Mandhāta Jātaka

[Full title: Jātakas and Avadānas in the Amarāvatī Art: Mandhāta Jātaka]

Story:-

King Uposatha who lived in the early ages had a son named Mandhāta. He was endowed with seven precious things (wheel, elephant, horse, gem, queen, prince and the minister) and four supernatural powers which made him the Great Monarch of the universe. He wanted something higher than the sovereignty of the land of mortals. He ruled for many years over the Purvavidehadvīpa, Aparagadavyadīpa and Uttarakuru. He wanted to become the master of the entire region. Knowing from his attendant yakṣa Divankas that there remained no dvīpas to be subdued he prepared to annex the Trāystrimśa heaven. On his way five hundred ṛṣis delayed his progress. Knowing this from his minister he deprived them of their matted hair and commanded them to march in front of him with bows and arrows. However, his queen’s intervention relieved them of this task.

The Trāystrimśa heaven had five defenses. The first defense was the nāgas who inhabited the waters. The nāgas were first to stop Mandhāta’s advance. He conquered them. Next he went to the heaven of four great kings. The four kings greeted and invited him sprinkling holy waters, perfumes and celestial flowers. They offered him the state to rule over. He ruled the state for long. But he was not satisfied. When the monarchs asked him why he was unsatisfied he asked them what place is lovelier than this heaven? They replied that they are the servants and the heaven is lovelier than this.

Then he ascended the summit of Sumeru and saw the divine trees Parijata and Kavidara under which the thirty three Gods enjoyed themselves to their heart’s content. Here he asked his followers to enjoy themselves like the gods. Śakra, the king of Gods received Mandhāta with perfumes and flowers and gave him half the kingdom. In the hall seats were arranged for the Gods of which the last was for the mortal king. But Mandhāta desired half the seats and Śakra gave up a half of his throne for him. Mandhāta felt happy and lustrous as the king of the Gods. After that two of them ruled together. Once there was a war between Gods and demons in which the former was defeated by the latter. Mandhāta stopped Śakra who was preparing to go to meet the demons. Mandhāta was successful. Now in the flush of victory he thought himself to be superior to Śakra.

As time went on the desires of Mandhāta grew stronger. Then he desired to kill Śakra and rule alone. This selfish desire and greed was the root of his misfortune. The power of his life began to wane and old age seized upon him. So he fell from heaven and descended in a park and there he laid in lassitude and weariness^[1].

Depiction:-

The synoptic narrative scene of the jātaka on the roundel of a crossbar is a finest example of this jātaka. It is preserved in the British Museum. It illustrate a courtly scene where Mandhāta and Śakra are shown seated in the ardhaparyaṅkāsana on a decorated throne surrounded by women. The women attendants behind the throne are shown holding circular fans, fly whisks and also a large cornucopia. Two women are seated on either side of the throne. Below the throne are a number of musicians holding various musical instruments. The sculptor has shown in the panel crowded composition of people performing different activities. The entire scene portrays the sharing of the throne by Mandhāta and Śakra^[2]. (Pl 19b).

Another beautiful sculpture of Mandhāta jātaka in high relief depicts the Chakravartīn in two horizontal registers on a drum slab from Amarāvatī preserved in the British Museum. The synoptic mode of the jātaka is separated by a railing design. The lower one shows the king seated on a decorated throne in ardhaparyaṅkāsana. To his left is a lady probably the queen with heavy anklets sitting on a cushion like stool decorated with lotuses. A lady behind the throne holds the umbrella. On the right side of the panel are the horse and the elephant. The upper register illustrates the scene wherein the king raises his right hand to strike his left fist to produce a shower of coins. He is flanked on his right by a pair of standing females, one appears to be the queen in tribhanga posture. On the right side of the king are a pair of men, one in anjali and the other witnessing the great miracle of the king. On the far right are the horse and the elephant^[3].

Another narrative panel of the jātaka in four scenes is identified on a limestone upright fragment from Amarāvatī. It is preserved in the Madras Government Museum. In the first scene a person seated on a throne with attendants is Mandhāta, listening to the ministers. The scene shows the king with his seven treasures standing in all his glory with his right hand raised to create a shower of jewels and coins. The event is witnessed by his counselors, queen, horse, elephant and the wheel of authority. The third scene shows the king proceeding to the dwelling of the nāga king, killing a number of nāgas and ṛṣis as described in the jātaka. At the time of trampling the artist has shown artistically a human emerging out from the snake body with folded hands in adoration to the king. In front of him is an arched gateway, where men are shown adoring the king. The fourth and the central scene shows a nimbate king seated along with his followers, under heavenly trees and enjoying the sweets of heavenly life. Above the panel is a mutilated elephant advancing in the air. The man flying in front of it appears to be a yakṣa. The central part of it shows two sovereigns, that is, king Mandhāta and Śakra seated together on a single long throne^[4].

This Jātaka is also sculpted in several reliefs from Nāgārjunakoṇḍa (Pl 19c), Gummadidurru, Jaggayyapeta (Pl 19d) and Phaṇigiri.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cowell E.B, Op.cit, vol-I-II, No. 258, pp 216-218

[2]:

Knox Robert, Op.cit, pp 74-78, pl 23 (inner face)

[3]:

Ibid, p 122, pl 62

[4]:

Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, p 222-224, pl XXXIII, fig 1