Month: July 2019

  • #16. Rúru

    #16. Rúru

    Cave No. 2 Identification: Foucher (1919/1921, p. 60).— There was a goldenfleeced rúru or svarṇa-mṛga (stag) who lived near a torrent. Once, he rescued a drowning man, and thereafter requested the man not to tell anyone about his whereabouts so that the humans would not come after him to get his golden fleece. Around this…

  • #37. Vidhura

    #37. Vidhura

    Cave No. 2 Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative no. 11).— Vidhura, the loyal Prime Minister of the Kuru king, was famous for his wisdom even in the kingdom of the nāgas (serpents). One day, the nāga queen requested for the heart of Vidhura. Thereupon, the nāga king asked for the help of the nāga princess to…

  • #79. Pūrṇa

    #79. Pūrṇa

    Cave No. 2 Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative no. 3). The legend is from the life of the Buddha.— Bhava was a merchant from the ancient city of Śūrpāraka or Śroṇāparāntaka, today’s Nala Sopārā in the Mumbai region. When he fell ill, his wife and sons refused to take care of him. Instead, a maid nursed…

  • #42.6. Bodhisattva king in mountain (hall)

    This richly decorated Bodhisattva King wearing an elaborate crown stands barefoot between his court and the genies. In spite of the severe damage, a yakṣa couple, a flying couple, and a vidyādhara (charm bearer) couple have been identified. The latter holds a sword hanging across the shoulder and back. —Source: Singh 2019, 31-33; Related Images:

  • #01. Paṇḍara

    Cave No. 9 Identification: episode 3 by Schlingloff (1993, p. 10 f.), 1 and 2 by Zin 2000.— Once a nāga (serpent) called Paṇḍara revealed the secret of guarding against the nāga-devouring garuḍas (eagles) to an ascetic friend. But the ascetic divulged the secret to the garuḍa. Hence, the garuḍa captured the nāga. When crying…

  • #02. Mahāgovinda

    Cave No. 9 Identification: Schlingloff 2013.— A brahman named Mahāgovinda was the prime minister of a king. After the king’s death, the king’s son did not want the responsibility of ruling over the vast kingdom. Therefore, Mahāgovinda divided the kingdom among the son and six other princes while retaining the responsibility of superintendence. His skill…

  • #03. Śaśa

    Cave No. 9 Proposed identification: Schlingloff 2013.—A hermit was planning to leave his forest habitation because of the ongoing drought. To make him stay back, four animals offered gifts of food to him. An otter gave him seven Rohita breed of fish. A jackal gave a stolen dinner consisting of two skewers of meat, a…

  • #04. Kuṇāla

    Cave No. 9 Identification: Schlingloff 2013.— Once, there was a king of the glossy cuckoos, named Kuṇāla, who despised the female sex. His friend, a king of the speckled cuckoos, fell ill and was abandoned by his female entourage. After his recovery, Kuṇāla delivered to him a sermon while seated on a stone form under…

  • #05. Udaya

    #05. Udaya

    Cave No. 9 (No photo.) Identification: Schlingloff 1995.— A prince named Udaya was reborn as a yakṣa (a class of semi-divine being marked by genius). To keep his promise to his wife, he visited her in the palace and asked for some favours. The princess, not recognising him, wondered how he had entered the well-guarded…

  • #67. Kāśyapa

    Cave No. 9 Identification: episodes 1 to 3 by Foucher (1921, narrative no. 53), 4 to 8 by Schlingloff (2013). The legend is from the life of the Buddha.— As the Buddha began teaching his sermon and accepted his first disciples as monks in his doctrine, he thought of converting an ascetic. Thus, he went…