Jai Jinvar Deva
A Hymn in Praise of Lord Shantinath
A Jain aarti to Lord Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankara, telling of his birth at Hastinapur, righteous rule, renunciation and omniscience.
Verses
Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord! O Lord, victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord! He is the bestower of peace, the giver of the bliss of liberation, Lord Shantinath.
Verse 1
The goddess Aira is blessed in the world, in whose heart the Lord joyfully dwells. The lineage of Vishvasena shines in the sky like the full moon. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 2
The dark fourteenth day of the month of Jyeshtha, the bringer of joy. In Hastinapur, the grand birth festival was celebrated with great pomp. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 3
The wondrous childhood pastimes delighted the hearts of gods and humans. He ruled with justice and righteousness, always giving happiness to all. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 4
You are the fifth Chakravartin, the twelfth Kamadeva, the sixteenth Tirthankara. You are the holder of three positions, you are Murari, Brahma, and Shiva-Shankara. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 5
Recognizing the body and worldly pleasures as perishable and transient, he then took up vows. He gave up the hundred-fold lands, the nine treasures, the fourteen jewels, and turned them to ashes. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 6
Performing severe austerities, he destroyed his karmas and attained omniscience. Giving teachings, he enlightened the worthy souls; this is a great benefaction. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 7
O Shantinath, your name brings peace to the entire world. The devotee “Shivaram” prays at your feet: remove the heat and afflictions. Victory to the Supreme Jina, the Lord!
Verse 8
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)
Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)
Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering
- Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home
Background
This aarti comes from the Jain devotional tradition and honors Lord Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankara, whose name means Lord of Peace. His life is told in Hemachandra's Trishashti-shalaka-purusha-charita and in the Uttarapurana. The aarti is sung in Jain temples and homes, especially on festival days, in morning prayers and in meditation on his life and virtues. The closing verse carries the signature "Shivaram", the only clue to the composer, whose identity and date are not recorded.
Did You Know?
Who is Shantinath?
Shantinath is the 16th Tirthankara of Jainism, honored in this aarti as the giver of peace and the bliss of liberation in its refrain. His name means Lord of Peace, and he is the Tirthankara most closely associated with calm and the pacifying of suffering.
Royal lineage
Verse 1 praises Queen Aira Devi and King Vishvasena of the Ikshvaku dynasty, the same royal line that Hindu tradition links to Rama, and compares the birth to a full moon rising in the sky of his family.
Birth at Hastinapur
Verse 2 places his birth on the dark fourteenth of the month of Jyeshtha (May to June) at Hastinapur, now in Uttar Pradesh, with great celebration. Some calendars give the neighboring tithi, so the exact day differs between traditions.
Three high offices
Verse 4 calls him the fifth chakravartin (universal emperor), the twelfth Kamadeva (a person of matchless beauty in Jain lists, not a god of desire) and the sixteenth Tirthankara. Kunthunatha and Aranatha also held the offices of chakravartin and Tirthankara. The hymn praises him by the epithets Murari, Brahma and Shivshankar, a poetic way of saying that one lord holds all three high offices.
From king to omniscient teacher
Verse 3 notes his just rule, and Verse 5 tells how he gave up the fourteen jewels and nine treasures of a world emperor. Verse 6 describes how severe austerities destroyed his karma and brought omniscience (kevala jnana), after which he taught the path to liberation.
Shantinatha
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