Indian and Himalayan Art Krishna Destroys the Demon Agha c. 1740-50 Artist/maker unknown, India Opaque watercolor on paper Currently not on view 1984-139-5 Gift of Stella Kramrisch, 1984 |
LabelAs five-year-old Krishna played with his brother Balarama and the young cowherds in the forest near Vrindavan, the demon Agha spied them. Like his sister, the demoness Putana, Agha had been sent by King Kansa to assassinate Krishna. Agha transformed into a great snake and lay in wait for the children, his huge mouth open to resemble a mountain cave. The boys stepped inside with their cows, but Krishna knew the truth. Here he swells to enormous size inside the snake's jaws until the creature explodes from its own pent-up gasses. Retrieving the bodies of the boys and cows, divine Krishna revives them, showing his duality as child and God. |
