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THE ORIENT
cannot bestow mercy upon the suffering souls. Hence there is no place for devotion or bhakti in the Jaina religion. "Personal love is to be burnt up in the glow of asceticism”.64 The Tirthankaras can at best be guides or inspirers of virtue, being models before all aspiring souls. Jainism lacks the spirit of altruism that we find in Mahayana Buddhism where the Bodhisattvas are moved by the feeling of great compassion (Mahakaruna). They take the vow not to attain Nirvana, until all the suffering beings are free from woe and misery.
The Jaina laity are, however, more liberal about their belief in gods and their worship than the Jaina doctrine would permit. Like the Hindus, the Jainas also worship many gods and godesses. Besides the Tërthankaras (Jinas) who are worshipped like gods and occupy virtually the same position in the minds of common Jaina folk that a Hindu god occupies in the minds of the Hindus, the Jainas worship many other gods and goddesses also. The gods such as Indra, Krishna and goddesses like Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ambika occupy important position in Jaina pantheon. This happened as a result of the impact of Hinduism on Jainism. When the followers of Krishna cult embraced Jainism, a close connection was established between Krishna and the twenty-second Tirthankara, Aristanemi. Besides, the Jaina mythology mentions numerous other deities who are supposed to be residing in different regions of the world. But, the Jainas are very emphatic about the fact that these gods are inferior to the Jinas or Tirthankaras, for, other gods and goddesses operate in Karmic world, and are subject to passions which they have destroyed only partially. All their gods admire the Tirthankaras, or Jinas who have conquered the world and themselves by completely destroying all their karmas. The Tirthankaras are the supreme beings and the kevalinship the greatest ideal.
64. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, p. 331.
