Krishna subduing Kaliya, flanked by his pleading wives

Of all the avatars of Vishnu, it is Krishna as a child who consistently wins the hearts of his devotees. The exploits of the young Krishna are celebrated in Book X of the Bhagavata Purana, where his acts of supernatural strength and bravery are celebrated, along with his mischievous nature. In this painting Krishna is honored for having rescued the cow-herding community of Vrindavan, near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, from the naga Kaliya, who has been poisoning their river, the Yamuna. Krishna is shown as a young child, wearing only ornaments as the very young are permitted to do. He has leapt into the river to confront the serpent who lived there, along with his wives, the naginis. Krishna summoned the weight of the universe to suppress Kaliya who, recognizing the child’s divine nature, surrenders. Krishna is poised in a victory dance, holding the snake’s tail aloft whilst standing on his neck. He is petitioned by two naginis to spare their husband’s life. Krishna’s compassionate nature prevails and the naga agrees to no longer poison the river but live in harmony with the villagers. Thus, natural order is restored to the world.