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' > J2ivA^/ (l. l^o S±l\AxX&Atv ^,Ot(jbJ^Q-dMU ^/O *& 3 y umv c KRISHNA IN INDIAN ART v % THE LIFE OF KRISHNA IN INDIAN ART P. BANERJEE NATIONAL MUSEUM NEW DELHI © NATIONAL MUSEUM, NEW DELHI First Published 1978 Layout & Book Design B. S. Bist Colour Plates 23: Monochrome 283 Sole Distributors Publications Division, Patiala House, New Delhi, 110001 Published by the National Museum, New Delhi Printed by Messrs Lalchand Roy & Co. (P) Ltd., 7 & 7/1 Grant Lane, Calcutta-700012 Dedicated to C. Sivaramamurti an eminent scholar of Indian art and culture as a mark of the author’s profound regard and gratitude P. Banerjee FOREWORD CENTURIES have run into millennia in India valour. He holds that this beautiful inner in the tradition of the narration of cradle truth is revealed in his act of appending the tales from the two great epics, that have pro- Harivamsa as the finale of the Mahabharata vided not only a deep and abiding ideal to sing the glory of Hari: satyam santasyaiva education, rooted in ethical principles, far rasasyahgitvam mahabharate mokshasya cha transcending the glamour of mere literacy, sarvapurusharthebhyalj. pradhanyam ityetanna but also moulded the character of the people svasabddbhidheyatvendnukramanydmdarsitam, in consonance with the highest thought in darsitam tu vyahgyatvena-bhagavan vasudevas didactic literature of rare quality, gathered cha klrtyate’ tra sanatanali’ ityasmin vakye mainly through the ear, in the established anena hyayam artho vyahgyatvena vivakshito mode of sruta. This accounts for what we yadatra mahabharate pandavadicharitam yat learn from medieval Indian inscriptions that klrtyate, tat sarvam avasanavirasam avidyapra- state the provision made by the kings for the pahcharupam cha, paramarthasatyasvarupas tu reading and exposition of select portions from bhagavan vasudevo’ tra klrtyate, tasmat the epics, for the education and sublimation tasminneva paramesvare bhagavati bhavata of the villagers, young and old, lettered and bhavitachetaso, ma bhuta vibhutishu nissarasu unlettered, in the sabha and vyakhyana- ragino, guneshu vd nayavinayaparakramadi- mandapas, spacious pillared halls in the large shvamlshu kevaleshu keshu chit sarvatmana temples that abounded in the villages. pratinivishtadhiyah, Dhvanyaloka 4.5. In the noblest spirit of appreciation of The purusharthas themselves have been most the great national epic and its purport, marvellously analysed in the Bhagavata, and Anandavardhana, the doyen of rhetoricians here the final beatitude or moksha has been in India, has in unequivocal exposition given given the highest place to secure which artha santi or peace as the dominating flavour in and kama strive through dharma. Artha the Mahabharata, which combines in itself cannot be the means of dharma, since the instruction and poetry; and as he shows latter itself is the means for moksha. Still clearly, its concluding note of despair on the artha is mainly to win dharma, and hence hapless destruction of the Vrishnis and the cannot be made the means of kama: Pandavas, reveals the anxiety of its saintly dharmasya hyapavargasyanartho’ rthayopakal- author to primarily expound the moral of pate,ndrthasyadharmaikdntasyakdmolabhaya renunciation as a means to final emancipation hi smritah, Bhagavata 1.2.9. The unfailing or moksha as the highest of human values, path in the direction of obtaining this purusharthas: mahabharate’ pi sastrarupe beatitude lies in the intense devotion towards kavyachchhayanvayini vrishnipandavavira- the Lord Vasudeva which speedily vouchsafes savasanavaimanasyadayinlm samaptim up- the spirit of renunciation, vairagya, and anibadhnata mahamunina vairagyajana- right perception, jnana, that arises in its train natatparyam pradhanyena svaprabandhasya without any effort: vasudeve bhagavati darsayata mokshalakshanafj. pursharthas santo bhaktiyogaht prayojitah, janayatyasu vairagyam rasas cha mukhyataya