Buddhist traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
Kantaka
Kantaka is said to be born on the same day as Siddhartha. At the departure the gods lift his feet so that the mounted prince can pass through the gates without noise. After the final ride, the prince gives him back to Channa. The horse licks the prince’s feet before returning, giving the animal a gesture of farewell beside the human companion’s.
Also known as Kanthaka
Loading your archive…
In the sources
Principal account
TraditionalKantaka is said to be born on the same day as Siddhartha. At the departure the gods lift his feet so that the mounted prince can pass through the gates without noise.
Further detail
TraditionalAfter the final ride, the prince gives him back to Channa. The horse licks the prince’s feet before returning, giving the animal a gesture of farewell beside the human companion’s.
Context & interpretation
The entry follows the horse’s part in the collection’s departure narrative. Kantaka is the spelling of this scan; the more familiar Kanthaka is supplied as an alias without asserting that every retelling has identical details.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
lifted Kantaka s feet from the groundOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 320
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0320
- Original scan leaf
- 320
- Recorded leaf number
- 320
- Current Reader position
- 311
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
Kantaka licked them with his tongueOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 323
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0323
- Original scan leaf
- 323
- Recorded leaf number
- 323
- Current Reader position
- 314
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Channa
The charioteer who explains the prince’s first encounters with suffering and accompanies his departure.
Shared source pageGreat Departure of Siddhartha
The night journey that leaves palace, family and expected kingship behind.
Shared source pageYashodhara
Siddhartha’s wife, whose grief and fidelity form a counterpart to his departure.
Same subject and traditionHare in the Moon
The generous hare whose image Sakra places on the moon after testing his resolve.