who do they worship
Answer
In Jain Dharma, Jains worship the Tirthankars — enlightened beings who have conquered attachment, anger, ego, greed, and all karma.
They do not worship a creator God. Instead, they worship perfected souls as ideals of purity, non-violence, self-control, and liberation.
Explanation
The main beings worshipped in Jainism are:
- 24 Tirthankars — such as Bhagwan Rishabhdev, Bhagwan Parshvanath, and Bhagwan Mahavir.
- Arihants — enlightened beings who have destroyed inner enemies like anger, pride, deceit, and greed.
- Siddhas — liberated souls who have attained moksha.
- Acharyas — spiritual heads of the Jain community.
- Upadhyays — teachers of scriptures.
- Sadhus and Sadhvis — monks and nuns who follow the path of renunciation.
Together, these are honored in the Navkar Mantra, the most important Jain prayer.
Spiritual Understanding
Jain worship is not about asking for worldly favors. It is about remembering the qualities of liberated and enlightened souls so that we can develop the same purity within ourselves.
Takeaway
Jains worship the qualities of perfected souls, especially the Tirthankars, and follow their path of ahimsa, truth, self-discipline, and liberation.