Now the Bodhisattva whose mind was made up, much moved, yet firm of purpose, rose quickly, without hesitating, from his cross-legged position and turning to the East in his music apartment, pushed aside with his right hand the curtains set with jewels and stepped on to the terrace of the palace .... When he saw that midnight had come, he roused Chandaka and said: "Quick, Chandaka, delay not, bring me my prince of horses decked with all his ornaments. My salvation is about to be fulfilled; this day will it surely be accomplished". When Chandaka heard these words, he was heavy of heart and said: "Where wilt thou go", etc.

Thereupon, the gods sons (antamati and Lalitavyuha, aware of the Bodhisattva's intention, caused all the women and men, youths and maidens in the great city of Kapilavastu, to fall into deep sleep, and they silenced all sounds. When the Bodhisattva became aware that all people in the city were asleep and the hour of midnight was come, and that Pusya had risen to be lord of the constellation and that now the hour of departure had arrived, he spoke to Chandaka: "Discourage me now no more, Chandaka; bring me Kanthaka caparisoned without further delay". As soon as the Bodhisattva spoke these words, that same moment the four Guardians of the world who heard the words of the Bodhisattva, hastened each to his dwelling and returned with his own preparations to honor the Bodhisattva, as soon as possible to the great city of Kapilavastu.

Also Qakra, the king of the gods, came with the three and thirty gods, with heavenly flowers, and perfumes, garlands, ointments powders, garments, umbrellas, banners, streamers, diadems and ornaments.

A thousand koti's of gods spoke joyful of heart unto Chandaka: "Come, Chandaka, bring out the splendid Kanthaka, grieve not the Leader". When Chandaka heard these words of the gods, he said to Kanthaka: "Here comes the best driver of all beings, neigh thou to him !', And when he had ornamented the rain-colored hoofs with gold, weeping and sad of heart, he led the horse to that Ocean of merit. (209:11;210:2;217:5;218:15;221:7, 15).

The Bodhisattva is depicted standing on a lotus-cushion, outside the palace railings. This palace is quite to the right; in front sit the sleeping guard and a couple of large pots with lids stand on the left. The whole is enclosed in a palissade with a gateway inserted in it; at the side of the palissade is the Bodhisattva, stretching out his hand to Chandaka who kneels before him making a sembah. Behind the coachman is the horse, with a tree in the background, its haunches are hidden by the group of gods standing quite on the left of the relief. The whole design is such that in my opinion it does not allow the scene to be titled as the command given to Chandaka to saddle the horse (Pleyte p. 97), as in the Lalitavistara the order was given while the Bodhisattva was still on the terrace of his palace. Here he has already come down and it is evident that the horse could not be brought up on to the terrace so that if the animal was to appear on the relief, that was reason cuough to place the scene out-of-doors. The conception of the Barabudur sculptor is, at any rate, far more rational than that of the Gandhararelief just mentioned, on which the horse is brought inside the room where Gopa is asleep. What the Barabudur relief illustrates is, I think, the moment when Chandaka yields to the persuasion of the gods end brings the horse to his master, the moment that is immediately before the Great Departure in the following relief. It is noticeable that at Pagan two separate reliefs appear, the first shows the orders given to Chandaka (where the horse is already present), the second the moment the animal is going to be mounted; in the first, the scene is in a palace, while the second is given out-of-doors 1).