Tirthankaras

Tirthankaras are special Siddhas (liberated souls) who has attained omniscience and guides the other souls to save them from the cycles of repeated earth existences (rebirth). Tirthankaras are just ordinary man, born as human, but through their intense practice of kindness, equanimity and meditation, he attains the state of a Tirthankara.

Thus, a Tirthankar is an individual who destroys attachment with all the earthly things and relations, he frees himself absolutely from ignorance, he repays all his previous and this birth's dues of karmas, he detaches himself from all the good and bad, he attains absolute knowledge about present, past, and future, and becomes an omniscient in the process. He becomes a Sidha and frees himself from the cycle of birth and re-birth.

Tirthankaras revitalize the Jain Sangh (four-fold Jain Order) consisting of Sadhus (male saints), Sadhvis (female saints), Shravaks (male householders), and Shravikas (female householders). During every half time cycle, twenty-four persons like us rise to the level of Tirthankara. Every time-span consist of 12 Araah’s (era’s) 1 to 6 in first half cycle and 6 to 1 in second half cycle. Jainism states time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a cart. There have been an infinite number of time cycles before our present era and there will be an infinite number of time cycles after this age. At the beginning of the twenty first century, we were approximately 2,530 years into the fifth era of the present half cycle i.e. Avasarpini time-span.

The 24 Tirthankaras are considered to be the creator of Jain religion. They are divine elements of Jainism. They have attained all the achievement of ultimate nature including the ultimate knowledge after making vigorous efforts. Their principles are for betterment and welfare of others. Their path is to provide total fearless life and that of non-violence and to distribute love and friendship. Their vision of life is very wide and they have no insistence for anything. Their way of life is for giving up possessive passion and being free from the karmas.

After achieving enlightenment, a Tirthankara shows others the path to enlightenment. The Tirthankara's religious teachings form the Jain canons. The inner knowledge of all Tirthankaras is perfect and identical in every respect, for the teachings of one Tirthankara do not contradict those of another. However, the degree of elaboration varies according to the spiritual advancement and purity of humans during that period. The higher the spiritual advancement and purity of mind, the lower the elaboration required.

At the end of his human life-span, a Tirthankara achieves liberation ('moksha' or 'nirvana'), ending the cycle of infinite births and deaths.

A Tithankara's mother have sixteen (fourteen according to Swetambara Jain Sect) auspicious dreams after her conception. These dreams are as following:

1. Bull
2. Elephant
3. Lion
4. Goddess Laxmi
5. Garlands of Flowers
6. Full Moon
7. Sun
8. Auspicious Banner
9. Auspicious Urn
10. Lake filled with Lotuses
11. Milky White Sea
12. Celestial Vehicle
13. Heap of Gems
14. Fire without Smoke
15. Pair of Fish (According to Digambara Jain Sect only)
16. Throne (According to Digambara Jain Sect only)

Below we are giving a brief introduction of all 24 Tirthankaras of the present time span i.e. Uttsarpini time-span.

Tirthankar	Heaven	Birthplace; Consecration	Parents	Symbol
1. Lord Rishabha (Adinath)	Sarvartha-siddha	Vinittanagari or Ayodhya; Asthapad or Kailash Parvat	Nabhiraja & Marudevi	Bull or Ox
2. Lord Ajitnath	Vijaya-vimana	Ayodhya; Sammed Shikharji	Jitashatru& Vijayasena	Elephant
3. Lord Sambhavnath	Uvari-magraiveka	Shravasti; Sammed Shikhari	Jitari& Susena mata	Horse
4. Lord Abhinandannath	Jayanta-vimana	Ayodhya; Sammed Shikharji	Sanvar raja& Siddhartha devi	Monkey
5. Lord Sumatinath	Jayanta-vimana	Ayodhya; Sammed Shikharji	Meghaprabha& Mangala devi	Curlew or Red Goose
6. Lord Padmaprabhu	Uvari-magraiveka	Kaushambi; Sammed Shikharji	Dheeran& Sushima devi	Lotus
7. Lord Suparshvanath	Madhya-magraiveka	Varanasi; Sammed Shikharji	Pratishthita& Prithvi devi	Swastika
8. Lord Chandraprabhu	Vijayanta	Chandrapura; Sammed Shikharji	Mahasena raja & Sulakshana	Moon
9. Lord Pushpadanta	Anata-devaloka	Kakandi-nagari; Sammed Shikharji	Sugriva raja & Rama devi	Crocodile
10. Lord Sheetalnath	Achyuta-devaloka	Mahliapura; Sammed Shikharji	Dridharatha & Sunanda devi	Kalpa-vriksha
11. Lord Shreyansnath	Achyuta-devaloka	Simhapuri; Sammed Shikharji	Vimal raja & Vimla devi	Rhinoceros
12. Lord Vasupujya	Pranata-devaloka	Champapuri; Mandargiri parvat, Champapuri	Vasupujya & Vijaya devi	Buffalo
13. Lord Vimalnath	Mahasara-devaloka	Kampilapura; Sammed Shikharji	Suvratavarma & Shyama devi	Pig
14. Lord Anantnath	Pranata-devaloka	Ayodhya; Sammed Shikharji	Harishena & Surjaa devi	Porcupine (Digambara)
15. Lord Dharmanath	Vijaya-vimana	Ratnapuri; Sammed Shikharji	Bhanu raja & Suvrata devi	Vajra
16. Lord Shantinath	Sarvartha-siddha	Gajapura or Hastinapuri; Sammed Shikharji	Vishwasena & Aira Devi	Deer
17. Lord Kunthunath	Sarvartha-siddha	Gajapura or Hastinapuri; Sammed Shikharji	Shoor raja & Srimati devi	He-Goat
18. Lord Arahnath	Sarvartha-siddha	Gajapura or Hastinapuri; Sammed Shikharji	Sudarshana raja & Mitra Devi	Fish (Digambara)
19. Lord Mallinath	Jayanta-devaloka	Mithila; Sammed Shikharji	Kumbha raja & Prajavati devi	Urn (Kalasha)
20. Lord Munisuvrata	Aparajita-devaloka	Rajgriha; Sammed Shikharji	Sumatra raja & Shyama Devi	Tortoise
21. Lord Naminath	Pranata-devaloka	Mithila; Sammed Shikharji	Vijayaratha raja & Vipula devi	Blue Water Lily or Blue Lotus
22. Lord Neminath	Aparajita	Shauripura; Mount Girnar (Girnarji)	Samudra vijaya & Shiva devi	Conch (Shankh)
23. Lord Parshvanath	Pranata-devaloka	Varanasi; Sammed Shikharji	Ashwasena & Vama devi	Snake (Naag)
24. Lord Mahaveera	Pranata-devaloka	Kundalpur or Chitrakuta; Pavapuri	Siddhartha raja (Shreyansa or Yashasvin) & Trishala (Vidchadinna or Priyakarini)	Lion