KETOET GEDE, SINGARAJA, DRAWINGS OF THE STORY OF RADEN SARKA AND JUARSA
LOr. 3390-298, bottom
Drawing on Dutch paper, watermark Pro Patria, countermark VdL., 42.4 x 33.1 cm
Raden Sarka throws Juarsa from a boat into a swamp. Sara Ulan, the beloved of Juarsa, watches and cries. A text in Balinese script in ink at the top says: brawah agung, misi sampan panyewwa, lahut ke I jwarse, sareng hi sare ulan, nyewwa sampan, lahut katuludang, labuh ring tngahing brawah, trus ka septeptele, ring gnah sang antaboga, a large swamp with a boat to rent. Then I Juarsa and Sara Ulan arrive, they hire a boat. Then I Juarsa is pushed overboard. He falls into the swamp and arrives in the Netherworld where Antaboga resides.
In the centre in the sail of the boat is written: radensarke nuludang I jwarsa, Raden Sarka pushes I Juarsa over board. At the top on the right is written: hi sara ulan nangis ngenot hi jwarsa, labuh. Sara Ulan weeps when she sees that Juarsa falls.
The scene refers to an episode described in the Kidung Juarsa. In the text, LOr. 13;345, 11: 5-9, a story resembling the scene in the drawing is told. The man throwing Juarsa overboard is a Brahman. His name is not mentioned. He meets Juarsa shortly after the latter has been brought to life a gain. Juarsa wants to cross some water. Sara Ulan remains on land. The Brahman gives him a lift, but throws Juarsa overboard after taking a ruby from him. The Brahman goes back to Sara Ulan. He forces her to join him and to go to the country of Burham. The king has no wife and Sara Ulan is supposed to become his wife.
LOr. 3390-37
Drawing on Dutch paper, watermark Pro Patria, countermark VdL., 42 x 33.2 cm
Raden Sarka is decapitated by Sara Ulan. A text in ink in Balinese script at the top left says: raden sarka, nglinggihin kude, kepunggal hantuk hi sare hulan, Raden Sarka, driving a horse, is decapitated by I Sara Ulan. At the top on the right is written: sare hulan, makte pdang, Sara Ulan holds a sword.
The scene refers to an episode also known from the Kidung Juarsa 10-1-5 (LOr. 4219). The story takes place in a javanese Muslim society. Sara Wulan, or Sinara Ulan, or Sara Ulan, as she is called, si the wife of a prince named Juwarsa, or Juarsa, or Johor Sah, who lives in Madaldah. He has an elder brother who is the king of Saalsah or Saidalsah. The king wants Sara Ulan for his wife. When Juarsa leaves Sara Ulan for a while, she is kidnapped. Juarsa goes to his brother’s palace. A plan is made to kill Juarsa. However, the king himself is killed . Juarsa and Sara Ulan leave the palace. They enter a forest. An ascetic, called Raden Serkap, Serekap or Sarka, is performing asceticism in the forest. He is confronted with Sara Ulan and her husband. He wants to present her to his king, not knowing he is dead. He decides to kill Juarsa. Having killed him, Raden Sarka wants to bring Sara Ulan to the king. He seats himself on his horse. Sara Ulan walks behind,holding the horse’s tail, because it is hindering her. Instead of doing so, she kills Raden Sarka by cutting off his head. The killing of Raden Sarka by Sara Ulan is depicted in the drawing.
