{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25006"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25006/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU5756/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU5756/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU5756","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KX0339","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LX7872","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25006/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25006","accessionNumber":"IS.18-1956","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"Parsvanatha","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"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. \r\nSamvara 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.\r\n\r\nThis 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.","physicalDescription":"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.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Sandstone","id":"AAT11376"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sandstone","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Jain","id":"THES49013"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AU5756","2018KX0339","2019LX7872"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"PL002","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Madhya Pradesh","id":"x29831"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"7th century","earliest":"0600-01-01","latest":"0700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"132.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum height of object (not including modern museum mount)","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"79","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum width of object","note":"the modern museum mount is less wide than the maximum width of the object so no separate measurement with the mount is needed. The object is widest at the top."},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum depth of object (not including modern museum mount)","note":"the depth is greatest at the figure's hands, which protrude furthest to the front"},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"38.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"depth of object including modern museum mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"136","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum height of object as displayed including modern museum mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"301","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"11/02/2025","earliest":"2025-02-11","latest":"2025-02-11"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from the Yorkshire Museum, 1956 for £400.","historicalContext":"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.\r\nAt least two major temples survive at Gyaraspur; they appear to have been originally appropriated by the Jains in the early medieval period.","briefDescription":"Relief of Parsvanatha, sandstone, 7th century,  Madhya Pradesh, Central India","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Pal, Pratapaditya Dr. (Ed.) <i>The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India</i>, New York and London, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and V&A, 1995","id":"AUTH353257"},"details":"Guy, John, p.134","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John. ‘Indian Temple Sculpture’, London : V&A Publications, 2007. p.12-14. pl.1.\r\nISBN 9781851775095"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ghosh, A.: Jaina Art and Architecture 1975, p 544-5. pls 321-2"},{"reference":{"text":"Barnard, Nick, Arts of Asia, Vol. no. 46, no 1, \"The Jain Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum\". January-February 2016","id":"AUTH338189"},"details":"p. 99, no. 12","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John C., Indian Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1968","id":"AUTH348144"},"details":"pl. 8","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Nagar, Shanti Lal. <i>Jaina Sculptures in Indian and World Museums</i>. Kalinga Publications, New Delhi, 2000, p. 170."},{"reference":{"text":"Jansari, S. and Muthukumaran S., <i>Ancient India: Living Traditions</i>, London: The British Museum Press, 2025","id":"AUTH410830"},"details":"pp. 110-111, Fig. 2.33","free":""}],"production":"Gyaraspur, near Bhilsa, Madhya Pradesh, India. Late Gupta style","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Jain","id":"x32296"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Jina Parshvanatha Sheltered from the Storm \r\n\r\n\r\n600–700 \r\n\r\nNon-violence is a fundamental Jain principle. Parshvanatha, the \r\n23rd Jain saviour, rescued a pair of snakes who were sleeping in a \r\nlog in the middle of an ascetic’s ritual fire. \r\n\r\nReborn as a demon, the jealous ascetic attacks Parshvanatha with \r\na great storm,whose clouds can be seen.The snake,reborn as the \r\nnagaraja (serpent king) Dharanendra, shelters Parshvanatha with \r\nhis seven hoods, while his consort Padmavati holds an umbrella \r\nover the saint. \r\n\r\nSandstone \r\nCentral India (Gyaraspur, Madhya Pradesh) \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum no. IS.18-1956 \r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}},{"text":"PARSVANATHA\r\nSandstone\r\nGyaraspur, Madhya Pradesh, Central India\r\n7th century\r\n\r\nThis 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 early medieval period. Parsvanatha is represented naked, practising the \"exposure to all weathers\" austerity, being attacked by the cloud prince with a great storm, symbolized 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.\r\n\r\nIS.18-1956","date":{"text":"1988","earliest":"1988-01-01","latest":"1988-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.18-1956"],"accessionNumberNum":"18","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1956,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2025PD5500","2025PD0071","2025PD0070"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}