Krishna

== Performance arts ==
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| image1            = Flickr - dalbera - Danseuse de Kuchipudi jouant Krishna (musée Guimet).jpg
| image2            = Rasa Lila in Manipuri dance style.jpg
| image3            = Krishnanattam (théâtre rituel du Kerala).jpg
| footer            = The Krishna legends in the ''Bhagavata Purana'' have inspired many performance arts repertoire, such as [[Kathak]], [[Kuchipudi]] (left), [[Odissi]]<nowiki> and [[Krishnanattam]] (right).</nowiki><ref name="Kenneth Valpey 2013"/><ref name="ML Varadpande 1987"/> The ''[[Rasa lila|Rasa Lila]]'' where Krishna plays with the gopis in [[Manipuri dance]] style (center)
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Indian dance and music theatre traces its origins and techniques to the ancient ''[[Samaveda|Sama Veda]]'' and ''[[Natyasastra]]'' texts.{{sfn|Beck|1993|pp=107–108}}<ref>PV Kane, ''History of Sanskrit Poetics'', Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120802742}} (2015 Reprint), pp. 10–41</ref> The stories enacted and the numerous choreographic themes are inspired by the legends in Hindu texts, including Krishna-related literature such as ''[[Harivamsa]]'' and ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]''.{{sfn|Varadpande|1987|pages=92–94}}

The Krishna stories have played a key role in the history of Indian theatre, music, and dance, particularly through the tradition of [[Rasa leela|''Rasaleela'']]. These are dramatic enactments of Krishna's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. One common scene involves Krishna playing flute in Rasa Leela, only to be heard by certain gopis (cowherd maidens), which is theologically supposed to represent divine call only heard by certain enlightened beings.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vemsani |first1=Lavanya |title=Krishna in history thought and culture |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ |year=2016 |publisher=ABC-Clio LLC|location=California |language=en |isbn=978-1-61069-210-6|pages=179–180 |chapter=Music and Krishna }}</ref> Some of the text's legends have inspired secondary theatre literature such as the eroticism in [[Gita Govinda]].<ref>Graham Schweig (2007), ''Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions'' (Editor: Yudit Kornberg Greenberg), Volume{{nbsp}}1, {{ISBN|978-1851099801}}, pp. 247–249</ref>

Krishna-related literature such as the ''Bhagavata Purana'' accords a metaphysical significance to the performances and treats them as a religious ritual, infusing daily life with spiritual meaning, thus representing a good, honest, happy life. Similarly, Krishna-inspired performances aim to cleanse the hearts of faithful actors and listeners. Singing, dancing, and performing any part of ''Krishna Lila'' is an act of remembering the dharma in the text, as a form of ''para bhakti'' (supreme devotion). To remember Krishna at any time and in any art, asserts the text, is to worship the good and the divine.{{sfn|Varadpande|1987|pages=95–97}}

Classical dance styles such as [[Kathak]], [[Odissi dance|Odissi]], [[Manipuri dance|Manipuri]], [[Kuchipudi]] and [[Bharatanatyam]] in particular are known for their Krishna-related performances.{{sfn|Varadpande|1987|page=98}} [[Krisnattam]] (Krishnattam) traces its origins to Krishna legends, and is linked to another major classical Indian dance form called [[Kathakali]].<ref name=Zarrilli2000>{{cite book|author = Zarrilli, P. B.|year = 2000|title = Kathakali Dance-Drama: Where Gods and Demons Come to Play|url = https://archive.org/details/kathakalidancedr00zarr|url-access = limited|publisher = Routledge|page = [https://archive.org/details/kathakalidancedr00zarr/page/n262 246]}}</ref> Bryant summarizes the influence of Krishna stories in the ''Bhagavata Purana'' as, "[it] has inspired more derivative literature, poetry, drama, dance, theatre and art than any other text in the history of Sanskrit literature, with the possible exception of the ''[[Ramayana]]''.{{sfn|Bryant|2007|page=118}}{{sfn|Archer|2004}}

The [[Palliyodam]], a type of large boat built and used by [[Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple]] in Kerala for the annual water processions of [[Aranmula Boat Race|Uthrattathi Jalamela]] and [[Valla Sadhya]] has the legend that it was designed by Krishna and were made to look like [[Shesha]]naga, the serpent on which Vishnu rests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/explained-what-palliyodam-and-why-kerala-actor-was-arrested-photoshoot-it-155155|title=Explained: What is a Palliyodam, and why a Kerala actor was arrested for photoshoot on it|newspaper=thenewsminute|access-date=13 September 2021}}</ref>