vivakshavishayatvena jhanam cha yad ahaitukam, Bhagavata 1.2.7. suchitah, Dhvanyaloka 4.5. In his Kusumahjali, which bristles with As the greatest expounder of the charm of quotations from the Lord’s Song,Bhagavadglta, suggestion, Anandavardhana demonstrates Udayana recalls the birth of Krishna as how Vyasa has effectively conveyed all this the assuming of bodily form by the Lord meaning through the implied sense in the and shows how though He had no need to sentence ‘the eternal Lord Vasudeva is herein be up and doing (na me parthasti kartavyam glorified’. He expatiates further by exhorting trishu lokeshu kihchana), He acted only the readers to be devoted to Him, the supreme to set the world to follow his example: Lord, to desist from passion for empty grihnatlsvaropi karyavasachchharlram antar- material gains, or even attachment to such antara darsayati cha vibhutim iti atrapyagamah qualities, however much desirable in them- pitamahasya jagato mata data pitamahalj., selves, like statesmanship, modesty and tatha,yadi hyahamnavarteyamjatukarmanya- tandritab, mama vartmanuvartante manushyah in the houses of the milkmaids where He partha sarvasab, utsldeyur ime loka na kuryam should be searched: varam imam upadesam karma_ ched aham, Nyayakusumanjali 5.5. adriyadhvam nigamavaneshu nitantachara- How Isvarapranidhana is ultimately devotion khinnab, vichinuta bhavaneshu vallavinam in thought, word and deed to Vasudeva as upanishadartham ulukhale nibaddham, experienced by the greatest in every path like Krishnakarnamrita 2.28. ishta, purta, tapas and yama, niyama and asana of yoga is recalled by him from For Raghavachaitanya, Krishna is the Sahkhyapravachana and the Bhagavadgitd: totality of the love and affection of the anusishyate cha sdhkhyapravachane milkmaids, gopis, the entire fortune of the isvarapran idh an am, tam imam jyotish- Yadu race personified, the guarded treasure tomadibhir ishtaih, prasadadinapurtena, sitata- of the Vedas rolled into one and the Absolute pasahanddina tapasa, ahimsadibhir yamaib, Reality in dark hue represented: puhjibhutam asanaprandyamadina yogena maharshayo’pi prema gopangananam murtibhutam bhaga- vividishanti tasmin jhate sarvam idam jhatam dheyam yadunam, ekibhutam guptavittam bhavatityevam vijhaya srutyekatanas tatparo srutinam syamibhutam brahma me sannidhat- bhavet yatredam glyate—manmana bhava tam. madbhakto madyaji mam namaskuru, mam- eveshyasi yuktvaivam atmanam matparayanab, Speaking in allegory, Lilasuka directs the bhoktaram yajhatapasam sarvalokamahe- pilgrim in quest of the abode of solace, to svaram, subridam sarvabhutanam jnatva mam reach yonder stately Arjuna tree, traverse the santim richchhati iti, Nyayakusumanjali 5.17. path beyond it that leads to the ghosha, (meaning both village of cowherds and the The great exponent of Advaita, Ma- sacred sound Om), in the vicinity of which dhusudana Sarasvati confesses that in spite of flows Yamuna, on whose bank, in the glade all his exposition of Nirgunabrahma he cannot of the Tamala trees, plays the cowboy, grazing think of the Absolute Reality as anything His herd of cows, Who would show the apart from That Whose hand is adorned by unassailable path of glory: agre dirghataroyam the flute, Whose hue is similar to the fresh arjunatarus tasyagrato vartani sd ghosham laden cloud, attired in yellow silk, with lips samupaiti tatparisare dese kalindatmaja, crimson like the ripe bimba, face charming tasyas tiratamalakananatale chakram gavam like the full moon and eyes pleasant like the charayan gopab kridati darsayishyati sakhe lotus: vamsmbhushitakaran navaniradabhat panthanam avydhatam, Krishnakarnamrita. pitambarad arunabimba-phaladharoshthat, 2.43. purnendusundaramukhad aravindanetrat kris- hnatparamkim api tatvam aham na jane, Subo- Sadasiva Brahmendra, than whose exposi- dhini on Gita 18.78, not unlike Lilasuka, who, tion of the Brahmasutras and Yogasutras though of a family of Saivas, deeply engrossed there is no more lucid