When traveling in India and Tibet, N.K. Roerich heard wonderful myths and legends. The epic of Geser-Khan took a special place in the spiritual life of the Tibetan people and their culture. Western scholars referred to the grandiose poem about Geser as the Iliad of Central Asia. In the Himalayas, Roerich saw many stones on which nomad shepherds carved symbols of Geser-Khan – swords, archers, mountain goats. N.K. Roerich used these signs in his drawing.

“In the tract of Karga and near the Kyeilong (Lahul), we found images of swords. The meaning of these images is mysterious, but it is especially interesting that their shape is fully consistent with that of the bronze swords and daggers of the Minusinsk Siberian type, which are so characteristic of the first great settlers. We should not make any assumptions, and especially conclusions, but record this instructive detail as another milestone. <...> The painting “The Three Swords” is to depict an ancient drawing on stone near Kyeilong, the main city of Lahul. Lahul, in distorted pronunciation, means Southern Tibet. Local images on rocks and stones are worth exploring.”

(N.K. Roerich. The Flaming Stronghold)