Abduction of Rukmini: Krishna Tied the Hands of Rukma, from a Bhagavata Purana
Unknown Artist
c. 1640
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
page: 16.9 × 20 cm · miniature: 14 × 17.8 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
2018.127
About this artwork
Krishna eloped with Rukmini against her brother Rukma’s will. Rukma, in the striped tunic (jama), soon chased him down and challenged him to a battle. Knowing that Krishna would murder her brother, Rukmini pleaded with Krishna to spare his life, so Krishna tied his hands with a piece of cloth, and Krishna’s brother Balarama later freed him.