The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Ghatotkacha and three demons in his company chase Bhagadatta, from Bhishma-parva (volume six) of a Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted from the Sanskrit Mahabharata and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d. 1614)

1616–17

attributed to Fazl

(Indian, active early 1600s)
Mughal India, court of Jahangir (reigned 1605–27), made for Abd al-Rahim the Khan Khanan
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Page: 36.7 x 24 cm (14 7/16 x 9 7/16 in.)
Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection 2013.321
Location: Not on view

Description

The red demons riding elephants were magically generated in multiples by Ghatotkacha, the son of one of the protagonists of Book of Wars. Though created by magic, the elephant-riding demons still caused problems for their adversaries and forced them to retreat. This scene took place on the fourth of 18 days of heated battle.
The Mughal emperor Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) commissioned a translation of the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata into the Mughal court language of Persian and distributed copies to members of his court. He believed that the epic provided insight into how to rule the people of India. The chief minister to both Akbar and his successor, Jahangir, commissioned his own lavishly illustrated copy, from which this page has come.
  • Hagop Kevorkian [1872–1962], New York, NY
    December 7, 1970
    Sotheby’s, London, Highly Important Oriental Manuscripts and Miniatures: The Property of the Kevorkian Foundation, 7 December 1970, lot 109
    1970–2013
    Ralph Benkaim [1914–2001] and Catherine Glynn Benkaim [b. 1946], Beverly Hills, CA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2013–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Catalogue of Highly Important Oriental Manuscripts and Miniatures: The Property of the Kevorkian Foundation, Comprising Persian, Arabic and Turkish Calligraphy, Including "Qur'an" Leaves of the 11th and 12th Century, and Examples of "Nasta'liq" and "Naskhi" Calligraphy ... Which Will Be Sold by Auction by Sotheby and Co. ..., Monday, 7th December, 1970. London: Sotheby, 1970. lot 109
    Mace, Sonya Rhie, Mohsen Ashtiany, Catherine Glynn, Pedro Moura Carvalho, Marcus Fraser, and Ruby Lal. Mughal Paintings: Art and Stories: the Cleveland Museum of Art. London: D Giles Limited, 2016. cat. no. 49
  • Martial Art of India. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 11-August 21, 2022).
    Main gallery rotation (gallery 245). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (November 2, 2015-March 15, 2016).
  • {{cite web|title=Ghatotkacha and three demons in his company chase Bhagadatta, from Bhishma-parva (volume six) of a Razm-nama (Book of Wars) adapted from the Sanskrit Mahabharata and translated into Persian by Mir Ghiyath al-Din Ali Qazvini, known as Naqib Khan (Persian, d. 1614)|url=false|author=Fazl|year=1616–17|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2013.321