About this piece

The Krishna birth story is a philosophical story that brings out the fact that the evils will never avoid the final repercussion of their acts. The sculpture is a masterpiece of the Kalachuri period of the 10th century. It actually captures the divine moment with great emotion and emotional history. As per Puranic tradition, Krishna was born in the dark dungeons of King Kansa in Mathura. Fearing a prophecy that declared his destruction would come at the hands of Devaki’s eighth-born child, Kansa imprisoned Devaki and her husband, Vasudeva. The sculpture captures this tension pretty well. At the center, you can feel the gentle bond between mother and child, but around the edges, there are five men holding swords and shields, keeping watch. They are prison guards. These figures display how Kansa was constantly surveilling and the harsh world into which Krishna was born. Kansa failed to get away with his fate despite all the precautions. The prophecy came true. Krishna was not a normal child. He was a personification of Vishnu, and it is well captured in sculpture. There is the image of multi-hooded Shesha, who is defending Krishna, whom Vishnu is usually identified with.