Krishna Kills Kalia
by Fattu. Bhagwat Puran Series.
Kangra School. Mid-18th century AD.
Having revived his friends and herd of cows, Krishna jumped into the Yamuna River in order to discover the source of poison. He met a huge snake, Kalia. Kalia was asleep when Krishna arrived. Krishna kicked him. A great fight ensued between the two. Eventually Krishna crushes Kalia under his feet. Kalia's four wives beg mercy for their husband. Krishna forgives Kalia and tells him to gather thousand lotus and present them to Raja Kansa.
Fattu has captured the moment of triumph, the moment of defeat. Kalia with his seven bleeding hoods succumbs to Krishna. Kalia's wives sue for peace.
Kalia is a symbol of our negative, thus, poisonous emotions: anger, avarice, lust, greed, violence, jealousy, selfishness. We have to conquer these emotions in order to succeed in life. The killing of Kalia is similar to the concept of 'jehad' in Islam, I.e. kill your vices, or to the concept of repentance in Christianity. It is only by killing our desires and by controlling our impulses, that we rise to a higher state of conscience. Like Kalia's wives, nature offers us peace, tranquillity and spiritual wealth.
Fattu has captured the moment of triumph, the moment of defeat. Kalia with his seven bleeding hoods succumbs to Krishna. Kalia's wives sue for peace.
Kalia is a symbol of our negative, thus, poisonous emotions: anger, avarice, lust, greed, violence, jealousy, selfishness. We have to conquer these emotions in order to succeed in life. The killing of Kalia is similar to the concept of 'jehad' in Islam, I.e. kill your vices, or to the concept of repentance in Christianity. It is only by killing our desires and by controlling our impulses, that we rise to a higher state of conscience. Like Kalia's wives, nature offers us peace, tranquillity and spiritual wealth.
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