Krishna Dancing on Kaliya

The image depicts a scene from Krishna's life in Vrindavan, in which he once tamed and then danced upon a vicious snake named Kaliya.... more

by Pratyasha Nithin

Title

Krishna Dancing on Kaliya

Artist

Pratyasha Nithin

Medium

Painting - Digital (ms Paint)

Description

The image depicts a scene from Krishna's life in Vrindavan, in which he once tamed and then danced upon a vicious snake named "Kaliya".

Kaliya in Hindu mythology, was the name of a poisonous Naga (Snake) living in the Yamuna River, in Vrindavan. The water of the Yamuna for four leagues all around him boiled and bubbled with poison. When Krishna and his friends were playing Ball on the banks of Yamuna, the ball fell into the river. When, Krishna went to fetch the ball, Kaliya attacked him. Krishna fought with him and tamed him. Finally Krishna, danced on the 1001 hoods of Kaliya, displaying his divine Lila to the amazement of the villagers.

The digital work depicts this scene of Krishna dancing on Kaliya snake. According to Srimad Bhagavatam,Kaliya had 1001 Hoods. As a symbolic representation of 1001 Hoods, I have depicted 11 hoods. The Kaliya serpent represents Ahamkara-Ego, that makes an individual to Self-Identify with false entities-body, mind and worldly objects. Krishna taming it and dancing on it, depicts him as Mayapati-the Lord and Controller of Maya and Samsara. It is God who is the Lord and controller of Prakriti and Maya is his Shakti. One who is deluded by Maya, self-identifies himself with Non-Self- False Entities like worldly, objects and cognitions. But,God is free from all such limitations, he is devoid of any false identifications. Further, he is the Lord and ruler of whole Cosmos, the whole manifestation being only his Lila-Play.

Uploaded

August 27th, 2013