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Tirthankars in Jainism
Tirthankars are liberated souls who were once in bondage with Karmas, but became free from the ocean of miseries and the cycle of rebirths. They are perfect and blissful through their own efforts: they show the path of salvation by way of three jewels, i.e. right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.
Time rolls along in eternal cycles of rise and decline. Utsarpini is a "rising" era in which human morale and natural conditions improve over time. At the end of Utsarpini, begins Avasarpini, a "declining" era of the same length, in which human morale and virtues deteriorate. These cycles are infinite.
Infinite souls are liberated during these periods. However, in each of this Utsarpini and Avasarpini era, there are 24 souls who not only liberate themselves but also show the path of liberations to others. They make for us the ford (Tirth) to cross the ocean of miseries, hence called, Tirthankaras.
For the true Jains, Tirthankaras are worshipped for inspiration to be like him and not for worldly material gains but his worship can bind Punya, which will bring good rewards in terms of wealth and health. Whether it is prosperity or spirituality, worshipping Tirthankaras give us enormous
blessings.
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