In Jainism, a kiva (often seen in Digambar/Śvetāmbara contexts) refers to a devotional composition—essentially a hymn or stuti—made to praise and venerate Tirthankaras, sages, and worthy beings. It is a form of reverent prayer or praise in poetic or prākrit/Sanskrit language, meant to awaken reverence, detachment, and spiritual aspiration in the listener or reader.

Key points:

• Purpose: to honor and exalt enlightened beings and their qualities; to inspire devotion, humility, and right conduct.
• Form: melodic or rhythmic eulogies, sometimes recited aloud in temples or during puja and meditation.
• Traditions: the exact style, meter, and content can vary between Digambara and Śvetāmbara communities, with differences in preferred poets, languages, and doctrinal emphasis.
• Relationship to other prayers: kiva is part of the broader family of devotional forms in Jainism, alongside stotra (hymns of praise), bhakti practices, and pada (poems).

If you’d like, I can provide a simple, authentic example of a kiva text (with its correct meaning) from Jain sources, and explain how it expresses the Jain ideal of self-purification and reverence for the Tirthankaras.