Cleveland Museum of Art

Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625

Date

1700s

Medium

gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper

Culture

Southern India, Deccan

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Indra, king of the gods and controller of rain and thunder, was furious when Krishna decided to eat his annual offerings. Perched on his white elephant, Indra sent storms to destroy Krishna and his cowherd community, but Krishna effortlessly raised the nearby Mount Govardhan like an umbrella, and everyone rejoiced in his protection. Krishna balances the mountain on one finger while fluting and taking refreshment ( paan ) from a milkmaid. Below the figure of four-armed Krishna, Indra is shown defeated, kneeling in acquiescence to Krishna’s superior power. This page is from a rare, illustrated Persian translation of a Hindu sacred text.

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