Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth

Author(s): Hukamchand Bharilla, K C Lalwani
Publisher: Kundkund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust

Page 90

TIRTHANKARA MAHAVIRA AND HIS SARVODAYA TIRTHA
To know the true god, ie, to understand the implication of the three adjectives which describe the Apta, it is necessary to know their content.
The first adjective is Vitaraga or wholly detached, which refers to one who is free from delusion, attachment and greed, birth and death and 18 hardships
a elechamento che la present
The follower of the Paramatma with detachment is alone entitled to cultivate detachment. A follower of Paramatma who hankers after mundane pleasures is not a true follower of a detached and omniscient Bhagavan. Rather, he is a follower of pleasures.
The non-understanding of the true character of a Bhagavan with detachment has rendered possible many a distortion in the mode of worship. This is the reason why we look for in the images of gods, not detachment, but supernaturals. Consistent with the popular saying, 'bow we to the supernature', one comes across a crowd of worshippers in those temples where fabulous stories are tagged with the idols And where the idol is believed to help the worshipper with worldly wealth and progeny, it is even difficult to find a standing room. The rest of the temples dilapidate into ruins and none ever cleans the dust from the idols.
Bhagavan Mahavira alone has thousands of images through whom he is worshipped, but this does not make Mahavira many. He is one He is worshipped for his detachment, om and wise counselling, not because he can demonstrate magic or bestow progeny and worldly wealth. It is ridiculous to seek wealth from one who gave up his own wealth and household and went out in search of the self To call him a bestower of pleasures is to pollute his very image of detachment.
The Bhagavan who is all detachment neither helps when he is pleased nor hinders anyone when angry. And assuming with the
57 ksutpipasājarātankajanmāntakabhayasmayah na ragadve şamohaśca yasyāptah so prakırtyate
- Ratnakaranda Sravakacara, Sloka, 6.