Pushpadanta

Pushpadanta is a significant figure in Jainism, revered as the ninth Tirthankara. A Tirthankara is a human being who has achieved spiritual liberation and is reborn in the world to help others achieve the same. The name Pushpadanta translates to "flower-toothed," though the exact origin and meaning of this epithet are subject to various interpretations within Jain traditions.

According to Jain cosmology, Pushpadanta was born in the Ikshvaku dynasty in the city of Kampilya. His parents were King Sumukha and Queen Vijayā. He is described as having lived a life of renunciation and asceticism, ultimately attaining Kevala Jnana, or omniscience, under a Kadamba tree. His teachings emphasize the principles of ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy), and aparigraha (non-possession). These five vows form the core of Jain ethical and spiritual practice.

Pushpadanta is associated with the symbol of a crocodile or makara. His followers are said to have numbered in the lakhs. The stories and teachings attributed to Pushpadanta are preserved in Jain scriptures and are central to the spiritual journey of Jains, offering guidance on the path to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.