In Jainism there is no creator God like in many other religions.

1. What is “God” in Jainism?

In Jain dharma:

• No one created the universe.
• The universe and soul (jiva) are beginningless and endless.
• “God” = perfectly pure soul (shuddh atma) who has:

- destroyed all karmas - infinite knowledge (keval‑jnan) - infinite perception (keval‑darshan) - infinite bliss and energy

Such a soul is called:

• Arihant / Tirthankar – when still having a body, after attaining keval‑jnan
• Siddha – when the soul leaves the body and stays forever in Siddha‑shila

These are called Bhagwan in Jainism. They are venerable, omniscient, liberated beings, not creators or controllers of the world.

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2. Is Mahavir ji considered Bhagwan?

Yes.

• Mahavir is the 24th Tirthankar of the current time cycle.
• He attained keval‑jnan and then moksha.
• Therefore Jains rightly say “Bhagwan Mahavir”.

But:

• He is not creator of souls or universe.
• He is a supreme enlightened teacher who showed the path of liberation (moksha‑marg).
• We worship him to follow his charitra (conduct) and updesh (teachings), not to ask him to “change our fate” by miracle.

So, in simple words:

• Jainism believes in infinite perfect souls (Bhagwan), not in one creator God.
• Mahavir ji is Bhagwan because he became a fully pure, omniscient, liberated soul.