Shantinatha is the sixteenth of the twenty-four Jain Tirthankaras. His emblem, carved on the pedestal of his images, is the deer, and his name, from śānti, "peace", has made him one of the most widely venerated of the Jinas.
The sixteenth Tirthankara
Jain tradition places Shantinatha sixteenth in the sequence of the present age, between Dharmanatha, whose emblem is the thunderbolt, and Kunthunatha, whose emblem is the goat. His traditional birthplace is Hastinapur. Jain tradition also counts him among the few Tirthankaras who were first chakravartins, universal emperors, before renouncing the world.
The deer
Both Jain traditions give Shantinatha the deer, sometimes described as an antelope. As with every Jain emblem, its first purpose is identification: since all Tirthankaras are shown in the same meditative stillness, the emblem tells the viewer which Jina an image represents. Our guide to the twenty-four emblems sets them all out.
The Jina of peace
Because his name means peace, Shantinatha is especially invoked in prayers for peace and well-being, and many Jain temples are dedicated to him. That devotion expresses reverence for a liberated teacher; in Jain understanding, the Jina does not intervene in the world, and the benefit of devotion lies in the devotee's own conduct.
Shantinatha in jewellery
A Shantinatha design is a sign of respect for the Jina of peace. See the AURYN Shantinatha charm.
