Life & History
Suparshvanatha is traditionally held to have been born at Varanasi (Kashi) to King Pratishtha and Queen Prithvi. Like other Tirthankaras of the present cosmic age, his life is remembered through devotional and canonical narratives rather than independently verifiable historical records.
According to tradition, he renounced his kingdom and royal life after witnessing the impermanence of the world, symbolized in accounts by the sight of falling leaves and wilting flowers, and took up ascetic practice, eventually attaining omniscience (kevala jnana).
His identifying emblem is the swastika, an ancient symbol of auspiciousness, and he is depicted seated or standing in meditation posture in temple iconography across India.
As with all Tirthankaras, Suparshvanatha's significance lies less in a detailed biography and more in his role as a ford-maker who re-established the fourfold Jain community (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) and the path to liberation for his era.
Teaching & Significance
Like all Tirthankaras, Suparshvanatha is revered for re-teaching the eternal Jain path of non-violence (ahimsa), right conduct, and liberation of the soul from karma.
At a Glance
- Position
- Seventh of twenty-four
- Emblem (Lanchhana)
- Swastika
- Traditional colour
- Green
- Moksha Sthal
- Sammed Shikharji (Parasnath Hill, Jharkhand)