commentary, has sung in the chant of the Sivapanchakshari, has, in simple telling songs exhorting the tongue to however, his mind ever recalling the baby utter the names Mukunda, Kesava, Madhava, of the milkmaids charming in His azure hue Govinda, Krishna, Ananda, Sadananda: of the Atasi flower with His face wreathed bruhi mukundeti rasane briihi mukundeti, in smiles: saiva vayam na khalu tatra kesava madhava govindeti krishnananda vicharamyam pahchaksharijaparata nitaram sadanandeti. Yati Narayanatirtha prays to tathapi, cheto madiyam atasikusumavabhasam Krishna in his sweet songs asking the cowboy smerananam smarati gopavadhukisoram, to come to him and give him joy ehi mudam Krishnakarnamrita 2.24. mama dehi; and in another, to fulfil his desire by granting him His lovely vision as he The ascetic Brahmananda Sarasvati, who himself considered Him as the celestial commented gloriously on the Advaitasiddhi Madhava that assumed the guise of a human of Madhusudana Sarasvati, like the author, through His own power of illusion, the of whom he is the commentator, sings of the Creator of the universe and the Omnipotent Parabrahma or the Absolute as a reality in and understood in His reality by only the the form of only Krishna, who is the supreme fortunate few: puraya mama kamam, gopala witness to corroborate the identity of Jivatma puraya mama kamam, manyetvam iha madhava and Paramatma, as He demonstrated it by daivam mbybsvikritambnushabhavam, dhanyair satisfying the hunger of the universe by ddritatattvasvabhdvam dhataram jagatam Himself tasting a fragment of vegetable ativibhavam, puraya mama kamam, Krishna- offered by Draupadi: draupadisakam asvddya lilatarahgini. triloki yena tarpita, tajjivabrahmanor aikye sakshi brahmaiva no harib, Gaudabrahmanandi Well can Kalidasa say yena syamam vapur on Advaitasiddhi 2. For those of the atitaram kantim apatsyate te barheneva Brahmavadins who would still concentrate spuritaruchina gopaveshasya vishnob, on a search for the Upanishadic Truth by Meghaduta 1.15, describing the lovely blue wearisome wandering in the woods of Vedic form of Vishnu with its charm enhanced by the texts, there is the vision held out by a devotee peacock feather He wore in the guise He who points to it lying tied to the mortar assumed of a cowboy. And Jayadeva would fain picture Krishna in exactly the same allur- arjunaya sokamohamahodadhau nimagnaya ing beauty of form, decked with the sparkling upadidesa, gunadhikair hi grihitonushthiya- peacock feather encircling His hair-do, recall- manascha dharmafr prachayam gamishiyatiti, ing the dark laden cloud, beautiful by the tarn dharmam bhagavata yathopadishtam colourful rainbow in its proximity: chan- vedavyasas sarvajho bhagavan gitakhyais drakachdrumayurasikhandakamandalavalayita- saptabhis slokasatair upanibabandha, Gitabha- kesam prachurapurandaradhanuranurahjita- shya 1.1. Sankara well realises as he states meduramudirasuvesham, Gita Govinda, 3. in his Brahmanuchintana that his inner self Magha would almost repeat the idea of is the eternal Vasudeva which realisation Kalidasa gopaveshasya vishnoh by starting alone brings salvation :ahameva para m brahma his Sisupalavadha with the epithet Sriyah vasudevakhyam avyayam, iti syannischito patil) for Krishna and elaborating his human mukto baddha evanyatha bhavet. All the time • simulation by describing Him as the Lord, the one thought in his mind is Govinda, as the Dweller of the universe, living in Vasu- his exhortation stresses the utterance of that deva’s palace in Dvaraka: sriyah patih name, rather than spell recondite aphorisms, srimati sasi turn jaggajjagannivaso vasudevasad- which are of no avail for deliverance at the mani, vasan dadars avatara nt am ambarad final hour: bhaja govindam bhaja govindam hiranyagarbhahgabhuvam munim harilt, bhaja govindam mudhamate, samprapte Sisupalavadha 1.1. sannihite kale nahi nahi rakshatidukrihkarane, Mohamudgara 1. On the other hand Bhagavad- The royal devotee