Why is Parshvanatha shown with snake hoods over his head in Jain art?

In Jain art, Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, is consistently depicted with a canopy of snake hoods over his head to signify his deep association with serpents and a specific protective legend found in the Kalpa-sutra.1

According to this tradition, Parshvanatha once saved a serpent that had been trapped in a log during an ascetic’s fire. The snake was later reborn as Dharana, the lord of the underworld kingdom of nagas (snakes). In gratitude for the rescue, Dharana sheltered Parshvanatha from a severe storm sent by a demon, using his hoods to protect the teacher. This imagery serves as a defining iconographic feature that distinguishes him from other Tirthankaras.12