AN ILLUSTRATION OF A JAIN TALE: SANSAR DARSHAN
Possibly Rajasthan or Gujarat, North-Western India, mid to late 19th century

Opaque pigments and ink on paper, the vertical composition depicting the Jain Sansar Darshan parable with a man on a tree, hanging below a hive, reaching for the dripping honey, below him several animals in pairs, the elephants shaking the tree, the mice biting the branch upon which the man's foot is resting, and the snakes swimming in the well, the scene observed by a benevolent god in a flying chattri on the upper right corner, set within deep red rules and bright orange borders, the reverse with three private property stamps of renowned Indian art collectors and connoisseurs of Nawalgarh, respectively Bhanwar Devendra Singh, Bh. Suraya Vijay Singh Shekhawat, and Kumar Sangram Singh, 24cm x 13.4cm.

The aim of this Jain parable is to teach how dangerous it is to be absorbed in mundane, earthly sensual pleasures instead of indulging in our real selves. Temporary happiness given by our senses can blind us and make us lose our way; we need to embrace the wisdom of the advice given by the god / guru to find permanent happiness.