Short answer

• Jainism does not accept a creator God. Our “God” is the perfected soul: Arihant and Siddha.
• Images of Lakshmi or other devas in a derasar are not for ultimate refuge. They are either:

1) attendants/guardians connected with the Jina’s shasan (yaksha–yakshini, shasan‑dev‑devi), or 2) auspicious cultural motifs used in temple art.

How this fits in Jain philosophy

• Two kinds of beings are shown in Jain temples:

1) The Jinas (Tirthankars) — the main mulnayak. They are liberated (or liberation‑attaining) and are the only true objects of worship for moksha. 2) Worldly heavenly beings (devas/devis) — still in samsara. They are respected only as protectors or symbols of knowledge, wealth, or auspiciousness, not as creators or givers of liberation.

Why you sometimes see Hindu‑looking deities

• Yaksha–Yakshini tradition: Every Tirthankar has attendant deities (for example, Chakreshvari of Adinath, Ambika of Neminath, Padmavati of Parshvanath). Their small shrines or images may be present for “protection of the shasan” and for worldly well‑being. They are revered, not supreme.
• Auspicious motifs in architecture: In many regions (especially in Maru‑Gurjara/Jain temple art), artists carved commonly recognized symbols of good fortune (like Gaja‑Lakshmi on thresholds, dikpālas, etc.). These are decorative-auspicious motifs, not the focus of Jain puja.
• Festival overlap: On Diwali, Jains celebrate Mahavira’s Nirvana. Because the date coincides with the wider Indian Diwali, images or symbols of “Lakshmi” as prosperity may appear in homes or artwork, but the religious center remains Mahavira and the Siddha.

What is actually worshipped in a derasar

• Core worship is to the Jina (darshan, puja, aarti, pratikraman). Bowing to attendants or other devas is secondary and optional, understood as seeking removal of obstacles, not liberation.
• Jain scriptures and acharyas are clear: devotion to Jina, Dharma, and Sangh leads to right faith and moksha; devas remain within the cycle of birth and death.

Differences across traditions (kept simple)

• Śvetāmbara and Digambara both center worship on the Jinas. Lists, names, and importance of attendant deities can differ (e.g., emphasis on Chakreshvari, Padmavati, Jwalamalini, Kshetrapal, or, among some Śvetāmbara communities, Manibhadra or Ghantakarna Mahavir). These are community traditions; none replace Jina‑bhakti.

Essence to remember

• No creator God in Jainism.
• Jinas are the only ultimate refuges.
• Other deities shown in derasars are guardians or auspicious symbols within samsara, respected but not supreme.