Krishna Blessed by the Elephant Airavat, from a History of the Lord (Bhagavata Purana) manuscript Artist: Unknown

ca. 1760–65

Asian Art

Not on view
Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Dimensions

without mounting: 8 7/8 × 12 11/16 in. (22.6 × 32.2 cm)
with mounting: 16 1/4 × 19 7/16 in. (41.2 × 49.3 cm)
framed: 16 × 22 in. (40.64 × 55.88 cm)

Credit Line

The Vera M. and John D. MacDonald, B.A. 1927, Collection, Gift of Mrs. John D. MacDonald

Accession Number

2001.138.39

Geography

Basohli, India

Culture

Indian

Period

Mughal dynasty (1526–1857)

Classification

Paintings

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance
Vera M. MacDonald and John D. MacDonald, Boston, Mass., by 2001; given to the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., 2001
Object copyright
No Copyright - United States
Additional information

Object/Work type

histories (visual works), human figures (visual works)

Inscriptions

Bhagavata Purana Book 10 Chapter 27 Verse 1,2,18,21,22,23:\r\n1. When Mount Govardhana was held up and Vraj protected from the rainstorm, Indra, along with Surabhi, the divine cow from Goloka, approached Krsna.\r\n2. The offender, ashamed, appeared in a private place and touched Krsna's feet with his helmet, which was as brilliant as the sun.\r\n18.Then the wise cow Surabhi, along with her offspring respectfully addresse Krsna, who was in the guise of a gopa. She saluted him and spoke.\r\n21. "Under Brahma's supervision we will crown you as our Indra. You have descended to remove the burden of the earth, O soul of the universe."\r\n22. After addressing Krsna thus, Surabhi consecrated him with her own milk, and Indra did likewise with water from the celestial Ganga river sucked up by the trunk of his elephant Airavata.\r\n\r\n--translated by Edwin F. Bryant , "Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God: Srimad Bhagavata Purana Book X." \r\n\r\nSanskrit text in devanagari in black and red; two lines of Takri script on back.

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