A widely portrayed event in Buddhist art, Prince Siddhartha’s renunciation is an important pre-enlightenment event. The narration of the great departure (mahabhinishkramana) of Siddhartha takes place in the city of Kapilavastu. At twenty-nine years of age, at midnight, Siddhartha bid adieu to his wife, Yashodhara, and newborn infant, Rahula, to lead the life of an ascetic (shramana). In the Gandhara fragment, Siddhartha is riding out of the city gates depicted by a pillar on the right. As mentioned in various biographical texts, to avoid the city from waking up, guardian deities (yaksha-ganas) held Chandaka’s hooves as the Prince rode out of the city.
Dynasty : Loriyan Tangai, Pakistan | Period : Gandhara Gallery 100 CE | Material : Schist stone | Location : Indian Museum
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