Skip to main content
Loving Devotion: Visions of Vishnu

Krishna Distributing Garlands to Gopies

Krishna-Distributing-Necklaces-to-Gopies-211x300.jpeg
Krishna-Distributing-Necklaces-to-Gopies-211x300.jpeg

Krishna Distributing Garlands to Gopies
India, 18th century
Gouache
Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of Lorraine Allen, 920028400

Here Krishna engages in lila, or divine play, as he distributes flower garlands to each of the adoring women, a group of lively young gopis. Ensconced in the forests outside of the city, Krishna and the gopis frequently gathered to dance, play music and have sport. Each gopi approaches the god differently. One holds a mridanga, a form of drum, to play devotional music. On the right, a gopi plays a tambourine-like instrument called the dhafli. Others approach the god with hands outstretched. Krishna’s bestowal of gifts to each gopi represents his unlimited love. On occasion, Krishna rewards the passionate yearning of these maidens by replicating himself so that each has the sole attention and joyful rapture of his divine love. Thus, such paintings invite both male and female devotees to likewise become gopis and experience the same thrill of Krishna’s personal, transcendent attention.

Gopis and Radha—BYU Museum of Art "Loving Devotion"

All photographs and videos have been provided by Entrepid Productions with support from Andrew Hair, Daniel King, and Garth Pratt.