What is the meaning behind this gandik type?

[Amuk Murugul]

Originally Posted by yuuzan

I have come across this gandik type twice now and am curious as to what exactly is depicted here. The lower figure reminds me of a rhinoceros while the upper figure may represent a predator of some sort, a tiger perhaps?

Does anyone know what is depicted on this gandik? Does it represent a scene from a story, epic, myth or legend? What are the meanings associated with this depiction? What is this gandik meant to tell the person viewing it?

PS: Both keris I have seen it on are from Bali.

Hullo everybody!

yuuzan,
To me, it looks like a poor representation of a lion standing on a rhino. If so, it symbolises Hanyokrokusumo's conquest of the island of Java; the lion represents Hanyokrokusumo while the rhino ( Sunda rhinoceros; more often called Javan rhino by the mainstream ) represents Java.
Sometimes, instead of the rhino, it has an elephant ( Elephas maximus sondaicus ). It essentially symbolises the same thing.

BTW .....
- Naga may not necessarily mean serpent/dragon
- During Hanyokrokusumo's time, he introduced a plethora of new keris types to be awarded like medals to victorious troops. (On the other hand, he was so merciless that a lot of his troops who were unsuccessful preferred to desert rather than to return and face certain death.)

..... just my view.

mvg,