This painting depicts an episode in the great Indian epic, the Ramayana, in which Princess Sita undergoes a trial by fire to prove her fidelity to her husband, Rama, during her captivity by the Demon King Ravana. Sita is shown unharmed in the center of the flames, accompanied by Agni, the Hindu god of fire, who protects her because she remained virtuous. The gods, Sita’s friends and relatives, her husband and his vast army are arranged hierarchically around the funeral pyre. To the right, on the ramp from which Sita leapt into the pyre, is Trijata, her companion during her long captivity. Below the ramp are the monkey generals Sugriva, Angada, and Hanuman. To the left are Rama, Lakshmana, and Vibhisana, Trijata’s father. In the upper left corner, the gods Shiva, identified by his third eye of wisdom, and Indra, the king of the gods, are carried by a flying servant of the defeated Ravana. Monkeys, bears, and other creatures in the service of Rama stand below the fire.
See also AC1995.83.1, AC1996.143.1, and M.2011.47.
