Knowra Pārśvanātha Pārśvanātha Pārśvanātha is the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism, traditionally dated to the ninth century BCE and associated with a serpent emblem. Jain tradition credits him with teaching four vows before Mahāvīra’s five-vow system.
Tirthankara : A Jain spiritual teacher who re-establishes the path to liberation in a cosmic cycle. Pārśvanātha is one of the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the present cosmic cycle.
Four vows of Pārśvanātha : The Jain vows of nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, and non-possession associated with Pārśvanātha. These four disciplines distinguish the tradition’s account of his teaching.
Mahāvīra : The 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, regarded as a major teacher and organizer of the Jain community. Jain accounts place Mahāvīra after Pārśvanātha and describe continuity between their teachings.
Parsvanatha Hill : A sacred Jain hill in Jharkhand, also called Shikharji, associated with the liberation of many Tirthankaras. The site’s Jain sanctity is closely tied to traditions about Tirthankara liberation.
Jainism : An Indian religious tradition centered on nonviolence, ascetic discipline, and liberation from rebirth. Pārśvanātha’s teachings and revered status belong to Jain tradition.
Aparigraha : The Jain and Hindu practice of non-possessiveness or restraint from attachment to possessions. Non-possession is one of the four vows associated with Pārśvanātha.
Jainism in ancient India : The development of Jain communities and teachings in ancient South Asia. Pārśvanātha is situated in Jain accounts of religious life before Mahāvīra.
Parsvanatha temple, Khajuraho : A tenth-century Jain temple at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the prominent monuments bearing Pārśvanātha’s name.
Ahimsa : The principle of nonviolence toward living beings, prominent in Indian religious traditions. Nonviolence is central to the vows attributed to Pārśvanātha.
Jain asceticism : A disciplined renunciant life aimed at reducing harm and shedding karmic bondage. Pārśvanātha’s followers are associated with a path of renunciation and restraint.
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