The Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha Series

The Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha Series

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The sketch illustrates the story of the king Gajendra, who had been cursed and transformed into an elephant. One day, a crocodile seized his leg, and it was not until Gajendra appealed to Vishnu that he was saved and reached a state of moksha. This story is a metaphor likening the ignorance of the king to that of an elephant and suggests it is overcome only through unfettered devotion (bhakti).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha SeriesThe Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha SeriesThe Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha SeriesThe Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha SeriesThe Elephant King Wrestles a Crocodile: Illustration from a Gajendramoksha Series

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.