tirthankara

noun

tir·​than·​ka·​ra

tirˈtəŋkərə

plural -s

often capitalized

: one of the 24 founding jinas of Jain tradition venerated as breakers of the path across the stream of time to Nirvana who have shown the way to spiritual liberation in Jainism : a pioneer of faith

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit tīrthankara, literally, ford-making, from tīrtha passage, ford + karoti he does, makes

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