The Ladies of Krishna's Harem are shown the Sacrificial Horse Reign of Akbar, 1598 Painter: Bhagwan Size: 22.9 x 14 cm Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library, London The leading historians of Akbar's reign, Badauni and Abu'l Fazl, both refer to Akbar's commissioning in 1582 a Persian translation of the great Hindu epic the Mahabharata. The translation was made by Naqib Khan and Badauni, the latter collaborating reluctantly and complaining of its absurdities and idolatrous nature. The translation was in prose and illustrated. The imperial copy is now in the Jaipur royal collection. Badauni also wrote that orders were given by Akbar for additional copies to be made by the Amirs. Some of these copies still exist. In this painting, Yudhishthira brings the sacrificial horse to Krishna's palace and there his women admire it. Bhagwan has illustrated the colorful scene with an animated circle of ladies exchanging glances with the soldiers outside the zenana that surrounds the center of the composition. A conversation is taking place between the Pandava king and his ally Krishna.

Mughal-Library