Krishna defeating Kamsa - Kerala Mural Archive

The painting depicts Krishna killing Kamsa in an arena. His crown is flying away. Balrama looks on from the background.

Textual Source: Bhagavata Purana
Mythological Tale: Kamsa, the tyrannical king of Mathura, was prophesied to be slain by the eighth son of his sister Devaki. To escape this fate, he imprisoned Devaki and her husband Vasudeva, killing each child at birth. The eighth child, Krishna, was secretly carried across the Yamuna to Gokul and raised by the cowherd Nanda and his wife Yashoda. Years later, Krishna returned to Mathura, entered Kamsa's wrestling arena, and killed the king in single combat, fulfilling the prophecy and restoring his grandfather Ugrasena to the throne.

Primary Deity/Figure: Krishna
Secondary Figures: Balarama, Kamsa
Iconographic Form: Krishna ( Vishnu's incarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: Blue skinned Krishna with multiple ornaments and a crown on his forehead topped with peacock feathers. His right hand curled up in a fist. His left hand strangling Kamsa. Kamsa is Struggling to breathe, his crown flew away from his head. Balarama overlooking Krishna, standing in the background with a plough in his hand. His image is not very clear. The entire panel is extremely faded.
Visual & Formal Features: Background pattern, Facial expression detail, Hand gesture (mudra), Ornamentation
Rasa: Veera

Condition: Fair
Deterioration Type: Pigment loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: Temple authorities
Date of Documentation: 08/08/2024
Artist: Neelakantan Ilayath
Identifier: ASG_P052
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.