The yaksi or female attendant deity of the 23rd Jina, Parsvanatha or Lord Parava, is Padmavati. As a sasana-devi – ‘deity of the teaching’ – she is believed to help protect and spread the message of her jains. Padmavati is one of the most important Jain goddesses among both Digambaras and Shwetambar and is worshipped all over India. She is the focus of individual worship partly because of her associations with wealth.

As a goddess, Padmavati is a soul subject to the cycle of birth and can intervene in human affairs, unlike Jains, who are liberated, perfect souls, completely detached from everyday human experience. Lay Jains worship gods partly to request help with worldly matters, ranging from issues of health and fertility, and passing examinations to business success.