View: Jain worldview rests on hunger and food

Jains from Tamil Nadu performing Mahamastakabhisheka to Lord Bahubali at Ratnagiri in Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala.

Synopsis
The Jain universe is imagined as a person standing with arms akimbo. This is Loka-purusha. His head is siddha-loka, where reside the Jina, who have no hunger, who have no need to take birth or experience death, whose mind is unfettered by desire, so limitless and so capable of seeing the truth of all beings (kaivalya).

Jains are one of the most successful business communities in India. They understand demand and supply better than anyone else. Not surprisingly, their mythology is based on hunger, hunger being a metaphor for all that we desire - materially, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually.The highest beings, the Jinas, are those who have conquered all hunger, and so reside in Siddha-loka. They are the accomplished (siddha) beings. The Jivas, on the

Devdutt Pattanaik

ET CONTRIBUTORS

6 mins read, Last Updated:

Jan 9, 2021, 06:52 AM IST

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