Category: Painting

Cave No. 17 Identification: Oldenburg (1895, narrative no. 8).— A hunter told the king about an extraordinarily beautiful elephant he had spotted in the forest. Royal orders were issued to catch the elephant and train him. Hunters caught him and soon presented him to the king, who himself tended to the splendid-looking elephant. Surprisingly however,…

Cave No. 17 Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative no. 4).— In a lotus pond, there lived a big matsya (fish), the leader of the shoals. During a particularly hot summer, the pond started drying up and shrinking in size. As a result, the fish became easy prey for crows and other birds. In utter distress, the…

Cave No. 17 Identification: Oldenburg (1895, narrative no. 9).— Śyāma was the court priest’s devoted son. As the priest and his wife grew old and blind, he asked the king to institute Śyāma as the court priest so that he could retire with his wife in the forests. Śyāma refused to accept the post and…

Cave No. 17 Identification: Oldenburg (1895, narrative no. 10).— A yakṣa (genius, a class of semi-divine beings) once observed a monkey tormenting a buffalo by climbing on the back and doing a balancing act on its horns, even covering up its eyes. The yakṣa was amazed at the buffalo’s patience. On inquiry, the buffalo explained…

Cave No. 17 Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative no. 19).— The rich merchant, Siṃhala, went on a voyage along with a group of merchants. They were shipwrecked and found refuge in an island, keeping afloat by various means. Here they were charmed by beautiful women, who married them and kept them happy. The only hitch was…