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Albrecht Wezler
blirágära as being gajamuho (=gajamukha). To compare the spout of a vessel to the trunk of an elephant makes sense only if a particular similarity is referred to, i.e. if not the trunk as such is meant, but the trunk in particular position considered to be specific to this pachyderm, or perhaps the peculiar tapering form of the trunk. Unfortunately, however, quite a few positions meeting this condition come instantly to the mind of everybody only superficially familiar with elephants. The position tacitly referred to might e.g. be that of holding up the trunk so that it looks somewhat like the letters.. e.g. adopted by this animal when it trumpets. In a roll painting from Nepal in the possession of the Museum of Indian Art in Berlin (West) the Visvantara legend is depicted. It has been published by Lienhard in 198070 in an exemplary manner. Table xxiv (p.231) shows among other things the abhiseka of prince Jalini, In his detailed description and analysis of the relevant scene? Lienhard states, after having dealt with the prince himself, that two men in red frock-coats stand to the left and right of the prince... Each of the two men holds a carafe with both hands' and is ready to pour the water it contains over the head of the prince to be consecrated as king. A third man...... waves a parasol of golden yellow colour, a symbol of royal dignity and might." An identical vessel is found depicted at another point of the roll also, viz as part of a scene showing Madri in swoon." Lienhard's identification of this vessel
69. Cr. Budhasvamin's Byhurkatāslokasomgrala 2.37 where a wild elephant, trum.
peting as if challenging the opposing clephant to battle, is seld to be kimeld akvaciruguluh: cl. also the expressions kare kaitapaikore and compellitakarah
karl—ibid., 3.14 and 15. 70. Die Legende vom Prinzen Vigvanlara. Eine nepalesische Bilderrolle aus der
Sammlung des Museums fur Indische Kunst Berlin, Berlin 1980. 71. 0. c., p. 228 72. This seems to have ritual or ceremonial rather than practical reasons but cl,
fo. 79. 73. It seems that Lienhard has here been carried away by his imagination. All the
picture shows is that a parasol is held above the prince so that the sun is (in accordance with a corresponding rule, cf. J. Gonda, Ancient Indian Kingship...
[cf. fn: 87), p. 37) prevented from shining directly on him. 74. O.c, plate XVI; the description is given on p. 176: "...the prince, making
strenuous effort to awake her from her swoon, sprinkles Madri's body with water," viz. with his right hand while be holds the vessel in his left, cf. also Bplaskothajlokasamgrala 3.78:
arhdigarawe time milham pantrāpaharyasrarat Mladayami Usatur vökyaih sacivan snjalānilah Il
Illustration No. 1 By courtesy of the Museum für Indische Kunst, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin (West)
