Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Artwork

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d, unspecified, 1600
Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d, unspecified, 1600

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a ceremonial sacrifice in an open pavilion, centered on a vivid fire.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

It depicts the brothers Yaja and Upayaja conducting a sacrificial ritual from which Dhrishtadyumna miraculously emerges from the sacred fire.

The painting illustrates an episode from the Adi-parva, the opening book of the Mahabharata as rendered in the Persian Razm-nama. It depicts the brothers Yaja and Upayaja conducting a sacrificial ritual from which Dhrishtadyumna miraculously emerges from the sacred fire. The scene visualizes a pivotal mythic moment of divine birth through ritual offering, a recurring theme in Hindu epic literature that the Mughal imperial translation project conveyed to its Persian-speaking patrons.

The work belongs to a broader illustrated manuscript tradition in which episodes from the Sanskrit epics were adapted into Persian and furnished with pictorial imagery, allowing courtly audiences to engage with the narrative through both text and image. The sacrifice-and-emergence motif functions as a visual statement of supernatural origin, signaling Dhrishtadyumna's destined role as a warrior born specifically to confront a great adversary.

History & Provenance

The painting is dated to 1598 and was produced in the Mughal Empire. While one source lists the artist as unknown, another attributes the work to Bilal Habshi, an Ethiopian painter active in the late 1500s. The artwork entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection in 2013, where it is catalogued under accession number 2013.305.

No further details about its original commission, earlier owners, or subsequent transfers are provided in the available sources.

Overview

The work depicts a ceremonial sacrifice in an open pavilion, centered on a vivid fire. Figures in bright yellow, red and green garments gather around the flames, some seated on steps, others standing, while a staff‑bearing individual tends the blaze. Two observers positioned beyond a red railing watch the ritual, emphasizing the fire’s focal role in the composition.

Technique & Style

Executed in a miniature painting tradition, the piece employs fine brushwork and a luminous palette to render the flickering flames and richly colored costumes. Delicate linear detailing defines the figures and architectural elements, while the use of perspective creates a shallow depth that draws attention to the central fire.

Context

As a visual interpretation of a cross‑cultural literary work, the painting reflects the exchange between Indian epic narratives and Persian artistic conventions. It serves as an example of how mythological themes were adapted for courtly audiences, influencing subsequent illustrated manuscripts in the region.

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d. 1614) from the Sanskrit Mahabharata
Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d. 1614) from the Sanskrit Mahabharata, Bilal Habshi

Artist & collection

VISUALLY SIMILAR

Similarity 98 percent

SAME SUBJECT

Similarity 100 percent
This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d?

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d?

Yaja and Upayaja perform a sacrifice for the emergence of Dhrishtadyumna from the fire, from Adi-parva (volume one) of the Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d is associated with Mughal Painting.