Soap Stone Krishna

'Krishna' in Sanskrit literally means black or dark referring to Krishna's black or dark blue complexion. According to the Mahabharat, the great Indian epic, 'Krishna' means 'Absolute Truth'. This Lord of Love is known by another one hundred and eight names, some of them being 'Gopala', 'Govinda', 'Hari', 'Jagannath ' and 'Madhav'. According to Hindu scriptures, Krishna was born in Mathura (presently in Uttar Pradesh, India). He was the eighth son born to Devaki and Vasudev, a noble of the court. Kansa, the malicious King of Mathura, was forewarned in a prophecy, of his imminent death at the hands of Devaki's eighth child. Inhibited by the prophecy, Kansa had put Devaki and Vasudev in prison. Krishna took birth within the bars of the prison cell. To protect their child from Kansa, Vasudev smuggled out Krishna and left him to be reared by His foster parents - Yashoda and Nanda, the head of a community of cow herders in Gokul. Krishna grew up among the idyllic beauty of Gokul, Vrindavan and Nandagram. The famous childhood chronicles of Krishna center around his feats against the evil powers. Krishna captivated the young Gopis with the enchanting music of his flute and engaged in the dance of love. The Gopis were a part of His own internal energies, and Radha, His beloved, was the object of His highest devotion. The life and teachings of Sree Krishna has initiated Bhakti movements all across the world. Besides having a prominent religious connotation, the cult of Krishna has inspired various performing arts, literature and paintings. Krishna is often depicted as an overgrown, naughty child stealing butter, as a cowherd protecting cows, as a mischievous adolescent who charmed young women and a slayer of demons. He is also the supreme diplomat, and especially the preacher of the sacred verse, Bhagavad-Gita at a time of war. Classical Indian dance forms like Odissi, Manipuri, Kathak and Kathakali drew heavily on the Krishna mythology. The songs of Gita Govinda and those composed by the Bhakti poets had their sole emphasis on Krishna. Medieval Maharashtra gave birth to Hari-Katha that told Vaishnava tales through music, dance and narrative sequences and Krishna's story became a rich source of themes and images.