The Hero at Play: Depictions of the Govardhana-līlā Story in Khmer Art

Abstract

The article “The Hero at Play: Depictions of the Govardhana-līlā Story in Khmer Art” by Vasudha Narayanan examines visual representations of Kṛṣṇa lifting Govardhana within Cambodian art traditions. Through temple carvings and iconography dating from the Angkor period, Narayanan traces how the Govardhana motif was adapted outside India, illustrating Kṛṣṇa as heroic protector and playful deity. The article contextualizes these depictions within Khmer religious syncretism and discusses how artistic renderings balance regional aesthetic norms with Indic mythological themes. Narayanan’s study underscores the global reach of Vaiṣṇava imagery and the localization of Kṛṣṇa’s mythology in Southeast Asian cultural contexts.