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1. JAINISM
1.
Pārsva
AT THE mere inention of the name of the Lord Pāráva disA turbances cease, the sight (darśana) of him destroys the fear of rebirths, and his worship removes the guilt of sin.” 1
One should make images of Pārśva and pay them homage for the effect of his darśana, not because of any hope that the great being himself might condescend to assist a worshiper; for the Jaina saviors-the "Makers of the River-Crossing" (tirthaikaras) as they are called-dwell in a supernal zone at the ceiling of the universe, beyond the reach of prayer; there is no possibility of their assistance descending from that high and luminous place to the clouded sphere of human effort. In the popular phases of the Jaina household cult the usual Hindu gods are implored for minor boons (prosperity, long life, male offspring, etc.), but the
Editor's note: I have not been able to locate the test used by Dr. Zir for his version of the Life of Pārsvanātha and so cannot give references for the quotations in the present chapter. The version of the Life in Bhavadevasūri's Pārsvanatha Caritra (cdited by Shravak Pandit Hargovinddas and Shravak Pandit Bechardas, Benarcs, 1912; summarized by Maurice Bloomfield, The Life and Stories of the Jaina Savior Pārsvanātha, Baltimore, 1919) agrees in the main, but differs in many minor details.
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