Shantinatha

According to Jain cosmology, Shantinatha is the 16th of the (the present descending time cycle). He holds a unique position in Jain universal history as one of the three beings to attain the triple status of , (Universal Monarch), and (Being of Supreme Beauty) within a single lifetime. His successor, Kunthunatha, is said to have been born 1/2 after him. Previous incarnations Jain tradition holds that the soul of Shantinatha accumulated merit through a series of virtuous past lives before his final birth. Traditional accounts, such as Hemachandra's , describe his life as King Srisena, a benevolent ruler who had two wives, Abhinanditā and Śikhinanditā. Abhinanditā is described as the mother of his two sons Induṣeṇa and Binduṣeṇa. In next birth, he is described as being born as Yugalika in Uttar Kurukshetra and after that as a in heaven. In next birth as Amitateja, prince of Arkakirti, who later became a Jain monk under the influence of Abhinandana. followed by birth as a heavenly in 10th heaven (20 life span) After that he was born as Aparajit Baldeva in East Mahavideha (life span of 84,00,000 ) and then as a heavenly in 12th heaven (22 life span). In the subsequent birth, he ruled as Vajrāyudha Chakri, the son of Kṣemaṅkara in the East Mahavideha region, where he eventually renounced his throne to become a Jain ascetic with his father becoming an . He is said to have been named Vajrāyudha as his mother, Lakṣmīvatī's, dreamed of a thunderbolt as one of the fourteen auspicious dreams indicating that he would become a (). After that he was born as a heavenly in heaven (25 life span). His most significant previous incarnation was as King Megharath, son of Dhanarath in East Mahavideha. In a famous legend depicted frequently in Jain art, King Megharath demonstrated absolute compassion by saving a pigeon from a pursuing falcon (who was a deity named Sarupa testing his vow). He did this by slicing off his own flesh equal in weight to the bird to satisfy the falcon's hunger, symbolizing the ultimate commitment to . Following this life, he was reborn as a heavenly in heaven (33 life span) before descending for his final incarnation. Birth and Early Life Shantinatha was born in the ancient capital of Hastinapur to King Vishvasena and Queen Aćira of the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth occurred on the 13th day of the dark half of the month. Tradition states that his mother saw the auspicious dreams (fourteen according to the tradition and sixteen according to the tradition) foretelling the birth of a . He was named Shantinatha ("Lord of Peace") because his presence in the womb was believed to have pacified a raging epidemic and quelled all misery in the kingdom. Chronologically, he was born three (ocean-measured time units) less three-quarters after the fifteenth , Dharmanatha. Reign as Before embarking on his spiritual conquest, Shantinatha achieved the zenith of material power. Standing 40 (approximately 120 feet) tall, he spent 25,000 years as a youth and ascended the throne at the age of 25,000. He ruled for 50,000 years, during which he conquered the six distinct divisions of the earth, establishing a global empire. He married a beautiful princess Yaśomatī. As the fifth , canonical texts attribute to him the possession of the "14 jewels" () and "nine treasures" (). These assets included animate and inanimate symbols of sovereignty, such as the divine wheel (), the state elephants and the divine horses. His reign is traditionally characterized as a Golden Age of justice and is associated with the rituals, which are performed to ward off diseases, famine, and foreign invasions. During his time, an epidemic of epilepsy broke out and he helped to control it. Renunciation and Omniscience Despite possessing absolute material dominion, Shantinatha renounced his empire upon realizing the transient nature of worldly power. He adopted the life of a Jain monk, engaging in rigorous penance for sixteen years. He meditated under a nandi tree, abstaining from food and sleep, until he destroyed the (obscuring) . On the ninth bright day of the month of , he attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience). After achieving ' he visited Somanasapur, and was offered first ' (food) by King Dharma Mitra and his wife. Nirvana and moksha He is said to have lived 1 lakh () years and spent many years spreading his knowledge. On the 13th day of the dark half of the month Jyestha (May–June), he attained nirvana at Sammed Shikharji, known contemporaneously as the Parasnath Hills in northern Jharkhand. The yaksha and yakshi of Shantinatha are Kimpurusha and Mahamanasi according to Digambara tradition and Garuda and Nirvani according to Śvētāmbara tradition. Disciples According to Jain texts, Cakrayudha Svami was the leader of the Shantinatha disciples. == Legacy ==

Worship Śhāntinātha being an idea of peace and tranquillity, it is believed that chanting the name Śhāntinātha averts calamities and epidemics and bestows welfare to worshippers. In the Śvetāmbara tradition, Nirvāṉi, the yakshi of Śhāntinātha, is also associated with Shantinatha as Śhānti-devī in prayers for peace. During the last rites, recitation of Namokar Mantra and hymns to the Jina and Śhāntinātha are performed. Shanti Snaatra Puja is a special prayer for universal peace and the welfare of all living beings. During the prayer, offerings are made 27 or 108 times to Shantinatha. The Laghnu-Shanti-stavaa, compiled by Manadeva suri in the 7th century, is a hymn to Shantinatha full of tantric usage and identify Shantinatha as Siva, the Lord of Shanta. According to Jinaprabha Suri, the temples dedicated to Shantinatha existed in Kishkindha, Lanka and Trikuta. According to Santistava compiled by Acharya Manadevasuri, an Acharya of the Śvetāmbara sect in the third century, mere recitation of Shantinatha's