Parsvanatha
Relief
7th century (made)
7th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This sandstone sculpture illustrates the triumph of Jina Parsvanatha over the cloud prince Samvara. Parsvanatha was the 23rd ‘tirthankara’ (saint) of the Jain religion. Here he is depicted naked beneath a Dhataki tree, practising the ‘exposure to all weather’ austerity.
Samvara has sent a great storm (symbolised by the hands and drums in stylised clouds in the upper corners) to disturb Parsvanatha’s meditations. However, the serpent-king Dharanendra raises up his seven hoods to provide shelter for the Jina. Dharanendra's consort Padmavati, seen to the Jina's left, holds an umbrella to further protect Parsvanatha from the forces of the storm. The ‘wheel of law’ (‘dharmachakra’), which symbolises the Jina's teachings, is beneath the throne.
This image of the 23rd of the Jain saints originally adorned a temple at Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa, central India. A number of Hindu shrines were found to contain the remains of Jain images. This suggests that these temples were appropriated by the Jains, probably in the medieval period. At least two major temples survive at Gyaraspur which do appear to have been originally appropriated by the Jains in the early medieval period.
Samvara has sent a great storm (symbolised by the hands and drums in stylised clouds in the upper corners) to disturb Parsvanatha’s meditations. However, the serpent-king Dharanendra raises up his seven hoods to provide shelter for the Jina. Dharanendra's consort Padmavati, seen to the Jina's left, holds an umbrella to further protect Parsvanatha from the forces of the storm. The ‘wheel of law’ (‘dharmachakra’), which symbolises the Jina's teachings, is beneath the throne.
This image of the 23rd of the Jain saints originally adorned a temple at Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa, central India. A number of Hindu shrines were found to contain the remains of Jain images. This suggests that these temples were appropriated by the Jains, probably in the medieval period. At least two major temples survive at Gyaraspur which do appear to have been originally appropriated by the Jains in the early medieval period.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Parsvanatha (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Sandstone |
| Brief description | Relief of Parsvanatha, sandstone, 7th century, Madhya Pradesh, Central India |
| Physical description | This sublimely beautiful sculpture illustrates Parsvanatha's triumph over Samvara in considerable detail. Parsvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara of the Jain religion, is depicted naked beneath a Dhataki tree, seated in a meditative posture on a simhasana (lion-supported throne). Meghakumara (Samvara) has sent a great storm (symbolised by the hands and drums in stylized clouds in the upper corners) to disturb his meditations, but the serpent-king Dharanendra raises up his seven hoods to provide shelter to the Jina. Dharanendra's consort Padmavati, seen to the Jina's left, holds an umbrella to further protect Parsvanatha from the forces of the storm. The wheel of law (dharmachakra), symbolizing the Jina's teachings, is beneath the throne, supported by a squatting gana (dwarf-like attendant). Flywhisk bearers stand in attendance, and celestial figures with garlands hover beneath the rain clouds. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Bought from the Yorkshire Museum, 1956 for £400. |
| Historical context | This image of the 23rd of the Jain saints ( tirthankara ) originally adorned a temple at Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa. A number of Brahmanical shrines were found to contain the remains of Jain images, suggesting that these temples were appropriated by the Jains, probably in the medieval period. Parsvanatha is represented naked, practising the "exposure to all weather " austerity, being attacked by the cloud Prince with a great storm, symbolised by the hands and drums in the upper corners of the relief. The serpent naga king Dharanendra provides shelter with his seven hoods and his consort holds an umbrella over the saint. At least two major temples survive at Gyaraspur; they appear to have been originally appropriated by the Jains in the early medieval period. |
| Production | Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa, Madhya Pradesh, India. Late Gupta style |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This sandstone sculpture illustrates the triumph of Jina Parsvanatha over the cloud prince Samvara. Parsvanatha was the 23rd ‘tirthankara’ (saint) of the Jain religion. Here he is depicted naked beneath a Dhataki tree, practising the ‘exposure to all weather’ austerity. Samvara has sent a great storm (symbolised by the hands and drums in stylised clouds in the upper corners) to disturb Parsvanatha’s meditations. However, the serpent-king Dharanendra raises up his seven hoods to provide shelter for the Jina. Dharanendra's consort Padmavati, seen to the Jina's left, holds an umbrella to further protect Parsvanatha from the forces of the storm. The ‘wheel of law’ (‘dharmachakra’), which symbolises the Jina's teachings, is beneath the throne. This image of the 23rd of the Jain saints originally adorned a temple at Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa, central India. A number of Hindu shrines were found to contain the remains of Jain images. This suggests that these temples were appropriated by the Jains, probably in the medieval period. At least two major temples survive at Gyaraspur which do appear to have been originally appropriated by the Jains in the early medieval period. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.18-1956 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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