Amaravati: Life of the Buddha

INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati; Satavahana period

The relief was unearthed at Amaravati and depicts four scenes connected with the birth of Prince Siddhartha. Pillared walls and balustrades align to give the scenes a sense of perspective.
Queen Maya lies on her side on a couch with her arms raised in the upper right-hand corner. Surrounding her are figures paying reverence. It may be conjectured that this scene represents her dream of the future birth. The upper left-hand corner depicts King Suddhodana inquiring about the queen’s dream. The king sits in the relaxation posture on his throne with two servants behind him, while Heavenly Kings occupy the remaining seats. The Heavenly Kings have their right hands raised with fingers pointed upwards as if congratulating him on the destiny of the future prince.
The lower right section of the relief illustrates the birth. Queen Maya grasps the branch of an asoka tree with her left hand, while being attended by a maid or her sister, Mahaprajapati on the right. On the other side of the queen are Heavenly Kings presenting a length of cloth. On the lower left Mahaprajapati takes Prince Siddhartha to a shrine for blessing. Behind her are servants holding a whisk and a parasol. A deity, showing only his upper body, appears on the altar and pays reverence as he foresees the prince’s great future.