File:Krishna and Gopis (herdsmaids) sculpture 1913.jpg

Identifier: indianmythlegend00inmack Title: Indian myth and legend Year: 1913 (1910s) Authors: Mackenzie, Donald Alexander, 1873-1936 Subjects: Hindu mythology Publisher: London, Gresham Contributing Library: Indiana University Digitizing Sponsor: Indiana University

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Text Appearing Before Image: these three gates of darkness, a man works out hisown welfare, and then repairs to the highest goal. ^ Balarama is an incarnation of the world serpentShesha. According to the legend, he and Krishna arethe sons of Vasudeva and Devaki. It was revealed toKansa, King of Mathura^, who was a worshipper ofShiva, that a son of Devaki would slay him. His majestytherefore commanded that Devakis children should beslain as soon as they were born. Balarama, who wasfair, was carried safely away. Krishna, the dark son,performed miracles soon after birth. The king had hisfather and mother fettered, and the doors of the houseswere secured with locks. But the chains fell from Vasu-deva, and the doors flew open when he stole out into thenight to conceal the babe. As he crossed the riverJumna, carrying Krishna on his head in a basket, thewaters rose high and threatened to drown him, but thechild put out a foot and the river immediately fell and ^ Extracts from Roys translation of Mahabharata,*Or Muttra.

Text Appearing After Image: KRISHNA AND THE GOPIS (HERDSMAIDS)From a modern sculpture X NEW FAITHS 129 became shallow. In Mathura the two brothers per-formed miraculous feats during their youth. Indeed,the myths connected with them suggest that their proto-types were voluptuous pastoral gods. Krishna, the flute-player and dancer, is the shepherd lover of the Gopis orherdsmaids, his favourite being Radha. He was opposedto the worship of Indra, and taught the people to makeofferings to a sacred mountain. King Kansa had resort to many stratagems to accom-plish the death of Krishna, but his own doom could notbe set aside; ultimately he was slain by the two brothers.The Harivamsa, an appendix to the MaMhMrata^ whichis as long as the Iliad and the Odyssey together, is de-voted to the life and adventures of Krishna, who alsofigures in the Puranas. Vishnus Buddha Avatara was assumed, according toorthodox teaching, to bring about the destruction ofdemons and wicked men who refused to acknowledgethe inspiration of the Ved

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