Ashta Dravya (eight dravya) in Jain pooja are the standard external offerings used to honor a Tirthankara or a deity. Their main significance is to express inner purification and self-d purification through a respectful, symbolic ritual, not to seek favors.

Key points:

• What they are: jal (water), chandan (sandalwood), pushpa (flowers), dhoop (incense), deep (lamp), akshat (uncooked rice), naivedya (sweet/food), and phal (fruit). In some Digambara practices, some items are lightly modified (e.g., coconut pieces, colored rice) but the underlying idea remains the same. You can find basic outlines of these eight items in Jain ritual explanations.
• Why eight: Each dravya represents a facet of inner renunciation and moral purification you seek to cultivate—non-violence, calmness, steadiness, detachment from passion, removal of ignorance, and progress toward Moksha. The combined offering, called arghya, aligns physical acts with inner bhava (attitude). Details about how the eight items are used in Dravya Puja and its Bhava Puja context are explained in Jain ritual discussions.
• Digambar vs. Śvetāmbara nuance: Śvetāmbara tradition often uses the term Ashta Prakari Puja; Digambar tradition refers to Ashta Dravya Puja. Both aim for Moksha, but Digambar practices may emphasize minimal external materials and a stronger focus on bhava (inner devotion) or use alternate dravya substitutions in some communities. The core purpose—purification of the soul through proper intention—remains the same. See basic overviews of ashta dravya in Jain ritual sources.

Simple takeaway:

• Ashta Dravya is a traditional, symbolic way to purify the mind and cultivate detachment from worldly desires during worship.
• The emphasis should be on sincere intention (bhava) and non-violence (ahimsa), not on material abundance.

You can read more about how pooja is done and the role of ashta‑dravya in Digambara practice here