About the Book India is the land of religion, and several deities had been dominating over the Indian religious horizon from the time immemorial. While some of them disappeared as rapidly as they mushroomed over the Indian religious scene, some of them went into oblivion with the passage of time but some of them established their so strong a foot hold that their popularity went on increasing with the passage of time. Krsna happens to be one of them. He is considered to be the eighth incarnation of Visnu and played a dominant role during the Mahabharata war. His life has been highlighted in the epic as well as the Bhagavata, Vişņu, Brahma vaivarta, Harivamsa and several other Purāņas. But Garga-Samhita which is indeed of the later origin, and is believed to have been composed by the sage Garga, the family priest of the Yadavas, also deals with not only the life of Kṛṣṇa but also of Balarama and other events relating to the Yadava dynasty. This text establishes the irrefutable link of Kṛṣṇa, with the cowherd Nanda, the milkmaids, Kamsa and the Pandavas/Kauravas, negativating the theory of two Kṛṣṇas, one of Mathura and the other of the Mahabharata war. The account provides an English version of the Garga Samhita, which I am sure would interest the readers.
About the Author Shantilal Nagar, a graduate of the Punjab University, served in the curatorial capacity in the Central Asian Antiquities Museum, New Delhi, the Archaeological Museum, Nalanda, and Archaeological Section of the Indian Museum, Calcutta for a number of years. He has to his credit the scientific documentation of over fifty thousand antiquities, in these museums, representing the rich cultural heritage of the country and comprising of sculptures, bronzes, terracottas, beads, seals and sealing, ancient Indian numismatics, wood work, miniatures and paintings, textiles and Pearce collection of gems, ranging from the earliest times to the late medieval period. He was awarded, in 1987, a fellowship, for his monograph on the Temples of Himachal Pradesh, by the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi. He has authored more than 38 books.
Preface The dark complexioned Krsna was sleeping in the golden cradle. He was wearing a serene smile on his face, which attracted all the people. In order to ward off the evil eye, a spot of collyrium appeared on his forehead. His eyes resembled the lotus flowers, in which the collyrium was applied. Yasoda took the beautiful infant in her lap, when Balamukunda was sucking his foot. The blue, fresh, soft and curly hair added to his divine beauty. The chest was adorned with Svastika mark. The crescent like other ornaments further added to his beauty who looked quite amazing. The immensely compassionate milkmaid Yasoda was caressing the child again and again, feeling delighted. Kṛṣṇa had consumed milk and was yawning. The mother looked at his open mouth and found the entire globe in his mouth, including the earth, and the five tattvas. All the gods including Indra were lodged therein, Yasoda suddenly felt panicky and she closed her eyes.
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