The sage Markandeya was the one who witnessed Lord Krishna as a toe-sucking infant lying on a banyan leaf, floating in the vastness of the primordial cosmic ocean. When the perplexed sage asked the god to explain the secret behind his apparition, the lord replied as follows: "I am the Primal Cosmic Man, Narayana . . . . I am the Lord of Waters."
Thus this image of the playful infant Krishna is in reality a manifestation of the cosmic form of Vishnu, and corresponds to the epithet often used for Shiva 'sadyojata,' or the new born. This cosmic Vishnu is different from his awesome universal manifestation envisaged in the Bhagvad Gita known as the Vishvarupa (see below).
The color scheme is rich and attractive. Krishna is visualized as a plump and content baby. That he is trying to suck his toe introduces a realistic touch that makes the infant even more lovable.
Krishna has rich and majestic ornaments on his body, and the sacred Vaishnava mark (tilaka) on his forehead.
This artwork was created in the small town of Kishangarh, twenty-five kilometres from Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan.
Click here to see The Vishvarupa, The Cosmic Man as Envisaged in the Bhagavad Gita
Further description by Renu Rana:
Krishna, the very name of the eighth avtaar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver in the Hindu Trinity, spells magic. According to the Hindu scriptures, the character of Krishna is all-expansive, benevolent and magnanimous.
Krishna, as a little prankster, provided a tremendous scope for artists, musicians, poets and painters to create many delightful versions of him in their art. The artist has created the image of baby Krishna on a silk base in brilliant colours. Lying on a huge green leaf, he looks at the ignorant world with seeming by innocent eyes. A smile, displaying a couple of baby teeth, plays on his lips. Dense, curly locks encompass his adorable face. His mother Yashoda has tried to curtail his unruly hair in strings of pearls and pieces of jewellery. The inevitable part of his accessories, the peacock feather is tucked in the knotted hair. The mark of Vishnu rests on his small forehead. A yellow divine halo can be seen around his face. His body gestures are like any child his age. He holds his tiny foot with one hand. The other hand holds his favourite attribute, the flute, that has been associated with Krishna in all works of art, irrespective of his age or theme. Instead of the yellow lower garment which is to be seen in all iconographic representations, baby Krishna is wrapped in pink.
The water in the upper background is calm but where the leaf with Krishna passes from, the water rises as if to touch his pious feet.
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