The work of art referred to as 'Arjuna burning the corpses at Prabhasa, Gujarat, which depicts a pivotal incident from the Mausala Parva (the Book of the Clubs)', is actually a folio (f. 130v) dated at 1598 AD from a sub-imperial manuscript of the Razmnāmah (Book of War) which was the official Persian translation of the Hindu epic Mahabharata commissioned by Mughal Emperor Akbar. This piece is attributed to Narayan who is known to be the artist of the royal court and is currently kept in the British Library in London under the shelf number Or 12076. The style employed in creating this masterpiece was opaque watercolors with the use of ink on paper.
As for the actual painting which depicts a highly dramatic situation in the aftermath of the war between the Yadavah and the Andhaka clans that took place in Prabhasa, Gujarat, this particular work describes the arrival of Arjuna to the war-torn site following terrible events which caused destruction to his clan after Lord Krishna was gone. The big funeral pyre is in the center of the composition, surrounded by bright, stylized flames. Attendants and Brahmins conduct the solemn cremation rituals. Ghee (clarified butter) is poured into the flames for their sustenance and the salutation of the souls of the deceased warriors. There are figures around the central pyre in mourning, with immense concentration and seriousness. Arjuna is near the pyre to witness the sad ceremony of burning the dead bodies of the Yadavas and Andhakas.
The work by Narayan here showcases mature Mughal miniature style from the late 16th century, mixing Persian storytelling features with some traits of Indian realism and observations. The arrangement of the page works with vertical perspective that is present in Mughal paintings. The people and pyre are in the lower and middle registers of the picture, which makes it possible for the viewer to see clearly the flames of fire.
Color Palette and Fire Representation: Bright, opaque paints are applied to create a burning funeral pyre where the bright oranges, reds, and yellows are used. The combination of the bright fire and muted color of the background accentuates the sad mood of the picture. In the picture, Narayan portrays individual figures with expressional hand movements as well as particular features, and costumes (late-16th-century Mughal-style turbans, jama, and ceremonial dhoti). The small movements show seriousness and sadness. The background depicts naturalistic landscape features such as hills, rocks, and far away water bodies symbolizing the Gujarat coastline, bordered by a Persian calligraphy frame.
The manuscripts serve as one of the important copies of the Razmnāmah which was translated into Persian by the scholar Naqīb Khān during the reign of Akbar. The translation project was aimed at launching cross-cultural communication and embedding Hindu epics in the literature of the Mughal Empire.
Arjuna’s burning of the dead bodies following the battle between the Andhakas and Yadavas at Prabhasa, Gujarat coast is a very intricate painting from the historical period. It is one of the 16th-century Mughal miniature paintings that can be found in the archives of the British Library. This painting portrays an intensely poignant episode in the Razmnama that is essentially the Persian translation of the Mahabharata epic. The scene shows Arjuna carrying out the last rituals for his family members in a beautiful landscape with the background of a dark sky. On the left side, a huge burning funeral pyre burns all the dead bodies while a priest pours ghee into the burning flames with the help of a ladle from afar.
