Kizil Cave 17: King Srutasoma Jataka

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

This painting is located on the right side of the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the main chamber. According to the story from the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, when King Srutasoma was going with his palace maids to the suburbs to bathe, he encountered a brahmin who was begging for donations. The king promised to make offerings to him upon his return to the palace. While the king was bathing, a raksasa suddenly appeared in the air and captured King Srutasoma. The raksasa threatened to eat the king, thus Srutasoma was troubled and wept with grief. He begged the raksasa to let him return to the palace to make the offerings that he had promised, and pledged to come back and face his death. The raksasa was moved by his resolve, released him, and refrained from eating humans thereafter.
The raksasa carrying King Srutasoma is depicted at the top of the painting. It flaps its white wings and flies through the air. Two women in the water, one light and the other dark-skinned, are at the bottom of the painting. They both wear ornaments. The light-skinned woman lifts her head and raises her arms, while the dark-skinned woman turns to look back at the king in the raksasa’s grasp. Both women appear frightened and alarmed.