• Tirthankar (Tirthankara):

- A perfected soul who has attained kevala jnana (absolute right knowledge) and shown the path to liberation. - They establish and revive the Jain dharma (teachings, code of conduct, and the path to moksha) for this world. - There are 24 Tirthankaras in the current time cycle (Avasarpini). They are revered as great spiritual teachers, not as creators or gods who control the universe. - They renounce worldly life, undergo intense austerities, and attain omniscience; after that, they guide others but do not perform miracles for worship in the sense of creating or sustaining the world.

• Bhagwan (Bhagavān):

- A respectful epithet used for a fully enlightened being or a revered teacher, often translated as "Lord." - In Jainism, the term can be applied to a Tirthankar (as Bhagwan Mahavir, for example) or to other highly revered beings in devotional contexts. - The word emphasizes reverence and divine qualities; it does not itself denote a specific role of teaching a population, but a quality of enlightenment and moral authority. - It is not a formal category like Tirthankar; it’s a honorific used for exalted beings, including Tirthankaras.

Key practical difference:

• Tirthankar is a defined spiritual rank and role (one of the 24 who revived the Jain path in each cycle).
• Bhagwan is an honorific term used to show respect to a highly enlightened being, which can apply to Tirthankaras or other revered Jains in devotional contexts.

Note on tradition:

• Both Digambar and Shwetambar traditions regard Tirthankaras as the purified teachers who reveal the path to liberation. The use of the word Bhagwan for Tirthankaras is common, but the core concept remains: Tirthankaras are the specific revivers/teachers of Jain dharma; Bhagwan is a title of reverence for an enlightened being.