name negates all bad omens, brings peace and protects devotees from problems. Santistava is considered by Śvetāmbaras as one of the four most beautifully written stavans (hymn). Jinastotrāņi is a collection of hymn dedicated to Shantinatha along with Munisuvrata, Chandraprabha, Neminatha, Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha. Other Śvetāmbara hymns that are dedicated to Shantinatha are the Ajit-Shanti Stotra (a hymn dedicated to Shantinatha and the 2nd Tirthankara Ajitanatha) and the Bruhad-Shanti Stotra (a hymn dedicated to Shantinatha that is recited during the Snaatra Puja as per the Śvetāmbara tradition). During the Chaityavandan (a ritual that consists of a series of hymns in obeisance to a Tirthankara), lay-followers of the Śvetāmbara tradition recite a hymn Sakalkushalvalli which is dedicated to Shantinatha and the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha. Samantabhadra's Svayambhustotra praises the twenty-four tirthankaras, and its eight shlokas (songs) adore Shantinatha. One such shloka reads: Literature , 12th century The Shantinatha Charitra, by Acharya Ajitprabhasuri in 14th century, describes the life of the 16th Jain Tirthankara Shantinatha. This text is the oldest example of miniature painting and has been declared as a global treasure by UNESCO. * Santyastaka is a hymn in praise of Śāntinātha composed by Acharya Pujyapada in the fifth century. Acharya Hemachandra's Trishashti-Shalakapurush-Charitra describes the previous births as well as the final birth of Shantinatha in detail as per the Śvetāmbara tradition. Shantipurana, written around the 10th century by Sri Ponna, is considered to be one of the three gems of Kannada literature. Ajitasanti or Ajita-Śhānti-stava composed by Acharya Nandisenasuri, a seventh century Jain monk, a famous Śvetāmbara hymn, has alternate verses praising Ajitnatha and Shantinatha. Mahapurusha Charitra, compiled by Merutunga in the 13th—14th centuries, talks about Shantinatha. Santikara was compiled by Munisundarasuri in the 15th century. Iconography Shantinatha is usually depicted in a sitting or standing meditative posture with the symbol of a deer or antelope beneath him. Every has a distinguishing emblem that allows worshippers to distinguish similar-looking idols of the . The deer or antelope emblem of Shantinath is usually carved below the legs of the . Like all , Shantinath is depicted with Shrivatsa and downcast eyes. File:30 Close-up of a statue of Shantinath.jpg|Shantinatha idol inside Pakbirra Jain temple File:Shantinatha (sedicesimo jina dei tirthankara), da varavan nel circondario nord del distretto di thar e parkar, sind, 1130 dc.jpg|Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, 12th century File:Seated image of Shantinatha with old Kannada inscription on pedestal in Shantinatha Basadi.JPG|Shantinatha Basadi, Jinanathapura, 1117 CE File:Jain shrine from Vikrama Samvat in western India, dated 1459 CE, bronze, HAA.JPG|Honolulu Academy of Arts, 15th century Colossal statues In 2016, the tallest statue of Shantinatha, with a height of , was erected in Ajmer. The statue of Shantinath at Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur and Shantinath Jinalaya, Shri Mahavirji. Aggalayya Gutta in Warangal has a image carved in 11th century CE. The statue of Shantinath at Bhojpur Jain Temple. Aharji enshrines a idol installed in 1180 CE. Shantinatha basadi, Halebidu houses a idol. Naugaza Digambar Jain temple in Alwar has colossi dated 922 CE. The image at Shantinatha temple, Khajuraho and Shantinath Basadi, Chandragiri. The statue in Bahuriband and Pawagiri, built in the 12th century. File:Mahaveerji Shantinath Statue.png| colossal at Shantinath Jinalaya, Shri Mahavirji File:Jain Prachin Bada Mandir - Shantinath Statue (2) (cropped).jpg| colossal at Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur File:Aggalaiah gutta 01 (cropped).jpg| rock carved image at Aggalayya Gutta in Warangal File:JainTempleIdols.jpg| statue at Bhojpur Jain Temple File:18 ft tall idol of Lord Shantinath at ahaar ji near Tikamgarh(1180 ad).jpg| Aharji Shantinatha statue installed in 1180 CE. File:Eighteen feet tall sculpture of Shantinatha in the Shantinatha basadi at Halebidu.JPG| Shantinatha basadi, Halebidu File:Jain statue of Parshvanath, Naugaza temple, Alwar district, Rajasthan.jpg|Naugaza Digambar Jain temple, 923 CE Temples , Deogarh|thumb Along with Rishabhanatha, Neminatha, Parshvanatha and Mahavira, Shantinatha is one of the five Tirthankaras who attract the most devotional worship among the Jains. Various Jain temple complexes across India feature him, and these are important pilgrimage sites in Jainism. Hastinapur, for example, is a hilly part of Uttar Pradesh, which is believed to have been a place of Shantinath, along with Aranatha and Kunthunath. Important Shantinatha temple complexes include Shantinatha Temple in Khajuraho (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Semliya Śvetāmbara Tirth, Bhopawar Śvetāmbara Tirth, Shantinatha temple, Halebidu, Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur, Shantinath Temple in Deogarh, Shantinatha Basadi, Jinanathapura, Shantinath Jain Teerth, Aharji Jain Teerth, Shantinath Jain temple, Kothara, Odegal basadi, Pavagiri Tirth, Kanch Mandir of Indore, Ladnu Jain temple, Beenaji and Shantinath Jain Temple in Leicester, United Kingdom. File:Inde-0987.jpg|Shantinatha temple, Khajuraho File:Rear view of Shantinatha basadi at Jinanathapura.JPG|Shantinatha Basadi, Jinanathapura File:0101821 Shantinath Jain Mandir, Ramtek, Maharashtra 079.jpg|Shantinath temple, Ramtek File:Shri 1008 Shantinath Jain Temple.JPG|Shantinath Jain Teerth File:Vishal-singh-dwaar-big.jpg|'Singh Dwaar' of Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur File:Shringar Chori (Shringar Chauri) CHITTORGARH FORT.jpg|Shringar Chori, Chittor Fort ==See also==