1974.129: Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya (painting, recto), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

Identification and Creation

Object Number

1974.129

Title

Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya (painting, recto), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

Other Titles

Series/Book Title: Known as the ‘Tula Ram’ Bhagavata Purana series

Classification

Manuscripts

Work Type

manuscript folio

Date

17th century

Places

Creation Place: South Asia, India, Gujarat

Culture

Indian

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/216135

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions

23.5 x 19.3 cm (9 1/4 x 7 5/8 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bienstock

Accession Year

1974

Object Number

1974.129

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

This painting depicts Krishna’s subjugation of the serpent king Kaliya in the waters of River Yamuna. Kaliya wreaked havoc on the town of Vrindavan, poisoning their source of water. To put a stop to this, the blue-skinned Hindu god Krishna decides to challenge Kaliya and, after a long struggle, emerges victorious by trampling upon the serpent king’s many hoods. At this moment, Kaliya’s wives rush to his side to persuade Krishna to show mercy and let their husband go. Kaliya himself realizes Krishna’s divine nature and surrenders. The painting captures this moment of surrender. The townsfolk of Vrindavan, along with their cattle, gather at the banks of the river, depicted in the lower register, to honor Krishna for his courage. The depiction of fish and a turtle also captures the rich aquatic life of the river Yamuna.

The folio belongs to the so-called 'Tula Ram' Bhagavata Purana series, produced during the 17th century in Gujarat, representing events from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana. The name is derived from the last known person to have possession of the entire series, Tula Ram, a mid-twentieth-century dealer from Delhi. Originally known to be seventy in number, a key characteristic of the paintings from this series is the freedom of expression evident in the style of rendering the figures and their surroundings, possibly indicating the work of several artists. Other folios from the same Bhagavata Purana series in the Harvard Art Museum’s collection are objects 1960.53, 1974.128, 1995.119. Gujarati Style.

Exhibition History

• The Arts of Krishna Bhakti, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, 03/09/1983 - 05/01/1983
• Eyes to the East: Indian, Persian, and Turkish Art Given by Harvard Graduates, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, 09/22/1990 - 11/25/1990
• A Colloquium in the Visual Arts , Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 09/04/2021 - 01/02/2022

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