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Abstract

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu is one of the most significant deities in the Hindu Mythology. Although it is said that he was born and he spent his life in the regions of North India, he is widely worshipped across India. This paper aims to bring out the different representations and perceptions of the deity by few of the popular writers through their selected works of literature in Indigenous languages. We come across two different literary works through which the devotion and love for Krishna is depicted in two different ways by a single Tamil poetess, Aandal. Jayadeva's Gita Govindam in Sanskrit describes the relationship between Krishna and the cowherdesses (Gopis) of Vrindavana and his romantic relationship with Radha. The Haridasas of Karnataka, one of them being Purandaradasa, has praised him with a philosophical interplay but with a simple language through their Keerthanes. In the contemporary Indian Literature, Devdutt Pattanaik in 'Shyam' not only re-narrates the Bhagavata, but also explains several aspects of the deity in comparison to other characters and concepts giving it an unusual portrait. The present paper also discusses the contribution of the above writers and their works to Indian Literature and compares their representation.

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