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RISABHA DEVA
true saint is the most meritorious, and as the Tirthamkara is the greatest of all saints, the giving of food to him with a pure heart that is illumined with the light of Jnana (knowledge divine) and filled with reverence and devotion for the Ideal is the most meritorious of all. The devas witnessed the sight from the upper air, and rained down fragrant water, heavenly flowers and small gems on the assembly. They uttered loud shouts of "victory! victory " and beat the heavenly drums!
We have already seen the effect of the gift of food to two Jaina Saints in the case of four animal souls, namely, the Lion, the Pig, the Monkey and the Mongoose, who reached a bhogabhumi thereby! Of course, merit does not lie in the articles that are given; for they might be worth a couple of farthings and no more, as must have been the actual market-value of the sugar-cane juice that the WORLD TEACHER Consumed! It lies in the purity of thoughts-the recognition of the recipient as the true Guide, of his dharma as the true Path, of his example, as the true acharana (Conduct or Life)-and the enthusiasm and delight with which the act of giving is accompanied. There is bhogabhumi in the gift only when the giver looks upon it as his greatest good luck to be able to serve those in whose footsteps he himself
