{
"data": {
"id": 154754,
"accession_number": "1989.334",
"share_license_status": "CC0",
"tombstone": "Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva, c. 1820\u201325. Attributed to Purkhu (Indian, 1750\u20131860). Gum tempera and gold on paper; overall: 24.1 x 32.1 cm (9 1/2 x 12 5/8 in.); with borders: 25.4 x 30.3 cm (10 x 11 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin, 1989.334",
"current_location": null,
"title": "Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva",
"creation_date": "c. 1820\u201325",
"creation_date_earliest": 1815,
"creation_date_latest": 1830,
"artists_tags": [
"male"
],
"culture": [
"Northern India, Pahari kingdoms"
],
"technique": "gum tempera and gold on paper",
"support_materials": [],
"department": "Indian and Southeast Asian Art",
"collection": "Indian Art",
"type": "Painting",
"measurements": "Overall: 24.1 x 32.1 cm (9 1/2 x 12 5/8 in.); with borders: 25.4 x 30.3 cm (10 x 11 15/16 in.)",
"dimensions": {
"overall": {
"height": 0.241,
"height_inch": 9,
"height_inch_fraction": 0.5,
"width": 0.321,
"width_inch": 12,
"width_inch_fraction": 0.625
},
"with borders": {
"height": 0.254,
"height_inch": 10,
"height_inch_fraction": 0.0,
"width": 0.303,
"width_inch": 11,
"width_inch_fraction": 0.9375
}
},
"state_of_the_work": null,
"edition_of_the_work": null,
"copyright": null,
"inscriptions": [
{
"inscription": "translation:\r\n\"Yea Lady! in the self-same spot he waits\r\nWhere with thy kiss thou taught'st him utmost love,\r\nAnd drew him, as none else draws, with thy look;\r\nAnd all day long, and all night long, his cry\r\nIs 'Radha, Radha' like a spell said o'er\r\nAnd in his heart there lives no wish nor hope\r\nSave only this, to slake his spirit's thirst\r\nFor Radha's love with Radha's lips; and find\r\nPeace on the immortal beauty of thy breast.\r\n(What follows is the Music Gurjjari and the Mode Ekatali.)\r\nMistress, sweet and bright and holy!\r\nMeet him in that place; \r\nChange his cheerless melancholy\r\nInto joy and grace;\r\nIf thou hast forgiven, vex not:\r\nIf thou lovest, go,\r\nWatching ever by the river, \r\nKrishna listens low:\r\n\r\nListens low, and on his reed there\r\nSoftly sounds thy name,\r\nMaking even mute things plead there\r\nFor his hope: 'tis shame\r\nThat, while winds are welcome to him,\r\nIf from thee they blow,\r\nMournful ever by the river\r\nKrishna waits thee so!\r\n\r\nWhen a bird's wing stirs the roses,\r\nWhen a leaf falls dead,\r\nTwenty times he recomposes\r\nThe flower-seat he has spread:\r\nTwenty-times, with anxious glances\r\nSeeking thee in vain,\r\nSighing ever by the river,\r\nKrishna droops again.\r\n\r\nLoosen from thy foot the bangle,\r\nLest its golden bell,\r\nWith a tiny tattling jangle,\r\nAny false tale tell:\r\nIf though fearest the moonlight\r\nWill thy glad face know,\r\nDraw those dark braids lower, Lady!\r\nBut to Krishna go.\r\n\r\nSwift and still as lightning's splendour\r\nLet thy beauty come.\r\nSudden, gracious, dazzling, tender,\r\nTo his arms---its home.\r\n\r\nSwift as Indra's yellow lightning,\r\nShining through the night,\r\nGlide to Krishna's lonely bosom,\r\nTake him love and light.\r\n\r\nGrant, at last, love's utmost measure,\r\nGiving the whole:\r\nKeep back nothing of the treasure \r\nOf thy priceless soul:\r\nHold with both hands out unto him\r\nThy chalice, let him drain\r\nThe nectar of its dearest draught, \r\nTill not a wish remain.\r\n\r\nOnly go---the stars are setting, \r\nAnd thy Krishna grieves;\r\nDoubt and anger quite forgetting,\r\nHasten through the leaves:\r\nWherefore didst thou lead him heav'nward\r\nBut for this thing's sake?\r\nComfort him with pity, Radha!\r\nOr his heart must break.\r\n\r\nBut while Jayadeva writes\r\nThis rare tale of deep delights---\r\nJayadev, whose heart is given\r\nUnto Jari, Lord in Heaven---\r\nSee that ye too, as ye read,\r\nWith a glad and humble heed,\r\nBend your brows before His face,\r\nThat he may have bliss and grace.\"",
