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of consciousness, he ultimately attained Kevaljnan (omniscience) or perfect enlightenment on the 84th day of his renunciation. Parshwanath then began preaching true religion. He reinstated the “tirtha" or religious four-fold order, namely monk (sadhu), nun (sadhvi), layman (shravak), and laywoman (shravika). This order is known as the Jain Sangha. He attained nirvana and his purified soul left his body and achieved complete liberation at the age of 100 at Mountain Sametsikhar in Bihar, India. He became the 23rd tithankara of the Jain religion.
Lord Parshwanath is always represented with the hood of a snake shading his head. The yaksha Dharanendra and the yakshi Padmavati are often shown flanking him. In Jain canonical literature, Parshwanath is represented in 'padmasana' (lotus) posture – both palms and feet, with auspicious lotus marks on them, placed upward. He has a blue-black complexion - the color of the cosmos. The seven-headed serpent "Shesh”- unfurling its hoods over the deity like an umbrella, represents elements of the earth and the ocean and has hence a similar body colour. Parshwanath has been represented as wearing a gem studded crown and other ornaments. He has a golden throne as a seat and a rich canopy above.
Lord Mahavir: The Twenty Fourth and last Tirthankara
Lord Mahavir was not the founder of Jainism.His teachings were based on those of his predecessors. Mahavir was more of a reformer and propagator of an existing religious order than the founder of a new faith. He followed the well-established creed of his predecessor tirthankara Parshwanath.
About 2600 years ago Lord Mahavir (599 to 527 BC), revived the Jain philosophy. Mahavir was a prince and his childhood name was Vardhaman. Being the son of a king, he had many worldly pleasures, comforts, and services at his command, but at the age of thirty he left
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