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The word ‘Tirthankar’ is a combination of ‘Tirtha’ and ‘Samsara.’ Tirtha means a place of pilgrimage, and Samsara means worldly life. Tirthankara is the originator of a tirtha, a navigable canal through an infinite sea of births and deaths. In Jainism, Tirthankaras is called “Jin” or the “conqueror of all tendencies.” In Jainism, there are 24 Tirthankaras. Jainism is one of the world’s oldest religions. According to Jainism, a savior who has succeeded in crossing over life's stream of rebirths and has made a path for others to follow is called Tirthankaras.
is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the Ancient History subject in the Mains General Studies Paper-I syllabus and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.
In this article, we shall study the list of 24 Tirthankara of Jainism and their significance for the UPSC exam.
A Tirthankar is not a divine incarnation. He is an average soul born as a human and achieves the status of Tirthankar through hard penance, serenity, and meditation practices. As a result, the Tirthankara is defined as the highest pure developed state of the soul, rather than an Avatar (god-incarnate). Tirthankaras were not religious founders but great omniscient instructors who lived at different points in human history. They attained existence’s highest spiritual objective and then taught their contemporaries how to get there by crossing over to the safe beaches of spiritual purity.
24 Tirthankaras of Jainism
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The 24 Tirthankaras have taken birth and taught the law of Dharma for thousands of years (Righteousness). Each of these Tirthankaras represents a symbol, which is noteworthy.
Sl. No. |
Tirthankara Name |
Symbol |
Birthplace |
Colour |
1 |
Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) |
Bull |
Ayodhya |
Golden |
2 |
Ajitanatha |
Elephant |
Ayodhya |
Golden |
3 |
Sambhavanatha |
Horse |
Shravasti |
Golden |
4 |
Abhinandananatha |
Monkey |
Samet Sikhar |
Golden |
5 |
Sumatinatha |
Heron |
Ayodhya |
Golden |
6 |
Padmaprabha |
Padma |
Samet Sikhar |
Red |
7 |
Suparshvanatha |
Swastika |
Samet Sikhar |
Golden |
8 |
Chandraprabha |
Crescent Moon |
Chandrapuri |
White |
9 |
Pushpadanta |
Crocodile |
Kakandi |
White |
10 |
Shitalanatha |
Shrivatsa |
Bhadrak Puri |
Golden |
11 |
Shreyanasanatha |
Rhinoceros |
Samet Sikhar |
Golden |
12 |
Vasupujya |
Buffalo |
Champapuri |
Red |
13 |
Vimalanatha |
Boar |
Kampilya |
Golden |
14 |
Anantanatha |
Falcon |
Ayodhya |
Golden |
15 |
Dharmanatha |
Vajra |
Ratnapuri |
Golden |
16 |
Shantinatha |
Antelope or deer |
Hastinapur |
Golden |
17 |
Kunthunatha |
Goat |
Hastinapur |
Golden |
18 |
Aranatha |
Nandyavarta or fish |
Hastinapur |
Golden |
19 |
Māllīnātha |
Kalasha |
Mithila |
Blue |
20 |
Munisuvrata |
Tortoise |
Kusagranagar |
Black |
21 |
Naminatha |
Blue lotus |
Mithila |
Golden |
22 |
Neminatha |
Shankha |
Dvaraka |
Black |
23 |
Parshvanatha |
Snake |
Kashi |
Blue |
24 |
Mahavira |
Lion |
Kshatriyakund |
Golden |
Know more about the Buddhist Councils!
The next cosmic age in Jainism is called the Utsarpiṇī (ascending half-cycle). It is said that 24 Tīrthaṅkaras will be born during this half-cycle. The names of the 24 Tīrthaṅkaras of the next cosmic age are as follows:
Sl. No. |
Tīrthaṅkara |
Previous Human Birth |
1 |
Rishabhanatha |
Nabhi Raja |
2 |
Ajitanātha |
Muni Suvrata |
3 |
Sambhavanātha |
King Jitāri |
4 |
Abhinandananātha |
King Samvaranaraja |
5 |
Sumatinātha |
King Megha |
6 |
Padmaprabhā |
King Vishvasena |
7 |
Suparśvanātha |
King Pratishtharaja |
8 |
Candraprabhā |
King Mahasena |
9 |
Pushpadanta |
King Sugriva |
10 |
Śītalanātha |
King Dridharatha |
11 |
Śreyāṃsanātha |
King Shubhanasa |
12 |
Vāsupūjya |
King Vasupujya |
13 |
Vimala |
King Chandra |
14 |
Anantanātha |
King Dharanendra |
15 |
Dharmanātha |
King Bhojaka |
16 |
Śāntinātha |
King Nami |
17 |
Kunthunātha |
King Vijaya |
18 |
Aranātha |
King Taara |
19 |
Mallinātha |
King Siddhartha |
20 |
Neminātha |
King Samudravijaya |
21 |
Pārśvanātha |
King Ashvasena |
22 |
Mahāvīra |
King Siddhartha |
23 |
Nandi Vardhana |
King Yasas |
24 |
Mahābala |
King Rishabha |
Know more about the Difference between Jainism and Buddhism!
There are 5 significant Tirthankaras.
Know more about Jain Literature!
Tirthankara naam karma is a special type of karma in Jainism that raises a soul to the supreme status of a Tirthankara. A Tirthankara is a savior and spiritual teacher who has conquered the saṃsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, on their own, and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the Tirthankara attains Kevala Gyana (omniscience).
The Tattvartha Sutra, a major Jain text, lists sixteen observances which lead to the bandha (bondage) of this karma:
Know more about the Difference between Hinayana & Mahayana Buddhism!
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