Indian Sculpture c8.113

c8.113

This part of the relief may refer to the story of Sudhana Kinnara.²⁰⁰ Prince Sudhana was the son of King Dhana of Hastināpura. The prince went out for hunting into the forest. A hunter, named Halaka, came to know from a Ṛṣi that there was a wonderful tank, called Brahmasabhā, which was used as a bathing place by Manoharā, the beautiful daughter of the Kinnara king, Druma, and her maids. The hunter obtained a charmed noose from a Nāga, which he aimed at the Kinnarī princess, when she came to take her daily bath. In vain she tried to escape. All her maids fled away in panic, leaving her to the mercy of the hunter. Prince Sudhana happened to be in that very region, and the hunter handed over Manoharā to him. The prince and princess became enamoured of each other at the first sight, and came to Hastināpura together with the hunter, whom the prince amply rewarded. Sudhana and Manoharā were passing their days happily in the interior of the royal palace. The royal chaplain became, however, jealous of the prince, and wanted to get rid of him by some device.