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BHAKTI IN JAIN TRADITION : 59
1. These practices which have been newly introduced are not directly helpful in the spiritual path. 2. They go against the principle of non-violence as many of the practices involve injury to the Pșthvīkāya, Apakāya, Vanaspati-kāya and other jīvas.
Bhakti: Śrīmad Rājacandra's teachings were full of devotion. It means that a person true to his teacher is fully devotional to him and devotion to teacher is devotion to God because only a pious teacher can impart the true teachings of Tīrthankaras and the Scriptures. This devotion, which śrīmad's teachings express, is the devotion to a living person. Dr J.C. Jain in his book, "Studies in Early Jainism, remarks, "The period from the 131 or 14h century to the 17" or 18th century A.D. is considered of great significance in Indian religious history. There were galaxies of medievai saints such as Dādū, Sūra, Tulasī, Mīrā, and Guru Nānaka in North India, Santa Jñāneśvara, Tukārāma, and Ekanātha in Maharashtra and Narsi Mehta, Akhai Bhagat and others in Gujarat. This movement had a great impact on religions of India. Now religion was not confined to jñāna (knowledge) but it reaffirmed Bhakti, emotional feeling, devotion, adoration, glorification and paying homage to God”.
"The Bhakti cult had a great impact on Jainism and Buddhism. Neither holds that God is the creator, preserver and annihilator of this universe. According to the Jains, God (or Gods, they are many and any one can achieve Godhood by practicing penance thereby annihilating one's karmas) is free from attachment and aversion. He is neither eternal and omnipresent, nor capable of doing or undoing things at his sweet will. Therefore, really speaking, devotion towards him cannot lead to the achievement of liberation. Vattakera (circa 2nd century A.D.) a Jain ācārya from south India has supported this view in his Mūlācārdo. He has stated that a saint who, out of his
