The present painting stems from the Pahari school, meaning ‘hills,’ and refers to the Himalayan foothills in the north of India. A great number of local courts developed a rich painting tradition, which flourished particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. These works are often characterized by their soft clean lines and flowing pastel color schemes, as well as themes taken from Hindu epics, such as the Bhagavata Purana.  The scene here depicts the moment when the young lord Krishna assumed the weight of the universe and tramples the hoods of Kaliya, the serpent king whose venom poisoned the waters of the North Indian Yamuna River. Kaliya’s consorts are seen asking for Krishna’s mercy before he pardoned the serpent and requested it to leave the river.
9¹⁄₂ X 5⁷⁄₈ in. (24.1 x 14.9 cm.)