The Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha Series

India (Rajasthan, Kotah)

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The sketch illustrates the story of the king Gajendra, who had been cursed and transformed into an elephant. One day, a crocodile seized his leg, and it was not until Gajendra appealed to Vishnu that he was saved and reached a state of moksha. This story is a metaphor likening the ignorance of the king to that of an elephant and suggests it is overcome only through unfettered devotion (bhakti).

The Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha Series, Ink and wash on paper, India (Rajasthan, Kotah)

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