Abstract
In Harivaṃśa chapter 83, Kṛṣṇa’s brother Baladeva changes the course of the river Yamunā, using his plough. This article reviews previous interpretations of Baladeva’s deed by André Couture and Lavanya Vemsani and develops in detail an interpretation briefly proposed by A. Whitney Sanford, whereby the deed is viewed, among many superimposed views, as at some level a sexual assault. This angle is explored in the article in various ways, with close reference to the Sanskrit text. The article includes discussion of the dialogue between Baladeva and the personified Yamunā, Baladeva’s connection to plough agriculture, the dynamic between Baladeva and Kṛṣṇa, and Vaiśaṃpāyana’s commentary on the events.
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Brodbeck, S. Interpretation of Baladeva and Yamunā at Harivaṃśa 83. Hindu Studies 24, 313–343 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11407-020-09281-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11407-020-09281-5