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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
For example, worshipping the Jina with water he expresses the wish that he may become free from birth, old age and death just as the Jina himself is. Sandal-wood paste is next offered wishing that the heat of worldly existence may get cooled. Similarly, unbroken grains of husked rice symbolise the wish for attaining imperishable bliss, flowers the wish for eradication of sexual passion, some articles of cooked food that for immunity from physical hunger, lamps that for destruction of the darkness of ignorance, burning incense symbolises burning out the bonds of karman, and fruit the eternal fruit of blissfulness. In the end the mixed offering, arghya, is made to indicate that the worshipper aspires to attain that worshipful status himself one day. The qualities of the 'Worshipful One' are eulogised and one's own pious wishes and aspirations, as detailed above, are specifically given expression to. This is the full course of a single pūjā, dedicated to an arhat, any one or more of the Tirtharkaras, the ideal gurus, the śāstra, to any one or more of the Divine attributes, or to any other objects worthy of Jaina worship. It depends upon the convenience of the worshipper and the time he can spare how many and what pujās he performs at a time. Again, the daily pūjā may be a very simple affair, and it may be considerably elaborate. On particular occasions, such as the fast-days religious festivals, or other special occasions, the pujā performed tends to become quite elaborate. On such occasions, it is usually performed collectively by a group of worshippers. In its essence, however, the Jaina pūjā is rather individualistic than congregational or communal, the former being the rule and the latter the exception, but not a very uncommon one.
A Jaina concludes his daily deva-pujā with the recitation of the śānti-pāțha, expressing his pious wish for universal peace: “May Lord Jinendra bestow peace on the land, the nation, the city and the state, and welfare on all the citizens, may the rulers and administrators be strong, law-abiding and righteous, the rains be timely and adequate, all the diseases
