"It behoves me, o king, to retire to the pleasure garden. It is the best of seasons, the spring, when women adorn themselves. Mid the hum of the bees, the song of the kokila and peacock is heard; clear, glittering and radiant is spread the glory of the blossoms. Come, give command, let us set off without delay!"

When the king had heard these words of the queen, he spake, pleased and light of heart to his retinue: "Make ready a troup of horses, elephants, carriages and attendants; decorate Lumbini, the place of most perfect quality" (78: 1, 11).

On the relief we do not find just what the text quoted leads us to expect; it is not the conversation of the king and queen that is given'), but what follows thereon. The scene is divided by a gateway into two unequal parts, on the right, the smaller, sits the queen, clearly indicated by a halo, on a throne in a niche; kneeling before her, a small tree in the back ground, are two attendants, the front one holding a bowl, perhaps containing ornaments. The queen is probably preparing herself for the journey, even if the text does not literaNy say so, and the passage in Pleyte (p. 42): "Inzwischen war Maya-DevT nach ibrem ZirnTner zuruckgekehrt und hatte sich von ihren Dienerinnen die schonsten Gewander anlegen lessen" is not to be found in the original Sanscrit. On the left of the gateway a quite mutilated figure is sitting in a pendapa whom Pleyte rightly recognises as the king; a servant kneels behind him with the usual folded vessel in his hand; opposite to them sitting and standing, a large number of attendants. In this scene as wed, Pleyte thinks of adornment and entitles the whole relief as"Der Konig und die Konigin schmucken sick." He has been misled by Wilsen's drawing on which someone is holding ready a headdress; where, in reality, as clearly shewn on the photograph, a very much damaged attendant is wearing it on his own head. As for the rest, there is only one attendant who has ornaments on a tray; the nearest one standing, carries a bouquet, another a box; the lowest row are quite without any articles in their hands. Adorning himself, or making any toilet, we see no traces of in this scene, and there is no reason for the king to trouble about his dress as he is not going with the party to Lumbini. I am much more inclined to think we here have only the king giving orders to his attendants, in preparation for the queen's Journey.