This double-sided painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, from a Devi or goddess Mahatmya manuscript is a rare example of South Indian manuscript painting. The text is presumed to be a Kannada translation of a Sanskrit devotional text and the paintings serve to illustrate aspects of the narrative. The subject matter of both paintings is concerned with the forces of Devi, represented in the form of grotesque lion-type creatures, devastating the armies of a rogue king. The rulers of Mysore, descendants of the feudal chiefs of the kings of the Vijayanagara kingdom, fiercely sought to preserve the Hindu values and culture of their court in the face of Muslim pressures from the surrounding southern Deccan. Mural painting traditions in nearby Andhra Pradesh, such as those at the Virabhadra temple at Lepakshi, gave strength to their cause. This painting boldly asserts its Hindu character and gives us an insight into this little studied aspect of South Indian Painting.