KETOET GEDE, SINGARAJA, A STORY ABOUT ARJUNA. GOD INDRA,
DISGUISED AS ARJUNA, TALKS TO DEWI PRINASI
LOr. 3390-180
Drawing on Dutch paper, watermark Concordia, countermark VdL., 34.5 x 42 cm
A woman sits in a pavilion on the left. Three perches with birds hang form the roof in the centre. A text in Balinese script in ink close to the woman says: “”déwi Prinassi”, and close to the birds is written: “kdis”, bird, and “brekutut”’ turtle dove. Two men on the right are facing her. The smaller of them, who stands in front has a refined face, his hair is styled in a double chignon with a garuda ornament at the back. The taller of the two men wears a diadem and a kind of turban on his head. A text in Balinese script in ink in the centre says: “btara hindra, malingsé, rupa rejunna”, the god Indra changes his form into that of Arjuna. At the top on the left of the sheet Van der Tuuk has written in Latin script in ink: Ardjuna Pralabda, by which the Old Javanese kakawin Arjuna Pralabdha is meant.
The man clad like an ascetic represents the god Indra, he changes his form and becomes Arjuna. He talks to a woman called Déwi Prinasi who is sitting in a pavilion.
The scene refers to a story told in the Arjuna Pralabdha, Canto I (LOr. 4061 and 13.835). King Anggadipati reigns in Mayapuri. He looks like a demon, but his wife is very beautiful. She is called Déwi Asih Prana, or Pranasih in Old Javanese, but Prinasi in Balinese. The god Siwa likes her very much. He comes down from heaven and changes his appearance into that of Arjuna. This change is depicted in the drawing. However, according to the artist, it is the god Indra and nog Siwa who changes his appearance.
