Artwork
Vabhru-vahana
Vabhru-vahana is a paint painting by the Baroque artist Abdullah. It dates from 1616 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This painting, signed by Abdullah and dated 1616-1617, depicts a scene from the Mahabharata, an ancient Hindu epic. It was originally part of an illustrated manuscript of the Razmnama, a Persian translation of the Mahabharata commissioned by Mughal emperor Akbar.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows Babhruvahana, Arjuna's son, attempting to seize a gem guarded by serpents in the nether regions. The gem is needed to restore his father to life, and Babhruvahana must vanquish the serpents to obtain it.
History & Provenance
The Razmnama manuscript was translated from Sanskrit into Persian between 1582 and 1586 under Akbar's patronage. Abdullah's painting was completed several decades later, dated to 1025 AH, corresponding to 20 January 1616-8 January 1617 CE.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Abdullah painted delicate Mughal miniatures in the early 1600s, blending soft washes of color with precise linework.
- Ghatotkacha and three demons in his company chase Bhagadatta, from Bhishma-parva (volume six) of a Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted from the Sanskrit Mahabharata and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d. 1614)
Akbar
Untitled
Akbar and Hamid Bakari
Vabhruvahana Approaches Arjuna, page from the Khan Khanan's Razm-nama
Krishna and Nikumba
Kai Kaus Discovered on Palaquin
Rustam and Raksh Entrapped
Arjuna Slays Karna, page from a copy of the Razmnama
The First Adventure of the White Horse, Page from the Khan Khanan's Razm Nama (Book of Wars)
Bikhya and Chandrahasa
The First Adventure of the White Horse, Page from the Khan Khanan's Razm Nama (Book of Wars)