Kulasekhara pictures gita, however little studied, has an influence Him in every way as a sparkling gem of in winning over even Death: bhagavadgita purest ray serene, the emerald green Garuda kihchid adhita sakrid api yena... yamena na to overcome the serpentine travails of devotees, charcha, Mohamudgara 20. For Sankara, the protecting gem of the three worlds, the the erudite philosopher, Krishna, the Lord gem of a laden cloud for the thirst of the of the Yadavas, is the one supreme flavour of chataka birdlike eyes of Gopis, the gem to eternal bliss, the essence of existence and set a seal on the finality of beauty, the dearest intelligence, self-luminous, the Perfect Being gem for the beloved ones, the one gem jewel unborn and the dominant: nityanandaika- on the youthful breasts of Rukminl, the rasam sachchinmatram svayamjyotih, gem on the crown of all the celestials that purushottamam ajam isam vande sriyadavd- vouchsafes the best for all: bhaktapdya- dhisam, Prabodhasudhakara 1. For him bhakti bhujahgagarudamanis trailokyarakshamanir in Krishna so appeals that he even denounces gopilochanachatakambudamanih saundarya- apavarga and almost gives up asceticism. mudramanih yah kantdmanirukminighanaku- There are those, who desirous of the despicable chadvandvaikabhushaminis sreyo devasikhama- fruit of enjoyment of empty longings, indulge nirdisatu no gopalachudamanih, Mukundamala. in purposeful adoration, there are others who strive for the sweets of heaven or the bliss Sankara Bhagavatpada no doubt starts of beatitude through sacrifices performed or his bhashya on the Gita by elaborating the asceticism practised, for me and those of my highest philosophical contribution made by ilk, whose only desire is to pointedly meditate the Lord who chose to be born to alleviate on the feet of the Lord of Yadus, fie on the the miseries of the world. The Lord, always mundane pleasures, asceticism, royal favours, abundant in knowledge, dominance, potence, heavenly altitude or even the highest beatitude: power, virility and luminosity, controls His kamyopasanaya’ rthayantyanudinam kihchit- threefold delusion namely the primeval source, phalam svepsitam kihchitsvargam athapavar- is the unborn and unaging Master of all gam aparair yogddiyajhddibhih,asmakam yadu- elements, is eternally immaculate, sentient, nandanafighriyugaladhyandvadhanarthindm- unfettered, and yet, through His own delusion, kim lokena damena kim nripatina svargapavar- appears to assume a form as One born to gais cha kim, Prabodhasudhakara 250. favour the world. Though it is of no consequ ence to Him, out of His grace for the world, He Yet Sankara the ascetic cannot escape the taught the two scriptural ways of life (vaidikam innate longing for ruminating on the infantile dharmadvayam) to Arjuna immersed in an frolic and wondrous exploits of baby Krishna ocean of grief and delusion, since the right in Gokula, and his Govindashtaka shows how mode of life (dharma) learnt and practised he bursts into a joyous alleluia. Bow to by the highest in character alone would grow Govinda, the limit of joy, verity, science, and flourish. This mode as taught by the Lord infinity, eternity, beyond space, limit of was recorded in seven hundred verses of the ether, who delights in crawling in the forecourt Gitaby the venerable omniscient Vedavyasa: sa of the cowshed, unwearied but supreme in cha bhagavan jndnaisvaryasaktibalaviryatejobh- effort, creating multiform unto Himself by is sada sampannas trigunatmikam svam mayam His own illusive power, though Himself mulaprakritim vasikritya, ajovyayo bhutanam formless, and yet of the form of the universe, isvaro nityasuddhabuddhamuktasvabhavd’pi san, the lord of Earth and Prosperity, Himself svamayaya dehavan iva jata iva lokanugraham lorded over by none. Bow to Govinda, the kurvan lakshyate svaprayojanabhavepi limit of joy, that pretended infantile fear at bhutanujighrikshaya vaidikam dharmadvayam the threat of a beating by Yasoda for eating