Krishna-Lila, cloth pasted on wood, 1825-1830 AD. Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love in Hinduism, and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities. Of the god Krishna, lila refers to the playful and erotic activities in which he sports with the gopis, or young milkmaids, of Braj—especially his favourite, Radha.