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

India (Rajasthan, Kotah)

Not on view

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)

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

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

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.