Santinatha

Shantinath is especially revered in the Jain pantheon. He is the 16th Jina (saviour-teacher) and is said to have revived Jainism at a time when it was in danger of extinction, assuring the faith's survival. Over time Jains came to invoke him to avert calamities and ensure the peace his name suggests (santi, ‘peace’; natha,‘lord’).

This image is one of the finest 12th-century western Indian Jain monumental bronze castings recorded. The figure bears an inscription dedicating it to the triumph of Sri Shantinatha in the year of Vikrama-Sanwat 1224 (1168 AD).

The naked meditating Jina is seated in the ‘padmasana’ posture on a jewelled cushion. This is richly decorated with silver and copper inlay and deer motifs. The deer which appears on the throne-base is the attribute (symbol) associated with Shantinatha.