ABSTRACT
The tenth-century Sanskrit text known as the Bhgavata Pura has come to occupy an important place in Hinduism as the source of the stories surrounding the exploits of Ka, one of Hinduism’s most popular and beloved gods.1 The Bhgavata Pura recounts how Lord Viu takes human form to rid the earth of oppression by being born as Ka into the household of the cowherd chieftain Nanda and his wife Yaod in the region of Braj along the banks of the River Yamuna. The Bhgavata describes Ka’s idyllic childhood, during which time he tends to cows, engages in childhood pranks with his fellow cowherd friends, and performs superhuman feats such as killing demons and lifting a hill named Govardhan on one nger to protect the residents of Braj from a torrential rainstorm. The Bhgavata also recounts Ka’s amorous exploits with the village milkmaids (gop s), and the intense pain and longing they feel for him when he leaves his home permanently to complete his earthly mission. The Bhgavata, however, makes it clear that Ka is not merely a manifestation (avatra) of Viu. Ka is the complete and fullest manifestation of the Divine, and it is only through him that one can attain spiritual salvation (moka).
