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Lot Essay
These two paintings depict the culmination of the arrogant Banasura's prayers to Shiva to fight someone as strong as himself.
Banasura had a beautiful daughter named Usha. Though a number of proposals came for her marriage, Banasura accepted none. Afraid that Usha might fall in love with a man other than his choice, he kept Usha in a formidable fortress called Agnigarh ("house of fire") with her friends. One night Usha saw a young man in her dream and fell in love with him. Using the supernatural talents of her friend Chitraleka, they drew a portrait of the man and Chitraleka identified him as Aniruddha, grandson of Lord Krishna. Chitrakela used her supernatural powers to abduct Aniruddha and bring him to Agnigarh, where they were married secretly.
When it was discovered that Aniruddha had been abducted, his grandfather Krishna, granduncle Balarama, and father Pradyumna went to his rescue and battled Banasura. When Krishna was about to kill Bana, Shiva intervened and asked Krishna to show him mercy. In one painting, Bana shows obeisance to Krishna, and in the other the two embrace in mutual respect. Therefore, though Bana was defeated, his life was spared at the intercession of Shiva, and Aniruddha and Usha returned to Dwarka where they lived as man and wife.
Banasura had a beautiful daughter named Usha. Though a number of proposals came for her marriage, Banasura accepted none. Afraid that Usha might fall in love with a man other than his choice, he kept Usha in a formidable fortress called Agnigarh ("house of fire") with her friends. One night Usha saw a young man in her dream and fell in love with him. Using the supernatural talents of her friend Chitraleka, they drew a portrait of the man and Chitraleka identified him as Aniruddha, grandson of Lord Krishna. Chitrakela used her supernatural powers to abduct Aniruddha and bring him to Agnigarh, where they were married secretly.
When it was discovered that Aniruddha had been abducted, his grandfather Krishna, granduncle Balarama, and father Pradyumna went to his rescue and battled Banasura. When Krishna was about to kill Bana, Shiva intervened and asked Krishna to show him mercy. In one painting, Bana shows obeisance to Krishna, and in the other the two embrace in mutual respect. Therefore, though Bana was defeated, his life was spared at the intercession of Shiva, and Aniruddha and Usha returned to Dwarka where they lived as man and wife.