f.8

A depiction of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes the form of a divine statesman. According to Hindu belief he came to earth as the embodiment of love and compassion.  

Krishna, was born to Devaki and her husband, Vasudeva. Kansa, the ruler of Mathura, had received a prophesy that Devaki's eighth child would kill him and had the couple locked in a prison cell. After Kansa killed their first six children, Devaki pretended to miscarry the seventh, but secretly had her womb transferred to another woman (and Krishna's elder brother Balarama was born). Krishna was her eighth child, born at midnight. Knowing Krishna's life was in danger Vasudeva took him out of their prison cell while the guards were still asleep (depicted in the foreground of the painting) and crossed the river Yamuna to the house of his friend, the cowherd chief Nanda. Vasudeva held his baby high over his head but the rain fell down heavily and a lion tried to attack them. A five-mouthed snake, Vasuki, followed them from behind to protect baby Krishna. In the background of the painting is the village of cowherds where Nanda's wife Yashoda has just given birth to a daughter, Durga. Beside her is a burning lamp to guide Vasudeva towards them. Vasudeva went on to swap the babies and rushed back to the prison with the little girl before the guards awoke.

This painting is from a series (RCINs 1005113.d-k, .q and .v) depicting the ten avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu god Vishnu.

For another painting of the same subject see RCIN 1005115.k.

For further information on this album see RCIN 1005113.