Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya (painting, recto), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

This painting depicts Krishna’s subjugation of the serpent king Kaliya in the waters of River Yamuna. Kaliya wreaked havoc on the town of Vrindavan, poisoning their source of water. To put a stop to this, the blue-skinned Hindu god Krishna decides to challenge Kaliya and, after a long struggle, emerges victorious by trampling upon the serpent king’s many hoods. At this moment, Kaliya’s wives rush to his side to persuade Krishna to show mercy and let their husband go. Kaliya himself realizes Krishna’s divine nature and surrenders. The painting captures this moment of surrender. The townsfolk of Vrindavan, along with their cattle, gather at the banks of the river, depicted in the lower register, to honor Krishna for his courage. The depiction of fish and a turtle also captures the rich aquatic life of the river Yamuna. The folio belongs to the so-called 'Tula Ram' Bhagavata Purana series, produced during the 17th century in Gujarat, representing events from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana. The name is derived from the last known person to have possession of the entire series, Tula Ram, a mid-twentieth-century dealer from Delhi. Originally known to be seventy in number, a key characteristic of the paintings from this series is the freedom of expression evident in the style of rendering the figures and their surroundings, possibly indicating the work of several artists. Other folios from the same Bhagavata Purana series in the Harvard Art Museum’s collection are objects 1960.53, 1974.128, 1995.119. Gujarati Style.