Kota style is marked by elements of the
landscape looming out of proportion,
giving the pictures a lush feel. For fur-
ther information see W. G. Archer,
Indian Painting, 1957; and Indian
Painting in Bundi and Kotah, 1959.
Kratu
In Hindu mythology, one of the six
sonsof Brahma, all of whom become
great sages. All are “mind-born,” mean-
ing that Brahma’s thoughts are enough
to bring them into being. The other five
sages are Marichi, Angiras,Pulastya,
Pulaha, and Atri.
Krauncha (“Curlew”) Dvipa
In traditional mythic geography,
Krauncha is the fifth of the seven con-
centric landmasses (dvipas) making up
the visible world. See also cosmology.
Kraunchanishadana
(“curlew-sitting”) One of the sitting pos-
tures (asanas) described in commen-
taries to the Yoga Sutras. The Yoga
Sutras are attributed to the sage
Patanjaliand give the earliest instruc-
tion of yoga. The Kraunchanishadana
posture begins in dandasanaor “stick-
posture,” in which one sits with the
upper body erect, the arms straight with
the hands flat on the ground and point-
ing forward, and the legs outstretched.
From this posture one of the legs is folded
back to the outside, with the heel
pressed against the outer thigh. The
other leg is raised straight up and
pressed against the torso, with the
hands clasped at the bottom of the foot.
Krishna
Hindu deityusually considered as the
eighth avataror incarnation of the god
Vishnu; in certain religious contexts,
however, as in the Gitagovinda, he is
described as the ultimate deity and the
source of all the avatars. In either case,
Krishna is one of the major deities in the
modern Hindu pantheon. Part of his
popularity may stem from the extraordi-
nary breadth of his manifestations,
allowing his devotees (bhakta) to wor-
shiphim in many different ways. His
earliest appearance comes in the
Mahabharata, the later of the two great
Hindu epics, where he is a friend and
adviser to the five Pandava brothers
who are the epic’s protagonists. His epic
portrayal is highly complex, and his
character is not always truthful or good.
He is a regal king and heroic warrior, a
cunning opponent, and a Machiavellian
politician with his own underlying
agenda. Here Krishna plays the role of
a trickster, although late in the story,
in the section of the epic known as
the Bhagavad Gita, he eventually drops
the mask to reveal himself as the
supreme deity.
The later sectarian literature, partic-
ularly the Harivamsha and the
Bhagavata Purana, virtually ignore
this exalted, royal figure, preferring to
concentrate on Krishna’s birth, child-
hood, and adolescence. This latter
stratum of Krishna’s mythology has
been clearly imposed on the earlier,
heroic image, rendering Krishna a char-
acter with unusual mythic depth.
Religiously speaking, the image of
Krishna as child and lover has been far
more important than the stern and
somewhat amoral hero.
The characters in the story of
Krishna’s life, including his parents,
friends, and companions, are not aware
of his divinity, and throughout the story
they confront many surprises and bewil-
dering events. However, none of these
plot twists surprise the readers, since
they are aware that all of the characters
are taking part in Krishna’s divine play
(lila). According to tradition, Krishna is
the eighth sonof Devakiand Vasudeva.
He is born in a prison in the city of
Mathura, where his parents have been
confined by his uncle, the wicked king
Kamsa. On Devaki’s wedding day, a
divine voice warns Kamsa that her
eighth child will eventually kill him. In
an effort to forestall this prophecy, he
puts the couple in prison, and kills all ofKratu