"inscription_translation": null,
"inscription_remark": null,
"sortorder": null
},
{
"inscription": "poorva yatra sama tvaya rati patera sadita siddhayas tasminneva nikunja manmatha mahatirthe\npunar madhava. dhyayas tvam nisha japanna pita vaivalapa mantra vali. bhuyas tvat kucha\nkumbha nirbhara parirambhamta vanchati(1). gurjari rage. rati sukha sare gatambhisare madana\nmanohara venam. na kuru nitambini gamana vilambanam anusara ta hridayesham (1). dhira\nsamire yamuna tire vasati vane vanamali. gopi pina payodhara mardana chanchal kara yuga sali.\nnam sametam krita sanketam vadaya tem duveyum. bahumanu te tanu te tanu sangata pavana\nchalitamapi re end (2). patati patatre vicalati patre shankita-bhavad-upayanam rachayati shayanam\nsachakita-nayanam pashyati tava panthanam (3). mukharam adhira tyaja manjiram ripum iva keli\nsulolam chala sakhi kunja satimira-punja shilaya nila nicholam (4). urasi murarer upahita-hare\nghana iva tarala balake ta\u00f2id iva p\u00e9te rati viparete rajasi sukata-vipake (5). vigalita-vasanam\nparihata-rasana ghauaya jaghanam apidhanam kisalaya-shayane pankaja-nayane nidhim iva\nharna-nidhanam (6). harir abhimane rajanir idanem iyam api yati viramam kuru mama vachana\nsatvara-racana puraya madhuripu-kamam (7). shri-jayadeve kata-hari-seve bhaati\nparamaramaeyam pramuditahadaya harim atisadaya namata sukata kamaneyam (8)",
"inscription_translation": "Sakhi to Radha \u2013 \u201cIn Cupid\u2019s private love garden, the most sacred place, where Madhava\nperfected his love-making skills with you, he contemplates you constantly, murmuring the mantras\nof his previous romantic conversations with you, yearning to again taste the nectar of liberation that\nflows in the tight embrace of your ample breasts. O handsome-hipped girl! The beloved of your\nheart, also known as the god of love, awaits you in the meeting place, perfect for savouring amour.\nDo not delay. Go at once and meet him. Whose hands are always restless to press the breasts of\nGopis is waiting in a forest grove on the bank of the Yamuna where the gentle Malayan breeze\nwafts. He is softly playing His flute, weaving your name into the melody. When the specks of dust\nthat have touched Your body are carried to Him on the breeze, He prizes his good fortune. Hearing\nthe slightest sound \u2013 a bird landing on a tree, a fluttering leaf \u2013 he imagines you are coming. He\njoyfully prepares the flower bed, and anxiously watches the path for your arrival. Sakhi! Remove\nyour ankle-bells, those enemies that betray your amorous play with their loud chatter. Don this dark\ncloak and hasten to that dense, dark grove. Soon you will reap Your reward from pious deeds. You\nwill dominate in the play of love as your pearl necklace, looking like a beautiful flock of cranes\nflitting across the cloudy sky, falls on Murari\u2019s dark chest. You will shine like a streak of lightning\nupon the dark raincloud of His torso. O blue lotus-eyed one, shed Your silken cloth and untie Your\nwaist-bells . Place the treasured jewel of Your thighs on the bed of fresh, tender leaves. This will\ngive Him great delight. Hari is being stubborn. The night is just about to end, so accept my advice.\nGo at once without further delay, and fulfil the desires of the enemy of Madhu. O gentle saints,\nreciting this enchanting poetry penned by Sri Hari\u2019s servant Jayadeva, bow down to Him who is\nmost charming, merciful and blissful-hearted.\u201d",
"inscription_remark": "Devanagari script",
"sortorder": null
},
{
"inscription": "19",
"inscription_translation": null,
"inscription_remark": "Number 19 is mentioned on the top of the verso, suggesting that the painting is Folio no. 19 from the Lambagraon set.",
"sortorder": null
}
],
"exhibitions": {
"current": [
{
"id": 310300,
"title": "The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection",
