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JAINISM: A THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY “GOD IN JAINISM”
succeeds where others fail and he is called "lucky'. "Good Luck' is the result of the working of devas, and as their working is invisible, men think the result is a chance or accident. But it must be remembered that all devas work within law, and not by arbitrary fancies. The sacrifices and offerings prescribed in Vedas form a great occult system for obtaining and regulating this cooperation between devas and men, whereby the work of both is carried on with the largest results.
Those who desire success in action here, worship devas, or gods but the benefits obtained from them are transient, impermanent. Hence the worship of devas is not practiced by men whose heart are set on spiritual things. They worship īśvara, the God, rather than his ministers, either Brahman, or as revealed in Trimūrti.
Brahman is the witness of all beings, the propelling power, all pervading and self-existent. One gets free from birth by merging into Brahman. “Brahman is part-less and so there cannot be any real part of it. Hence, it must be viewed as a part, as it were of fire.' In this aphorism the individual soul is explained as a delimited entity."
The Trimārti, supreme triple unity, as it is said in Vişnupurāņa, the one and only God Janārdana takes designation of Brahmā, Vişņu and Siva, accordingly as He creates, preserves or destroys."
Brahmāis the creator, pictured as with four heads, one looking towards each quarter, riding on (hamsa) the Swan."Vişņu is the preserver and sustainer, the principle underlying and sustaining the universe in order, and preserving forms, holding them together by his attracting force." He is the source of avatāras, reincarnation,
35 Svetāśvatara Upanişad, VI. 18; 1.7 30 G. Mishra, The Anubhūti Paksa of Vidyāranya, Introduction,
P-XVII 3 Martin, E.Q., Gods of India, P-133 38 Keneith Morger, Ed, The Religious of Hindus, P-85 “Encyclopaedia of Britannica, Vol. VIII, P-892
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