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

The artist employed fine brushwork and mineral-based pigments to render the scene with precision. Flames blaze in warm oranges and reds between the seated priests, contrasting with the cool blues and greens of the surrounding enclosure. Dhrishtadyumna emerges in detailed armor, his form sharply defined against the radiant fire.

The composition balances symmetry and movement, characteristic of Mughal court painting, while the naskh script beneath provides textual context in elegant Arabic calligraphy.

Commissioned under Emperor Akbar, the Razm-nama was produced in the imperial atelier between 1582 and 1586. This folio, attributed to Habshi, an artist identified by his epithet meaning 'Ethiopian', reflects the cosmopolitan nature of the Mughal workshop, which included artists from Persia, Central Asia, and Africa. The painting’s survival in a bound manuscript highlights its role as both religious narrative and imperial propaganda, legitimizing Mughal patronage of Indian epics.

Fire sacrifice, rooted in Vedic tradition, was a ritual reserved for Brahmins and central to Indo-Aryan religious practice. The Mahabharata’s inclusion in Persian translation reflects Akbar’s broader policy of cultural synthesis, bridging Hindu and Islamic traditions. The Mughal court’s interest in Indian epics was not merely aesthetic but political, using these stories to assert legitimacy over a diverse realm and to frame imperial power as divinely sanctioned.

The Razm-nama remains one of the most significant illustrated manuscripts of the Mughal era, preserving both Indian narrative traditions and Persian artistic forms. Habshi’s contribution, as one of the few named African artists in the imperial workshop, offers rare insight into the diversity of Mughal artisans. This folio continues to serve as a key document for understanding cross-cultural exchange, religious syncretism, and the role of visual art in legitimizing political authority in early modern South Asia.