Philemon

Description

The citation is from chapter 4 verses 7-8, where Krishna is instructing Arjuna concerning the nature of truth. The citation implicitly identifies Philemon with Krishna. Jung described Philemon as follows: “Philemon was a Pagan and brought with him an Egyptian-Gnostic-Hellenistic atmosphere with a Gnostic coloration. It was he who taught me psychic objectivity, the reality of the psyche… Psychologically, Philemon represented superior insight.” (Memories, pp. 207-8.)

INSCRIPTION TRANSLATION :

Within the image:

“Father of the Prophet, beloved Philemon.”

Inscription on the right:

“The bhagavadgita says: whenever there is a decline of the law and an increase in iniquity, then I put forth myself. For the rescue of the pious and for the destruction of the evildoers, for the establishment of the law I am born in every age.”