Jain Iconography

The table below is based on the Encyclopaedia Britannica, © 1979 (Micropaedia, article Tirthankara). Jain saviors are listed in chronological order according to the Jain tradition. Spelling has been changed in some cases for consistency, e.g., Adinatha -> Adinath.

The suffix anatha means "Lord", and can be added to any of the names in the table, e.g. Adinath = "The First Lord."


Name Translation Symbol Color
1. Adinath/Rishabha the First bull gold
2. Ajitanath invincible elephant gold
3. Sambhava auspicious horse gold
4. Abhinandana worship ape gold
5. Sumati/Suminath wise heron gold
6. Padmaprabha lotus-bright lotus red
7. Suparshva good-sided swastika gold
8. Chandraprabha moon-bright moon white
9. Suvidhi/Puspadanta religious duties/blossom-toothed makara white
10. Shitala coolness shrivatsa gold
11. Shreyamsha good rhinoceros gold
12. Vasupujya to be worshipped with possessions buffalo red
13. Vimala clear boar gold
14. Ananta endless hawk/ram/bear gold
15. Dharma duty thunderbolt (vajra) gold
16. Shanti peace antelope/deer gold
17. Kunthu ? goat gold
18. Ara time swastika/fish gold
19. Malli wrestler water jar blue
20. Suvrata/Munisuvrata of good vows tortoise black
21. Nami bowing down/eye-winking blue lotus gold
22. Aristanemi (the wheel) whose rim is unblemished conch black
23. Parshvanath earth snake green
24. Mahavira great hero lion gold