Nagarjunakonda: King Sibi Jataka

INDIA, Andhra Pradesh

The sculpture depicts the King Sibi Jataka and details one of the rebirths of Sakyamuni Buddha. The slab is carved in mid-relief and the modeled figures are full of vivid motion. In the story, King Sibi rescues a dove from a hawk, and out of compassion, carves the equivalent amount of flesh from his own body as a substitute offering. The work depicts events in composite fashion, with the main figure appearing several times.
The king is at the top center seated on a throne, holding the dove in his left hand and reassuring it with the other hand in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra. Armed guards and servants are on the right, and palace women on the left appear to be focused on the scene taking place below. The king reappearing in the lower center is cutting his thigh with a sword, while an attendant holding a scale to weigh the flesh is on the right. Sibi on the lower left reaches toward the sky where Sakra applauds the king’s action and restores his body.