This is Krishna standing on and subduing Kaliya. Krishna is identified by the act; his usual identifying attributes butter ball or flute is missing here.

The puranic story behind this event is a long one. A short, if not cryptic, version follows:

The Story: Kasyapa, grandson of Brahma and son of Marici, is married to Kadru and Vinata. Kadru gives birth to Kaliya and Vinata to Garuda. Because of ill-will between Kadru and Vinata, Garuda and his half-brother Kaliya became enemies. To escape Garuda, Kaliya takes refuge in Kalindhi, a waterbody that is forbidden to Garuda.

The presence of Kaliya in that water body poisons it and one of the Gopalas, Kishna’s companion, died as he drank the poisoned water. Krishna subdues Kaliya and sends Kaliya and his family to a remote island, Ramanaka. Krishna protects Kaliya from Garuda by assuring his (Krishna’s) foot marks on Kaliya’s head. End of story.

Now go back and see the Vigraha again. The Abhaya mudra takes a different meaning. It is directed at Kaliya, assuring protection to Kaliya. Krishna is not subduing Kaliya as he is standing on Kaliya’s head just to imprint his footmark.

For a fuller version see Puranic Encyclopedia by Vettam Mani.

You do see, especially in the bronzes from Karnataka, the channel used to ease the flow of molten metal. In this case, the ‘spurring’ between the pedestal and his backside and one between the Naga and Krishna’s torso, seem to serve no useful purpose.

This Vigraha is about 9.5 cm in height, and it is from Karnataka. It dates to the eighteenth – nineteenth century.

For additional details, please refer to another blog on Kaliyamardaka.