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Though, he did not have Tirthankara Lord in mind, but
his main intention was to worship God – a God who was
free of all vices. Thus, why can’t such an intention of
devotion multiply in the next birth ?
The question here is –

Q. But Sage Tamali had not attained Jain religion and had
not identified Tirthankara Lord in the true sense. Then
how can you say that he possessed devotion towards Lord
which was carried forward in the next birth ?

A. He had not personally identified Arihanta Lord. But he
had accepted the one who is free from worldly illusion
and deceit as his idol. His God was the one who was like
this. He was the follower of such a God.

Such a God is only Arihanta Lord and hence we can say that
indirectly he worshipped the Arihantas.

You will always desire to be like your chosen idol.

Sage tamali had chosen the one who was free from illusion
and deceit as his God. Therefore when the Bhuvanpati devis
came to lure him and move him from his meditation saying,
“You decide to become our head (Indra) in the next birth. We
will serve you a lot.” At such a time, Sage Tamali thought :

“I have done great penance for 60,000 years. I fasted for
two days and on the 3rd day I had mere tasteless rice
and that too washed in water for 21 times. I overcame my
taste buds not for the sake of these temporary heavenly
comforts and attractions but for permanent salvation –
a state free from illusion and deceit.”

Thinking on these lines, he did not have even a single glance at
those heavenly devis. He continued his meditation peacefully
and eventually the devis gave up, angrily spit at him and
went away.
10. Impact of Increase in Right Perception 49