DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0335
AJANTA. 313
presented seated on his throne, with his usual female attendants
behind him, and his prime minister seated on a low stool in front.
A crowd in front of him are either lodging a complaint against one
who seems to be brought up as a criminal, or it may only be bring-
ing intelligence about a lion who appears to be the hero of the story.
On the right of the palace court in which he is seated are the
stables. On his left the office or court of justice in which a
culprit is being beaten and led off to prison. Below this the king
issues from the palace gate with a large sowari on a hunting expedi-
tion, accompanied by dogs and huntsmen. The centre of the picture,
on the left, represents a forest in which a lion is seen licking the feet
of a man who is asleep, and above as his companion. Above this
the same lion is seen apparently worshipped by the villagers; but
also as attacked by the same king and with the same party which,
in the lower part of the picture, are seen issuing from the city gate.
Whether this has any reference to the legend of Sinha or Siha as
narrated in the Mahawanso is not quite clear. It is there said that a
king of Vanga, Eastern Bengal, had a daughter named Supradevi,
whose mother was a princess of Kalinga. She is said to have eloped
with the chief of a caravan, but he and his party were attacked by a
lion (Sinha), who carried her off and hunted for her support. In
course of time she bore a son, Sihhabahu, and a daughter Sihhasi-
ivali. When these grew up they escaped with their mother, but
the lion soon after began to ravage the country. The king offered
a *arge reward to any one who would kill it, and Sihabahu, against
the wishes of his mother, accepted the offer. When the lion saw
m x* °nly fawned upon him with delight, and he soon destroyed
his putative father.1
« this picture has any connexion with this legend it must refer to
some earlier passage in the life of Sinha, not to the abduction of the
princess nor to his tragic end. The legend is a favourite one with
3 Buddhists, as the son of this Sihabaha was Vijayawho afterwards
conquered Ceylon, and gave it the name of Sihala from his lion
ncestors. Whether this identification can or cannot be maintained
^ is little doubt that most of the other pictures in this cave do
accoi alldvdnso> PP- 44-46, and cod', introd. p. lxxxvi. The details vary in different
Orcirf"8 "C°nf' Btan* Julien' Vie de Mown Thsancj, pp. 194-198; Mem. sur les Cont.
Pi!'A-lh> PP- 125-130: Laidlay's Fa Bum, pp. 336-338; Beal's Travels of Bud.
y-'P-l49; Mrs. Speir, p. 300.
presented seated on his throne, with his usual female attendants
behind him, and his prime minister seated on a low stool in front.
A crowd in front of him are either lodging a complaint against one
who seems to be brought up as a criminal, or it may only be bring-
ing intelligence about a lion who appears to be the hero of the story.
On the right of the palace court in which he is seated are the
stables. On his left the office or court of justice in which a
culprit is being beaten and led off to prison. Below this the king
issues from the palace gate with a large sowari on a hunting expedi-
tion, accompanied by dogs and huntsmen. The centre of the picture,
on the left, represents a forest in which a lion is seen licking the feet
of a man who is asleep, and above as his companion. Above this
the same lion is seen apparently worshipped by the villagers; but
also as attacked by the same king and with the same party which,
in the lower part of the picture, are seen issuing from the city gate.
Whether this has any reference to the legend of Sinha or Siha as
narrated in the Mahawanso is not quite clear. It is there said that a
king of Vanga, Eastern Bengal, had a daughter named Supradevi,
whose mother was a princess of Kalinga. She is said to have eloped
with the chief of a caravan, but he and his party were attacked by a
lion (Sinha), who carried her off and hunted for her support. In
course of time she bore a son, Sihhabahu, and a daughter Sihhasi-
ivali. When these grew up they escaped with their mother, but
the lion soon after began to ravage the country. The king offered
a *arge reward to any one who would kill it, and Sihabahu, against
the wishes of his mother, accepted the offer. When the lion saw
m x* °nly fawned upon him with delight, and he soon destroyed
his putative father.1
« this picture has any connexion with this legend it must refer to
some earlier passage in the life of Sinha, not to the abduction of the
princess nor to his tragic end. The legend is a favourite one with
3 Buddhists, as the son of this Sihabaha was Vijayawho afterwards
conquered Ceylon, and gave it the name of Sihala from his lion
ncestors. Whether this identification can or cannot be maintained
^ is little doubt that most of the other pictures in this cave do
accoi alldvdnso> PP- 44-46, and cod', introd. p. lxxxvi. The details vary in different
Orcirf"8 "C°nf' Btan* Julien' Vie de Mown Thsancj, pp. 194-198; Mem. sur les Cont.
Pi!'A-lh> PP- 125-130: Laidlay's Fa Bum, pp. 336-338; Beal's Travels of Bud.
y-'P-l49; Mrs. Speir, p. 300.