The Tirthankaras
Saraswati in Jain Tradition
जैन परंपरा में सरस्वती · જૈન પરંપરામાં સરસ્વતી
How the teaching of the Tirthankaras came to have a gentle face
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
Jains honour Saraswati as Shrutadevi, the goddess who stands for the teaching of the Tirthankaras. This is the story of how that teaching was spoken, remembered, written down and protected, and why Jain families still bow to books.
What it teaches Knowledge Respect for Learning Scripture
The opening of the children's telling
Have you ever seen a picture of a lady in white, sitting on a lotus, holding a book? Her name is Saraswati. Jains also call her Shrutadevi. She reminds us of the good teaching of the Tirthankaras.
Long, long ago, the first Tirthankara, Rishabhdev, taught his daughter Brahmi how to write letters. He taught his daughter Sundari how to count. So learning began as a gift from a loving father.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Treat books gently, because they carry the kindness and wisdom of people who came before us.
To talk about together
Why do you think Jains are careful never to step on a book or a piece of paper with writing?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.