If you could go back in time and meet a tirthankar, which one would you choose?
I don’t have personal preferences. But many Jain devotees express a wish to meet these Tirthankars, each for a beautiful reason:
- Bhagwan Mahavira (24th): To hear his direct teaching on ahimsa, anekantavada, and the complete path of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.
- Bhagwan Parshvanath (23rd): To experience his compassion and the four vows he taught (non‑violence, truth, non‑stealing, non‑possession), which prepared the ground for Mahavira’s five great vows.
- Bhagwan Neminath (22nd): To witness the moment of supreme compassion when he renounced the world upon seeing animals destined for slaughter at his wedding.
- Bhagwan Rishabhdev/Adinath (1st): To see the beginning—how he established both worldly arts (like farming, crafts) and the spiritual path, guiding humanity from a primitive state to dharma.
- Bhagwan Shantinath (16th): For the embodiment of inner peace and calm restraint.
Any of these meetings would be for darshan, vinaya (deep reverence), and to strengthen samyag‑darshan (right faith) and the resolve to live by ahimsa and aparigraha.