Q: mArjArahatyA

[Andrew Cohen]

 Re: meditating cats.
 
 At the "Great Relief" in Mahabalipuram, there is a delightful 
 representation of a dubious Yogi-- a cat does tapas as mice gather 
at  his feet to see this marvel.   The cat's pose duplicates that of 
the  main figure whose identity is debatably Arjuna or Bhagiratha 
(relief  is filled with multiple readings which Mike Rabe might 
 explain).
 
See: Heras, Fr. H. "The Hypocritical Cat:"' Tamil Culture (1952): 
286-319

And Rabe's forthcoming "Cryptic Praises: The Mamallapuram Prasasti 
Deciphered" in Artibus Asiae


 Andrew Cohen