"description": "The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 5-September 2, 1990).",
"opening_date": "1990-07-05T04:00:00"
},
{
"id": 379162,
"title": "Life and Exploits of Krishna in Indian Paintings",
"description": "Life and Exploits of Krishna in Indian Paintings. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 1, 2021-February 6, 2022).",
"opening_date": "2021-09-01T04:00:00"
}
],
"legacy": [
{
"description": "Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (August 13, 2003-February 18, 2004).",
"opening_date": "2003-08-13T00:00:00"
},
{
"description": "Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (August 18, 2004-May 23, 2005).",
"opening_date": "2004-08-18T00:00:00"
},
{
"description": "ArtLens Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (June 5-November 30, 2018).",
"opening_date": "2018-06-05T00:00:00"
}
]
},
"provenance": [
{
"description": "Raja of Lambagraon",
"citations": [],
"footnotes": null,
"date": null,
"sortorder": 1
},
{
"description": "(Mr. B. R. Sharma, New Delhi, India, sold to Severance and Greta Millikin)",
"citations": [],
"footnotes": null,
"date": null,
"sortorder": 2
},
{
"description": "Severance A. [1895\u20131985] and Greta [Marguerite Steckerl] Millikin [1903\u20131989], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art",
"citations": [],
"footnotes": null,
"date": "?\u20131989",
"sortorder": 3
},
{
"description": "The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH",
"citations": [],
"footnotes": null,
"date": "1989\u2013",
"sortorder": 4
}
],
"find_spot": null,
"related_works": [],
"former_accession_numbers": [],
"did_you_know": "According to the text, Krishna softly plays his flute and weaves his beloved Radha's name into the melody.",
"early_education_description": null,
"artlens_description": null,
"description": "While all the cowherd girls were in love with Krishna, he had a favorite according to texts of the 1200s and later. Her name was Radha, and she and Krishna would meet for secret trysts in the forest, facilitated by her sakhi, or confidante.
Krishna is shown twice in this painting. At the right he is in the process of making a bed of leaves for their upcoming encounter, and in the middle, he spies on Radha, wearing orange and gold. The sakhi is encouraging Radha to go and meet Krishna, since he is pining for her.",
"external_resources": {
"wikidata": [
"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60476369"
],
"internet_archive": [
"https://archive.org/details/clevelandart-1989.334-sakhi-persuades-radh"
]
},
"citations": [
{
"citation": "Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990.",
"page_number": "cat. no. 156",
"url": ""
}
],
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1989.334",
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"date_created": "2014-03-26T14:43:46",
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"creditline": "Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin",
"image_credit": null,
"sketchfab_id": null,
"sketchfab_url": null,
"gallery_donor_text": null,
"athena_id": 154754,
"creators": [
{
"id": 438723,
"description": "Purkhu (Indian, 1750\u20131860)",
"extent": null,
"qualifier": "attributed to",
"role": "artist",
"biography": "Indian painter, active ca. 1790-1820",
"name_in_original_language": null,
"birth_year": "1750",
"death_year": "1860",
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],
"legal_status": "accessioned",
"accession_date": "1989-12-04T00:00:00",
"sortable_date": 1815,
"date_added_to_oa": null,
"date_text": "c. 1820\u201325",
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"alternate_titles": [
"Krishna Waiting for Radha, page from the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva series",
"Sakhi Persuades Radha to Meet Krishna, from the \"Lambagraon\" Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva"
],
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"updated_at": "2026-06-10 18:50:58.693000"
}
}