Krishna Kills Kansa

Currently not on view

Krishna Kills Kansa

c. 1740-1750

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

The culminating events of young Krishna's life are depicted in this single illustration. Krishna and his brother Balarama have entered King Kansa's wrestling ground and are attacked by two huge wrestlers named Chanura and Mushtika. At the top left, Krishna battles Chanura, who then lies dead on the ground. Meanwhile, Balarama battles and kills Mushtika. Next, prominently depicted in the center of the page, Krishna grabs Kansa by the hair and pulls him from his seat high in a palace window. As Kansa's turban (said to be his crown in the text) falls off, Krishna leaps on top of him and kills him. The brothers then enter the palace and, at far right, release Krishna's parents Devaki and Vasudeva from Kansa's prison.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Krishna Kills Kansa
Page from a dispersed series of the Bhagavata Purana

Date:

c. 1740-1750

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

Medium:

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 5 1/16 × 12 3/8 inches (12.9 × 31.4 cm) Sheet: 5 1/4 × 12 7/16 inches (13.3 × 31.6 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Gift of Stella Kramrisch, 1988

Accession Number:

1988-77-5

Geography:

Made in Kota, Rajasthan, India, Asia

Context:

Dynasty: Hada Chauhan Dynasty, Kota (1631-1948/1949?)

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Currently not on view