User:Shailender.jain1984

Jains believe that knowledge of the true living (dharma) has declined and revived cyclically throughout history. Those who rediscover and preach dharma are called Tirthankara. The literal meaning of Tirthankar is 'ford-builder'. Jains compare the process of becoming a pure soul to crossing a swift river, an endeavour requiring patience and care. A ford-builder has already crossed the river and can therefore guide others. The purpose of life is to undo the negative effects of karma through mental and physical purification. This process leads to liberation accompanied by a great natural inner peace. A soul is called a 'victor' (in Sanskrit/Pali language, Jina) because one has achieved liberation by one's own efforts. A Jain is a follower of Jinas ("conquerors").[30][31] Jinas are spiritually advanced human beings who rediscovered the dharma, become fully liberated from the bondages of karma by conquering attachments and aversions, and teach the spiritual path to benefit all living beings. Jains follow the teachings of 24 special jinas who are known as Tirthankars ("those who have shown the way to salvation from the river of births and deaths"). Jaina tradition identifies Rishabh (also known as Adhinath) as the First Tirthankar of this declining (avasarpini) time cycle (kalachakra).[32] The 24th, and last Tirthankar is Mahavir, lived from 599 to 527 BC. The 23rd Tirthankar, Parsva, lived from 872 to 772 BC.[12][33] The last two Tirthankaras: Parsva and Mahavira are historical figures whose existence is recorded[33] The 24 Tirthankaras in chronological order are: Adinath (Rishabhnath), Ajitnath, Sambhavanath, Abhinandan Swami, Sumatinath, Padmaprabhu, Suparshvanath, Chandraprabhu, Pushpadanta (Suvidhinath), Sheetalnath, Shreyansanath, Vasupujya Swami, Vimalnath, Anantnath, Dharmanath, Shantinath, Kunthunath, Aranath, Mallinath, Munisuvrata Swami, Nami Natha, Neminath, Parshvanath and Mahavir (Vardhamana).

Identified as divine, these individuals are called by title in Tamil as இறைவன் and in Hindi bhagavan (e.g., Bhagavan Rishabha, Bhagavan Parshva, etc.). Tirthankar are not regarded as deities (தெய்வம் - heavenly powerful souls that are a few steps ahead of us) in the pantheistic or polytheistic sense, but rather as pure souls that have awakened the divine spiritual qualities which lie dormant within each of us.

It should be noted that only select few souls that reach Arihant status become Thirthankars, who take unique leadership role in assisting the other souls to move up on the spiritual path. Apart from Thirthankars, Jains worship special Arihants such as Gommateshwara or Bahubali. According to Jain Scriptures, Bahubali (also known as Gommateshvara) was the second of the one hundred sons of the first Tirthankara, Lord Rishabha and king of Podanpur. A statue of Lord Bahubali is located at Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district of Karnataka State. Shravanabelagola is a sacred place of pilgrimage for Jains with a splendid statue of monolithic stone on top of a hill. When standing at the statue's feet looking up, one sees the inspiring vision of the saint against the vastness of the sky. The figure is lofty like the sky, and the serenity of the face is unique and incomparable in its beauty. This statue of Gommateshwara Bahubali is carved from a single large stone which is fifty-seven feet high. The giant image was carved in 981 A.D., by order of Chavundaraya, the minister of the Ganga King Rachamalla. Bahubali is another name for Gommateshwara.