Krishna and the Dance of Divine Love

The benevolent sustainer of universal order, Vishnu has appeared in ten divine incarnations, known as avatars, for the benefit of humanity throughout the ages. Perhaps most widely revered is the avatar

Krishna, whose childhood was spent tending cattle in the pastures of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, not far from modern-day New Delhi.

While a shepherd boy, Krishna played His flute, enchanting the men and women of Vraj, who joined in ecstasy to dance to His divine melodies. Among the maidens was the beautiful milkmaid Radha, whose love for Krishna is often depicted by artists as symbolising the mystical union of the soul with God.

A unique form of Krishna is Shri Nathji, whose name means ‘doorway to the Lord’. The features of Shri Nathji replicate the ancient carved stone discovered by the saint Vallabhacarya (1479−1531), which is now housed in the famous shrine at Nathdwara, Rajasthan.