Answer

Adinath Bhagwan, Parshvanath Bhagwan, and Mahavir Swami are worshipped very deeply because their lives have a very strong and direct connection with Jain history, Jain practice, and the present age.

All 24 Tirthankars are equally pure, liberated, and worthy of worship. There is no spiritual difference in their Siddha state. However, some Tirthankars are more prominent in public devotion because their stories, teachings, temples, and historical influence are more widely remembered.

Explanation

• Adinath Bhagwan is the first Tirthankar of the present Avasarpini time-cycle. Jain tradition remembers him as the one who taught early human society many forms of civilized living, such as agriculture, social organization, and basic skills.
• Parshvanath Bhagwan is the 23rd Tirthankar. He is historically very prominent and is deeply loved by devotees. Many ancient temples, images, and traditions are connected with him. His fourfold teaching of restraint is also especially remembered.
• Mahavir Swami is the 24th and last Tirthankar of the present time-cycle. His teachings are the direct foundation of the Jain Sangh as it exists today. The Agams and Jain monastic tradition are especially connected with his final preaching tradition.

Other Tirthankars are also worshipped with the same reverence, but fewer detailed life-events, temples, and popular traditions are remembered about some of them compared to these three.

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, worship is not based on favoritism. A Tirthankar is worshipped because he has conquered attachment, aversion, karma, and worldly bondage.

So when devotees worship Adinath, Parshvanath, or Mahavir Swami deeply, they are worshipping the qualities of:

• complete non-attachment,
• perfect knowledge,
• compassionate teaching,
• liberation from karma.

The same qualities are present in all 24 Tirthankars.

Takeaway

Adinath, Parshvanath, and Mahavir Swami are more publicly prominent because of their special historical and devotional connection with Jain tradition, but all 24 Tirthankars are equally venerable and spiritually perfect.