Karshuppa
General introduction
Karshuppa was the Shagreen dog of king Sallugalas, king over Badur Hurasham during the second Armalsha rule over the city. Karshuppa was imported from Madini, as Sallugalas had close friends in the city state of Bandamuni there. Before he became king, he visited there and fell in love with shagreen dogs, which he admired for their speed, strength and ferocity. Being a warrior and a military leader, he saw these animals as akin to himself.
After becoming king, the ruling family of Bandamuni sent him a Shagreen dog cub as a present, so he could keep it in his royal garden and take delight from its magnificence. But Sallugalas not only nursed it to adulthood, but also bonded with Karshuppa and made him his closest asset.
Background and life
Sources dating back to Sallugalas' lifetimes tell of it coming to Badur Hurasham when it was the size of a regular house cat. Considering the life cycle and growth rate of shagreen dogs, that means it was only half a year old, when it arrived. Sallugallas was extremely happy about the gift and immediately started training the animal. He named him Karshuppa, which means 'shiny skin'. In the beginning Karshuppa was kept in the palace, before he became too big and moved into the garden. He is said to have been unbelievably docile for a Shagreen dog, probably he grew up between humans. Sallugallas trained to become able to bond with Karshuppa. Upon reaching this state, he also employed him as a mount and often appeared in public not carried on a palanquin, as was usual for kings at the time, but rather riding on Karshuppas back. This fitted him better, considering his warrior background and also brought him much respect from the general population.
Karshuppa also accompanied the king on hunts, which are a popular sport for kings. One dark aspect of these hunts though is, that Sallugallas ordered executions to be conducted as hunts, as he had no qualms killing people by his own hand or have them killed by his trusty companion because of his personal background. Even reliefs from that time show a person riding a giant, lion-like animal and shooting arrows at fleeing people. A cartouche in one of the reliefs says 'kingly pleasures' right next to such a scene.
Public perception
Being a formidable predator, Karshuppa was partly feared, but considering the close bond between him and his generally well perceived king partly also revered as an animal truly worth of a king. Some clay tablets exist, preserving records of Karshuppa in public. These sources are neutral to positive in nature.
Karshuppa was so popular, as he was frequently seen outside, that he even became immortalised in a saying. Parents warn kids about the dangers of unknown domestic animals:
The dog/dragon/camel might just be Karshuppa reincarnated. - saying popular among parents in Badur Hurasham
Children
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