________________
Luna-Vasahi ]
119
(a) On the beam towards the east, the relief panel shows a tree with a cradle hung from its branch. Under the tree sit two persons, beside whom stands a small cow boy with his stick held behind the neck. Above, on the shelf are five vessels of milk, butter-milk, clarified butter (ghee) etc. A bigger figure of another cowboy standing with a stick, cattle grazing nearby and two ladies engaged in churning of the butter-milk impart a very realistic touch to the whole relief. By the side of twol adies sits Devaki or tree (in this scene may be Nanda and Yashoda or shepherds (Gopalaka); one small figure and another a little bigger, each standing with a stick in hand, may represent two shepherds (gopalakas-cowboys) or may be Balarama and Kṛṣhṇa.
It is said that once Vasudeva (the father of Krshna) had killed a Vidyadhara named Sürpaka whose two daughters Shakuni and Putana came to Gokula to take revenge. Shakunitried to crush Krshna under the wheels of a cart while Putanā tried to do so by giving into the mouth of the infant Kṛṣṇa her poisoned breasts under the pretext of being his wet-nurse. But Krshna killed them both under the same cart. The son of Sürpaka then came to avenge the death of his father and both the sisters. He tried to bring together with his magic two huge standing Arjuna-trees and crush Krshna who was by chance standing between them. But here also Krshna uprooted both the trees and killed the Vidyadhara with these very trees (according to the Jainas, attendant celestials did this job for Krshna)
Once Kamsa let loose his intoxicated elephant (named Padmottara) in order that Krshna may be crushed but Kṛṣṇa drew out its tusks and beat the elephant to death. In these relief scenes depicting the sports and childhood of Krshna are carved Gokula, residential quarters of cow-boys, animals graz ing and so on. A similar relief panel on the opposite end possibly represents the palace of Vasudeva, with the king, his horse-stable, hastishālā etc.....
