Last Existence: Conversion of Apalāla

A relief depicting the Conversion of Apalāla. The nāga king Apalāla, furious for not receiving proper offerings from the local community, threatens to cause disastrous floods in the valley. The Buddha and Vajrapāṇi, while traveling to promulgate the Doctrine, seek to help the people and subdue the vicious nāga. Vajrapāṇi hits the mountain top, causing debris to fall in the pond where Apalāla and his family reside. The nāga, now frightened, listens to the Buddha’s words and eventually converts to the Dharma.  The scene is encased by a framed semi-column of the Gandharan-Corinthian type. The base is plain. The Buddha is standing on the right. His right hand was in abhayamudrā, his left was holding an edge of the saṃghāti. Next to him are three figures carved in bust and emerging from a low tank. The first is Apalāla, who is joining his hands. The figure in the middle is probably Apalāla’s wife. She, too, has joined hands and originally wore a large garland, of which the outline is still discernible. The third and last figure was either a son or daughter of the nāga couple. It was carved with raised hands (gesture of fear?). In the background, behind Apalāla, are the scanty remains of a standing figure, possibly Vajrapāṇi.