Surdas was a 16th century blind poet who was a Vaishnava and followed those ethics of conduct. Therefore he was exceptionally drawn to the figure of Krishna. Besides being a singer, Surdas wrote the book Sursagar which focussed on the childhood and early teenage years of Sri Krishna. Written in Braja Bhasha, the poems in Sursagar threw light on the religious and mythological notions of Krishna's might. Those inscriptions were then illustrated by Surdas in the mid-late 1500s and this painting is one of them. This artwork vividly showcases Krishna as a little boy who asks for sweets from his foster mother Yashoda and is painted in the bottom right section of the painting. According to the folklores, Krishna was the one who defeated his uncle Kamsa and ascended the throne of Mathura after growing up. Here, little Krishna asks for more sweets in order to satiate his hunger and grow stronger so that he can grow up to fulfill his destiny to take the throne of Mathura. The future prospects of Krishna are depicted on the upper section of the painting where he is seen killing various demons and fighting against unjust men and ultimately becoming the deserving king of Mathura. Apart from that, Krishna is also known as Gopala or Govinda which means he is the ultimate protector of cattle, especially cows. This notion is highlighted as well as a herd of cows and bulls are painted at the bottom section of the painting. An interesting thing about this whole artwork is that portrait of a man writing while sitting inside a hut in the left section of the painting. That man is actually Surdas himself and I believe that portrayal of himself is almost synonymous of authors signing under the writings. This also shows his dedication and deep devotion for Krishna and Vaishava religion as hr appears to be a spectator, writer and a painter of the entire trajectory of Krishna's life.
This devotional illustration conveys a playfulness and almost human-like personality about the Hindu god Krishna. It conveys an emotional connection between humans and the divine. The manuscript features narrative storytelling, combining poetry and image into a devotional object.
