Answer

Jainism does not say that females are spiritually inferior or that women cannot be divine. In Jain Dharma, the highest divine beings are the Tirthankars, and in the present cycle most accepted Jain traditions describe the 24 Tirthankars as male, with one important difference:

• Śvetāmbara tradition accepts the 19th Tirthankar, Mallināth Bhagwan, as female.
• Digambara tradition accepts Mallināth Bhagwan as male.

So, whether there is a “female God” in Jainism depends partly on what you mean by “God” and which Jain tradition you are referring to.

Explanation

In Jainism, “God” does not mean a creator of the universe. Jain Dharma teaches that the universe is beginningless and not created by any god. The highest worshipped beings are:

• Arihants — enlightened beings who have destroyed inner enemies like anger, ego, deceit, and greed.
• Siddhas — liberated souls who have attained moksha.
• Tirthankars — enlightened teachers who re-establish the path to liberation.

Every soul has the potential to become liberated. The soul itself has no gender in its pure nature. Gender belongs to the body, not to the soul.

Jainism also has many revered female spiritual figures, such as:

• Sādhvīs — Jain nuns who follow a life of renunciation.
• Āryikās — female renunciants in Digambara tradition.
• Śrāvikās — devoted laywomen.
• Revered yakṣinīs and śāsan-devīs associated with Tirthankars, such as Padmāvatī Devī, Cakreśvarī Devī, and Ambikā Devī.

However, these goddesses are not considered supreme creators. They are respected celestial beings, not the highest liberated state.

Spiritual Understanding

Jain Dharma focuses less on whether the body is male or female and more on whether the soul is free from karma. The true goal is not to become a male or female deity, but to become a liberated soul — a Siddha.

From the spiritual viewpoint:

• The soul is genderless in its pure form.
• Liberation is based on right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.
• Women have played a very important role in Jain history and practice.

There are differences between Jain sects about whether a woman can attain moksha directly from a female body, but both traditions deeply respect women’s spiritual discipline and capacity for progress.

Takeaway

Jainism does not reject female divinity. It teaches that the pure soul is beyond male and female. In Śvetāmbara tradition, Mallināth Bhagwan is accepted as a female Tirthankar. In all Jain traditions, women are respected as serious spiritual seekers capable of great purity, discipline, and advancement toward liberation.