiness and prosperity from them. A Jaina Tīrthankara being free from attachments would neither destroy his enemies nor grant happiness to a devotee; hence befitting the conditions of prevalent times, the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the devotees was entrusted upon the Yaksa and Yaksis.
Similarly, the Jaina sangha was also influenced by the path of devotion. The joint effect of Bhakti-marga and tantra resulted in the cult of worship and Yajña etc. in various forms of rituals in Jaina temples. Jina-idols were being worshipped in seventeen
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