[Illustration]

PLATE 22

Krishna dancing with the Cowgirls

Illustration to the Gita Govinda
Western Rajasthan, c. 1610
N.C.  Mehta collection, Bombay

Besides describing Krishna’s flute-playing, Radha’s friend gives her an account of his love-making.

  ‘An artless woman looks with ardour on Krishna’s lotus face.’ 
  ’Another on the bank of the Jumna, when Krishna goes to a bamboo
    thicket,
  Pulls at his garment to draw him back, so eager is she for amorous
    play.’ 
  ’Krishna praises another woman, lost with him in the dance of love,
  The dance where the sweet low flute is heard in the clamour of
    bangles on hands that clap.  He embraces one woman, he kisses
    another, and fondles another beautiful one.’ 
  ‘Krishna here disports himself with charming women given to love.’

The present picture illustrates phases of this glamorous love-making—­Krishna embracing one woman, dancing with another and conversing with a third.  The background is a diagram of the forest as it might appear in spring—­the slack looseness of treatment befitting the freedom of conduct adumbrated by the verse.  The large insects hovering in the branches are the black bees of Indian love-poetry whose quest for flowers was regarded as symbolic of urgent lovers pestering their mistresses.  In style the picture illustrates the Jain painting of Western India after its early angular rigidity had been softened by application to tender and more romantic themes.

[Illustration]

PLATE 23

Krishna seated with the Cowgirls

Illustration to the Gita Govinda
Jaunpur, Eastern India, c. 1590
Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay

After flute-playing and dancing (Plates 21 and 22), Krishna sits with the cowgirls.

  ’With his limbs, tender and dark like rows of clumps of blue lotus
    flowers. 
  By herd girls surrounded, who embrace at pleasure any part of his body,
  Friend, in spring, beautiful Krishna plays like Love’s own self
  Conducting the love sport, with love for all, bringing delight into
    being.’

And it is here that Radha finds him.

  ’May the smiling captivating Krishna protect you, whom Radha, blinded
    by love,
  Violently kissed as she made as if singing a song of welcome saying,
  “Your face is nectar, excellent,” ardently clasping his bosom
  In the presence of the fair-browed herdgirls dazed in the sport of love.’

The picture shows Krishna surrounded by a group of cowgirls, one of whom is caressing his leg.  To the right, Radha and the friend are approaching through the trees.  The style with its sharp curves and luxuriating smartness illustrates a vital development of the Jain manner in the later sixteenth century.[130]