The carved panels and the series of reliefs result from Indian texts of various times, of indonesian texts which are resumptions of Indian texts with possibly a local adaptation, and finally of texts typically javanese, even told stories, and for some drawn from the wayang, the shadow theatre. One will found here the principal texts :

Ramayana: It is one of the two great Indian epics, always taken again and everywhere, in particular on the large scene close to Candi Prambanan, during the tourist season. It tells the mishaps of the princess Sita , kidnaped by the demon Ravana , then led on the island of Lanka. Her husband Rama , helped by the army of the monkeys led by Hanuman will deliver her, but she will have to undergo the test of fire to prove her purity.

Part of the text illustrates the balustrade of the temple of Shiva and half of that of brahma in Prambanan :Suite to a brawl, Rama is exiled in the forest with his brother Laksmana, and Sita of which it gained the hand. But Ravana kidnaps Sita and leads her to Lanka. Hanuman on the island of Lanka where he met Sita, fights against the demons of Ravana. Wounded, he is made prisoner, but he is released and escaped by putting fire at the palace of Ravana. He comes to give Rama and of his brother Laksmana an explanation of the situation. They set off again tol Lanka and build a large bridge for the passage of the armies. The war engages and Kumbhakarna, the brother of Ravana is killed, and finally Sita is delivered.

Le Krisnayana : King Kalayavana become immortal, intends to attack Krisna with his army of demons. Krisna takes refuge at a wise man home who will start a fire which will kill the king and his army. Later, Krisna kidnaps Rukmini who was promised to someone else. The two applicants will clash for the hand of the beautiful.

This history illustrates the panels top of Candi Jago and those of the second terrace of the principal sanctuary of Candi Panataran.

L'Amritamantana : This text tells how the gods wanted to find the elixir of life by churning the milk ocean, with the help of the cosmic snake which they rolled up around the mount Meru which was used as churn's dasher. The elixir left from the ocean then, after many treasures. In the Javanese version , the elixir runs out of the mountain, the mount Meru , which was brought back to Java by the gods and the cosmic snake. It is known that in Indonesia, the sea is the place where the demons live.

This text is illustrated on the "temple with the nagas" of Candi Panataran.

Le Garudadeya : It tells the history of Vanita, mother of a son, Garuda, and of his sister Kadru , mother of one hundred snakes. Following a bet where Kadru cheated, Vanita becomes her slave. Garuda will end up delivering his mother with the elixir which he stole. One finds this history on Candi Kidal, in three panels, and on Candi Sukuh. In this temple, one sees also Garuda holding in his claws an elephant and a tortoise, which he devours. But it was in fact two brothers who had mutually thrown a fate, and whom while devouring, Garuda releases from the curse.

Le Sudamala : This text tells how Uma, consort of Shiva, cursed by this one, is condemned to become the diabolical goddess Durga, and to live in a cemetery. She will be delivered by Sadeva, one of the Pandava twins, and finds her form of Uma. This history is found on Candi Sukuh and Candi Tigowangi.

Le Parthayajna : Yudhisthira, elder of the five Pandava brothers, having lost his kingdom by playing dice, he requires Arjuna to go to meditate on the Indrakila mountain to alleviate the gods. This episode illustrates Candi Jago.

L'Arjunavivaha : It is the epic of Arjuna, the valiant knight Pandava . The world is threatened by a demon, Nivatakavaca, which can be killed only by one mortal. With the search for the one who could be equal to the task, they locate Arjuna, but must initially subject him to certain tests. The gods send seven nymphs to allure him, but Arjuna in full concentration, does not stumble. It is this episode which is often represented. One finds it on Candi Surowono, and Candi Jago following the Parthayajna illustrations.

Le Kunjarakarna : It is a buddhistic history. A demon, Kunjarakarna, which wants to get rid of its démoniacal appearance, wishes to receive the teaching of Vairochana on supreme wisdom. He will have initially to visit the hells where he will be pilot of all kinds of infernal tortures, in particular that where one is cooked in a pot in the shape of cow. Further, he will see a pot identical, empty, on standby of his friend, Purnavijaya, king of Gandharvas. It warns his friend of the fate which awaits it, but says to him that he can attenuate his sorrow if he agree to receive the teaching of Vairocana. There is well there the perfect illustration of mahayanic Buddhism. It is spread out along the lower terrace of Candi Jago.

Sri Tanjung : Here is a local history often represented. The king of a country falls in love with Sri Tanjung. He sends her fiancé on a perilous mission to the paradise thinking that he will not return. But he returns, and being believed misled, he kills Sri Tanjung, who thus leaves to the paradise in her turn, but Sri Tanjung will return, saved by Durga, who joins together the couple. A scene showing a woman overlapping a large fish - Sri Tanjung crossing the river in the country of deads - is illustrated on the large terrace of Candi Panataran, like on Candi Jabung, Bajang Ratu, and Surowono.

Tantri's stories : They are drawn from Tantri Kamandaka, Javanese version of Indian Pancatantra which draws itself much of its accounts from buddhistic Jataka . The screen makes think of "Thousand and One Nights" and of Sheherazade, originating from India, as each one knows. A king, to keep his subjects happy, decides to marry with great pomp every day. But soon, not having more girl available to provide the king, his Prime Minister brings his own daughter to him. This one is then put to tell him stories which impassion the king so much, that he did not think more of remarier. These stories which illustrate many temples, are animals tales made up with episodes with political connotations, which could be understood by the kings like mirrors. One finds them on Candi Jago, Surowono, and buildings of Candi Panataran, like on the walls of the external baths of this temple.