Here are the Indian deity Krishna and his beloved gopi (milkmaid) and constant companion Radha, playing the ancient Indian board game known as chaturanga. In Sanskrit, “chaturanga” means “four-limbs,” and in this game, the name refers to a millenia-old Indian military setup that included four branches: elephants, chariotry, cavalry, and infantry. Chaturanga was the predecessor of the Persian game of chess, or “shatranj.” In modern yoga, chaturanga is the name of an asana (or pose) with the body horizontal but supported with toes and palms, having the elbows bent to keep the body straight.
