Mahabharata- the epic story of a family feud that grew into the biggest battles Indian past has ever seen, is the completest book one can find. It is because the Mahabharata treated intricate human emotions, problems, and their solutions so skilfully, that ages after its composition, in the time of emperor Akbar, it was translated to Persian, adorned with vibrant illustrations, and all the royals were suggested to read and learn from the book, which came to be known as- Razmanama or ‘the book of war’. Here, we have the reproduction of a painting from Razmanama, based on an interesting story from the Mahabharata.
The image shows Garuda, Vishnu’s mount with his claws pierced into the skin of an elephant and a tortoise, while in his beak he holds the branch of a tree, from which hang five men, dressed like ascetics. The story related to this depiction tells us that when Garuda was on his way to acquire the pot of ambrosia in order to free her mother Vinata from his step-mother Kadru, he was overcome by pangs of hunger. His father, the great sage Kashyapa tells him to go to a lake where he would find an elephant and a tortoise- Vibhavasu and Supratika, two sage brothers who were cursed to become wild beasts.
Garuda reaches the lake, takes the animals in his grip, and, begins to look for an appropriate place to sit and eat his fill. He chooses a branch of a Banyan tree nearby. But look at the giant bird! How could a delicate branch support his weight combined with the weight of his prey? As soon as Garuda landed, the branch snapped. Only then did Garuda notice a group of Balakhilya munis (sages) suspended from the branch that was about to fall down. Fearing the well-known wrath of the sages, Garuda carries the branch in his beak and flies. This is the exact moment that is captured by the maker of this beautiful illustration.
A large physique of Garuda, adorned with fineries, his eyes flaming red, his nails sharp and his huge wings shown in a multiplicity of shades, is the central image of this painting. The elephant and the tortoise appear shocked and in pain as the harsh claws puncture their skin. Waves in the pond below and the ducks flapping their wings perfectly highlight the commotion of the incident. The choice of colours and storytelling through combining visual elements in this painting is appreciable.
The story ends with the interference of the sage Kashyapa, who pacifies the ascetics, while Garuda successfully relishes his meal.
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