The 1st Tirthankar of Jainism is Bhagwan Rishabhdev, also called Adinath, Adeshwar, Rushabhdeva, Rishabhanatha. Here are his main details in simple form:

1. Name and Identity

• Name at birth: Rishabh (Rishabha)
• Titles: Adinath (first lord), Adeshwar, Rishabhdev
• Role:

- 1st Tirthankar of the present time cycle (avasarpini) - Founder / first teacher of Jain Dharma in this era ( jainknowledge.com)

2. Birth Details

• Birth city: Ayodhya, also called Vinita in Jain texts ( jainknowledge.com)
• Father: King Nabhi (Nabhiraja)
• Mother: Queen Marudevi
• Time:

- Described as millions of years ago, in very ancient times (not in recorded BCE/CE history). - In Jain belief, his birth is in the early part of this descending time-cycle, when people were very tall, long‑lived, and very powerful. ( jainknowledge.com)

• Auspicious dreams:

- As with all Tirthankar mothers, Mata Marudevi saw 14 auspicious dreams before his birth. ( jainknowledge.com)

3. Family

• Wives: Traditionally two queens:

- Sumangala - Sunanda ( jainknowledge.com)

• Children:

- From Sumangala: - 99 sons, the eldest being Bharat Chakravarti (great emperor) - 1 daughter: Brahmi (Brahmi or Brahmini) - From Sunanda: - Son: Bahubali - Daughter: Sundari ( jainknowledge.com)

4. What he taught the world

Jain scriptures describe that before Rishabhdev:

• People lived very simply, without agriculture, trade, or organized arts. ( jainknowledge.com)

Rishabhdev Bhagwan taught:

• 72 kalā (arts/skills) for men and 64 kalā for women
• Important civilizing skills, such as:

- Agriculture and food production - Trade and economics - Writing and basic scripts (e.g., teaching daughter Brahmi script, and Sundari numbers / mathematics) - Arts – music, dance, playing instruments (veena, flute, drums, etc.), organized as gīt, vādya, nritya ( jainknowledge.com)

So in Jain tradition, he is not just a spiritual teacher; he is also the first organizer of human society.

5. Renunciation (Diksha)

• After a very long and successful period as a king and teacher of worldly arts and organization, he:

- Distributed his kingdom among his sons (specially Bharat and Bahubali). - Renounced the world and took diksha (monkhood), giving up all possessions and royal comforts. ( jainknowledge.com)

• He then practiced:

- Deep meditation - Severe penance - Complete non‑violence, truth, and detachment

6. Keval Jnan and Tirthankarhood

• Through intense spiritual effort, he attained Keval Jnan (omniscience – perfect, infinite knowledge). ( jainknowledge.com)
• After Keval Jnan, he became a Tirthankar in the full sense:

- Gave divya deshna (divine sermons) - Established the four‑fold sangh: - Sadhus (monks) - Sadhvis (nuns) - Shravaks (laymen) - Shravikas (laywomen) ( jainknowledge.com)

7. Moksha (Liberation)

• Place of Moksha:

- Traditional Jain belief: Mount Ashtapad, often associated with or near present‑day Mount Kailash region. ( jainknowledge.com)

• At moksha, his soul became a Siddha – free from all karma, residing forever in Siddhashila.

8. Symbol and Representation

• Lanchhan (emblem): Bull (vrishabh) – symbol of strength and stability. ( jainknowledge.com)
• Posture in idols:

- Usually in Padmasan (lotus sitting) or Kayotsarg (standing in meditation)

• Many famous temples, such as those on Shatrunjay (Palitana) and the Adinath temple at Ranakpur, are dedicated to him. ( jainknowledge.com)

9. Digambar and Shvetambar – common points and small differences

Both Digambar and Shvetambar traditions:

• Agree that Rishabhdev / Adinath is the 1st Tirthankar.
• Agree on:

- Parents: Nabhi and Marudevi - Birth place: Ayodhya (Vinita) - Emblem: Bull - His role as first organizer of society and first teacher of Jain dharma. ( jainknowledge.com)

They may have small differences in:

• Exact lists/numbers of arts taught
• Names or counts of some relatives
• Some narrative details of his life-story

But the core spiritual message is the same in both: He is the first enlightened teacher who showed the path of samyak darshan, samyak jnan, samyak charitra (right faith, right knowledge, right conduct) leading to moksha.

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If you want to read more simple explanations and stories of Bhagwan Rishabhdev / Adinath, you can see: “How Aadeshwar Dada became our first Tirthankar” “Story of 1st Tirthankar”