62. The Bodhisativa is guarded in his harem

At the end of this night, king Cuddhodana called together the whole company of Cakya's and told them of the matter: "The prince will depart, what must now be done ?" The Cakya's answered: "We will keep guard over him, o king. For why ? We are a great company of Cakya's, and he is but alone. How shall he be able to force a way to depart ?"

Mahaprajapati Gautama spake to the many female slaves: "Light up bright lamps, place all sorts of jewels upon the stands, hang necklaces about and illuminate the whole dwelling. Cause music to sound and keep guard this night, unceasingly; keep watch over the prince so that he cannot depart unseen. Armoured and with quiver in your hand, with swords, bows, arrows, spears and lances, must you all strive your utmost to guard mv beloved child". (200: 15: 201: 91.

The last sentence is remarkable when compared with the relief. It seems that, even where the text expressly demands it, the sculptor cannot get himself to depict armed women. In Hindustan such figures of female slaves in armour and with weapons, in the retinue of a king are quite common; they are not found anywhere on the Barabudur, or on any other Javan monument. The omission of these figures even where the text mentions their presence, can only be explained, I think, by the custom of the country, the sculptor hesitating to represent something quite unusual among the Javanese, the public for whom he was worldling.

The Bodhisattva sits with the right leg in the sling, on a cushion in the midst of kneeling women in a pavilion, that is quite on the right of the relief. It has a porch on the left, under which two guards armed with swords and large shields are sitting, it is enclosed in a palissade, going along the bottom edge of the relief and then turning upwards. Outside this, quite on the left, sit another group of men on the ground, bearers of the royal insignia and soldiers. According to Pleyte (p. 94) the foremost figure is the king himself, but this person is not to be distinguished from the others by the usual royal dress. I consider it much more likely they are either the retinue of the crownprince, or guards sent by the king and if the latter, they would be the Cakya's mentioned in the text, though their garments are not those of the highest circles. At Pagan can be seen on the relief immediately before the scene of the sleeping women, the Bodhisattva lying on his couch, with the female slaves making music I).