Artwork

Krishna Exacts a Toll from the Milkmaids: Dana-Lila, from a Bhagavata Purana

Krishna Exacts a Toll from the Milkmaids: Dana-Lila, from a Bhagavata Purana is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The painting depicts a scene from the Bhagavata Purana in which the youthful deity Krishna intercepts a group of milkmaids transporting pots of milk and yogurt. He blocks their path, adopts a mock‑authoritative stance, and demands a toll for passage across the land he pretends to own, while a nearby cowherd watches with irritation.

Subject & Meaning

The narrative illustrates Krishna’s characteristic playfulness, known as lila, where the divine figure engages in harmless mischief to test devotion and highlight the fleeting nature of material concerns. By demanding a toll from the milkmaids, Krishna underscores his role as a trickster who blurs the line between divine authority and everyday life.

Technique & Style

Executed in vivid pigments typical of Rajput court painting, the composition relies on bold outlines and simplified forms. The figures are rendered with flattened perspective, and the bright blues of Krishna’s skin contrast sharply with the earthy tones of the landscape, creating a lively, almost theatrical atmosphere.

History & Provenance

The work belongs to the artistic tradition of the Bikaner school of Rajput painting, which flourished in the 17th–18th centuries under the patronage of local rulers. It was likely commissioned for a temple or a princely collection that valued narrative depictions of Hindu mythology.

Context

Krishna’s interaction with the milkmaids reflects a broader motif in Hindu art, where the god’s childhood exploits—known as the Gopi‑Krishna episodes—are celebrated for their emotional resonance and moral instruction. Such scenes were popular in devotional settings, serving both as visual storytelling and as reminders of divine play.