In this folio of the Bhagvata Purana, the gopis enact the feats of Krishna.
(A) On the extreme left, a gopi playing Putana raises her hand to her head, as if dying.
(B) Next to this pair, a gopi enacting Yashoda holds out her garment in a gesture of removing the evil eye.
(C) Beside this group, a gopi enacts the mortar to which the gopi playing young Krishna is tied.
(D) To the extreme bottom right, a gopi hurls a red garment, which takes the form of Kaliya.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Three
A. On the extreme left, a gopi playing Putana raises her hand to her head, as if dying. — Correct. She dies as if her breath is being sucked away by the gopi who acts as Krishna.
B. Next to this pair, a gopi enacting Yashoda holds out her garment in a gesture of removing the evil eye. — Correct. Yashoda wards off the evil eye after Krishna kills Putana.
C. Beside this group, a gopi enacts the mortar to which the gopi playing young Krishna is tied. — Correct. His mother stands near them holding a stick.
D. To the extreme bottom right, a gopi hurls a red garment, which takes the form of Kaliya. — Incorrect. The garment is blue edged with gold. The gopi dances on it like Krishna.
NCERT (2026-27): “Re-enacting Krishna’s deeds … On the extreme left, a gopi enacts Krishna’s part as she bends forward and appears to suck the bosom of another gopi, who plays the role of Putana and raises her hand to the head in response, as if dying while her breath is being sucked away. Next to them, another gopi enacts the character of Yashoda, who along with other gopis, holds out her garment in a gesture of removing the evil eye after the young Krishna performed the brave feat of killing Putana. In the group beside this towards the right, a gopi enacts the mortar to which another gopi, who plays the role of young Krishna, is tied with a cloth band, while his mother admonishingly stands holding a stick in her hands. … In the most magnificent of these cameos to the extreme bottom in the right, a gopi hurls a blue garment edged with gold over the ground, which takes the form of the multiple hooded serpent Kaliya, upon whom she dances like Krishna.”
“Re-enacting Krishna’s deeds, Bhagvata Purana, Guler–Kangra, India, 1780–85, Private Collection” |
