Ajanta Cave 17: Life of the Buddha - Calming the Drunken Elephant

INDIA, Maharashtra, Aurangabad

This mural is located on the back wall of the portico on the right side. It depicts the story of the Buddha calming the drunken elephant in Rajagriha. According to the story, Devadatta, the Buddha’s cousin, attempted to kill the Buddha by setting loose a raging, drunken elephant upon him. When the elephant encountered the Buddha, however, the Buddha’s loving kindness pacified the great animal.
The left side of this mural illustrates the drunken elephant charging through the streets of Rajagriha, tossing people through the air with its trunk. The people are seen running away in fright. On the right side of the mural, the elephant is calm and gentle. The animal kneels before the Buddha in respect, and the Buddha stretches out his right hand to touch the elephant’s forehead. People can be seen joining their palms in reverence and praise for the Buddha. Over time, much of the mural has deteriorated, but the expressions of the humans and the elephant can still be seen.