Parshvanatha

At a glance

Position

23rd of twenty-four

Emblem (Lanchhana)

Serpent

Traditional colour

Green

Parshvanatha is revered as the 23rd Tirthankara — a ford-maker who, having conquered attachment and aversion, showed the path across the ocean of worldly existence. In Jain iconography the serpent appears at the base of the image, allowing devotees to identify the Tirthankara.