The Siege of Ujjain and the Magic She-Ass: Folio from the Kalakacarya Section of a Kalpasutra Manuscript

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This scene depicts the city of Ujjayini (Ujjain), the capital of Malwa, in which the evil king Gardabhilla is seated while under siege by the armies of the Shahi princes. The ninety-six princes of the Saka clan crossed the Indus River from the northwest and entered western India at the invitation of the Jain monk Kalakacarya, whose sister, a nun, had been abducted by the king of Ujjain. The armies of the Saka clan attacked Ujjain, and a Shahi prince is shown slaying the magic she-ass that guarded the city gate, bringing defeat to the city. The evil king is spared but condemned to an endless cycle of miserable rebirths.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art