Mandodari admonishes her husband, the demon king Ravana, while Prince Rama and his allies convene outside the palace, from a manuscript of the Ramayana (Epic of Rama)
Place of Originpossibly Madhya Pradesh state, India, former kingdom of Datia
Dateapprox. 1605
MaterialsOpaque watercolors and gold on paper
DimensionsH. 10 1/2 in x W. 7 1/4 in, H. 26.7 cm x W. 18.4 cm
Credit LineGift of the Connoisseurs' Council with additional funding from Fred M. and Nancy Livingston Levin, the Shenson Foundation, in memory of A. Jess Shenson
Object number2003.4ab
DepartmentSouth Asian Art
ClassificationsPainting
On View
Not on viewInscribed(गन्)तुम् ऐछद् [ऐच्छद्] अतिक्रुधः/ सर्वसैन्येन संक्षतः।
He [Ravaṇa], who was very angry,
desired to go surrounded by his whole army.
संग्रामम् अभिाक्षन्तं / रावणं श्रुत्यभाविनी।
तत्रोत्थाय [अभ्यगच्छत्/उपागमत्?] / नाम्ना मन्दोदरी तथा।।
So, the beautiful lady named Mandodarī,
standing up there,
[went] to Rāvaṇa who was desiring a fight.
प्रविश्य च सभां दिव्यां / प्रभया द्योतमानया।
दृष्टुं वै रावणं सा तु / मयस्य दुहिता- -।।
And shining radiantly,
the daughter of Maya
entered the divine assembly hall to see Rāvaṇa.
- - देवीं ततो राजा / प्रियां मन्दोदरीं तदा।
दृष्ट्वा ससंभ्रमस् तूर्णं/ परिष्वज्य दशानन:।।
So then, the King, ten-headed Rāvaṇa,
excited to see his beloved queen Mandodarī [who had come],
quickly embraced her.
अब्रवीद्व- - - - - /--गंभीरनिस्वनः।
किम् आगमनकृत्यं ते/ देवि शीघ्रं तद् उच्यतां।।
He then duly said in a very serious tone:
“O queen, please, quickly speak your reason for coming.”
एवम् उक्ते तु वचने/ देवी वचनम् अब्रवीत्।
- - - -व(?) राज्येन्द्र /याचेत् वाहं कृताञ्जलिः।।
when such words were spoken, the queen spoke this address:
“O Indra of Kings, with my hands folded in supplication,
I beg you—[listen to this request];
O proud one, I do not intend some offense in speaking.
नापराधश्च कर्त्तव्यो/ वदत्या मम मानदम्।
श्रुतामे(तद्)- - - -/ (संग्र)ामे राक्षसा हताः।।
The [city] is reported to me [as besieged].
The Rākṣasas are reported to me as killed—
as well the heroes alongside Dhūmrākṣasa and Prahasta.
धूम्राक्षसहिता वीराः/ प्रहस्तेन सहैव तु।
भवान् ऊ वै युद्धकामः/ - - - - निश्चय:।।
should not be questioned [with regard to going].
O Indra of Kings, my reason for coming is having reflected on this.
इति संचित्य राजेन्द्र/ ममागमनकारणम्।
नन्वयुक्तं प्रमुखतः स्थातुं/ तस्(य?)- - - - - - ।।
Surely, O magnanimous one, [in battle] it is not appropriate
for you to stand in front of Rāma,
whose wife, O illustrious one, was sullied by you.
(विप्र)स्य सुमहाभाग/ यसय भार्या हता त्वया।
क्व मानुषमात्रो 'सौ/ रामो दशरथात्मज:।।
Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, is not merely mortal.”
