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and endeavours for twelve and a half years. As a result of those austerities and endeavours, he attained omniscience and an absolute victory over the inner enemies. Standing before the Paramatma, you contemplate upon his life as a Shraman thus, "Oh Bhagwan you renounced all the splendours of the royal life; you renounced all the pleasures of the senses. You accepted the life of absolute austerity and self-control; for several years, you performed a severe penance; you performed meditation with mental equanimity; you tolerated all impediments with equanimity and you destroyed all your Karmas. How heroic is your attainment ! How tremendous is your self-control ! Oh Paramatma, bestow upon me that kind of heroism. I too will carry out such severe spiritual austerities; I too will destroy my Karmas; I too will become omniscient and I too will become a Vithrag, conquering all inner enemies. Oh Lord, bestow your grace upon me and bless me. Do you want to become a Sarvajna and a Vitrag? I think you are sick of ignorance and attachments. If so every day, you beg from the Paramatma that ability. Offer a heartfelt prayer.
THE ENLIGHTENED STATE OR THE KAIVALYAVASTHA
The contemplation on the disguised state of the Lord (Chadmasthavastha) should be carried out in this manner. You must contemplate on the Lord's birth, his princely position and his mendicancy and this contemplation as a part of the worship of the Paramatma is a source of immense delight and extraordinary exihilarition. After contemplating on the disguised state of the Lord, you must contemplate on his Supreme state. The Tirthankar Paramatma attains omniscience and victory over inner enemies, and after that attainment, he establishes and expounds the Dharma. His objective is to secure spiritual prosperity for all jivas. What a sublime benevolence, does he bestow upon the beings of the Universe ! He destroys the attachments and hatred of jivas by imparting to them the pure knowledge of Dharma. He destroys all Karmas. Fixing your eyes on the Paramatma, you think thus, "O you benevolent Lord ! By expounding and establishing Dharma, you have bestowed a boon upon jivas. Enshrined on the Samavasaran,
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