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CHAPTER-VI
239
Here someone says. "They (the peripatetic Devas) are seen causing pain and misery and if respected they refrain from causing
pain?"
Answer : When he (the misbeliever) suffers from the rise of inauspicious karmas then they (the Vyantaras) too are found having sportive mood of this type only, due to which they indulge in sportive actions and because of their such acts the person becomes miserable. And if out of fun they utter something and this fellow does not act accordingly then they stop teasing him and finding him weak continue making fun. If he has the rise of Punya (auspicious karmas) then they cannot do anything.
It is also seen, that some persons do not worship them and rather criticize them or they (the Vyantaras) also have aversion with him but they (the Vyantaras) cannot harm him. They are also found saying that the particular person does not pay regard to us, still we cannot do anything. Therefore, the peripatetic devas, etc. are not capable of doing anything, rather happiness-unhappiness is caused due to his own Punya-Papa (virtu and vice) karmas only; on the contrary by regarding and worshipping them, miseries are intensified, no purpose is accomplished.
Further, it should be known that whatever glory and miracles are found associated with imaginary deities, these all are creations of peripatetic devas. Someone was his devotee in the previous birth, after death he became a Vyantara (peripatetic Deva). In that state owing to some reason such conjecture developed due to which he (Vyantara) creates some miracle for inducing people to worship that Deva or false deity. The worldly ignorant people indulge in his worship by seeing some miracle (uncommon happening). As we listen and see the miracles associated with Jina-Pratimas (Idols), but these are not the acts of Jina, rather these are created by some Jaina-Vyantaras. Similarly, whatever miracle is found associated with false deities is the creation of their devotees Vyantaras, etc. . Further, in the other sects it is stated that the God helped the devotees and gave Darshan (sight) directly by appearing before them. But most of these statements are imaginary. Many such acts are performed by their devotee Vyantara Devas which are stated to have
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