Lion flanked by animals under Kalpavriksha
Lion flanked by animals under Kalpavriksha
The image shows a carving on the outer wall of one of the temples in Prambanan located 11 miles northeast of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
At the center is the statue of a lion in the niche, and on either side of the lion is a kalpavriksha with animals and birds around it. The significance and meaning of this unusual but beautiful and detailed carving are not well understood.
According to Hindu mythology, Kalpavrisksha is a divine tree that fulfills the desires of human beings. It is a by-product of the Samudra Manthana (Churning of the Ocean of Milk). See the Samudra Manthana bas-relief in the Angkor Wat Temple. Indra, who was in the middle of the Samudra Manthana, took this tree and planted in his garden.
Related Pages
Prambanan, Borobudur, Bali, Indonesia
Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Banteay Srei, Cambodia
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