6, but perhaps from a different series.

The festival of arms is now in progress but has already taken an
unexpected turn. Set on by the savage elephant, Krishna and Balarama have
killed it and taken out the tusks. They have then engaged two giant
wrestlers, Krishna killing his opponent outright. In the picture Balarama
is about to kill the other wrestler and Krishna, holding an elephant tusk
under his arm, looks at the king with calm defiance. The king's end is now
in sight for a little later Krishna will spring on the platform and hurl
him to his death. Gathered in the wide arena, townspeople from Mathura
await the outcome, while cowherd boys delightedly encourage the two
heroes.

[Illustration]

PLATE 18

_The Rape of Rukmini_

Illustration to the _Bhagavata Purana_
Bilaspur, Punjab Hills, c. 1745
British Museum. London

Compared with Krishna's life among the cowherds, his adventures as a
prince were only scantily illustrated in Indian painting--his consort
Rukmini being totally eclipsed in courtly favour by the adored cowgirl,
Radha. The present picture--one of the very few to represent the
theme--shows Rukmini and her maids worshipping at the shrine to Devi, the
earth mother, on the morning of her wedding. Her proposed husband is
Sisupala and already he and his party have arrived to claim her hand. In
despair Rukmini has apprised Krishna of her fate but does not know that he
will intervene. As she worships, Krishna suddenly appears, places her on
his chariot and, in the teeth of Sisupala's forces, carries her away. The
picture illustrates the dramatic moment when after descending on the
shrine, Krishna effects her rescue.

The picture is in an eighteenth-century style of painting which, from
antecedents in Kashmir and the Punjab Plains, developed at Bilaspur. This
small Rajput State adjoined Guler in the Punjab Hills and shared in the
general revival of painting caused by the diffusion of artists from
Basohli.

[Illustration]

PLATE 19

_Krishna welcoming the Brahman Sudama_

Illustration to the Sudama episode in the _Bhagavata Purana_
Garhwal, Punjab Hills, c. 1785
Chester Beatty Library, Dublin

Sudama is a poor Brahman whose devotion leads him to go to Dwarka, and
seek out Krishna. Krishna remembers the time when they had shared the same
preceptor and warmly welcomes him to his princely palace. The picture
shows Sudama in rags seated on a stool while Krishna washes his feet and
hails him a