This collection of sacred tales recounts Krishna's childhood and adolescence in the forests of Vrindavan: playing with his friends, dallying amorously with cowherd maidens, and stealing butter to feed the monkeys. Krishna emerges from these episodes as an immediately engaging figure, and the stories have inspired generations of artists, musicians, poets, sculptors, and dramatists. They also contain valuable insights into Hindu views on matters such as creation, cosmography, and the history of the subcontinent.

Edwin F. Bryant's translation is both faithful to the original Sanskrit text and accessible for contemporary readers. This edition includes an introduction, a glossary of Sanskrit terms, a pronunciation guide and bibliography.

Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.