Balinese Woodcarvings

 

Arjuna with Yudhishthira's Dog

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 measurements: 26,5x9x10 cm
weight: 550 gr
made in 1950's-1960's (estimated)

Here you can see one of my favorite pieces. It is related to the statue of Yudhishthira with the dog, which you can also see in my collection. The unknown wood carving artist set the dog next to another member of the Pandava group than to Yudhisthira as it is done usually. He did his very best to make the figurine just beautiful. 

Arjuna was one of the Pandava  brothers. You can read his story in the Mahabharata Epic. When he, his brothers and Draupadi (she was the wife of all five brothers) embarked on their final journey to Nirvana, Yudhishthira was tested by the gods. A dog accompanied the group but as such was not allowed to enter heaven at the behest of Indra, the supreme god. Yudhishthira did not want to go any further, he did not want to leave the poor dog, which was the god Yama in another form, behind. With such an act of kindness to this creature Yudhishthira solved his last task. After further trials, not only Yudhishthira but also his brothers and Draupadi were allowed to enter Nirvana.


 



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