Krishna dancing on the head of Kaliya

The freethinking Akbar commissioned illustrations to a number of Hindu mythological texts. The Harivamsha narrates the early life of Krishna among the villagers of the Braj region. Even in infancy he revealed his divine nature by feats of strength and slaying demons. Here the young Krishna overcomes the serpent Kaliya, whose presence in the Jumna river had threatened the villagers and their cows. Playing his flute, Krishna dances victoriously on the serpent’s heads.

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