Krishna

Introduction

Lord Krishna is the eighth and most complete avatar of Vishnu. He is called Purna Purushottam, meaning the fullest incarnation of the divine. He was the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, born in Mathura but raised in Gokul-Vrindavan by his foster parents Nanda Baba and Yashoda.

Krishna’s life is extraordinarily multifaceted — his childhood pastimes (bala leelas), the rasa leela with the gopis, the slaying of the tyrant Kamsa, his reign as the king of Dwaraka, and above all, his role as Arjuna’s charioteer on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where he delivered the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita, spoken by Krishna, is the supreme philosophical text of Hindu thought.

Form and Iconography

Krishna has a deep blue (Ghanashyam) complexion. His most beloved forms include Bala Krishna (the child stealing butter), Venugopala (the flute player), and the Gita Upadeshaka (the teacher of the Gita to Arjuna). He wears a peacock-feather crown, yellow garments (Pitambara), and the Vaijayanti garland. A flute rests on his lips and anklets adorn his feet. His beloved Radha is always depicted alongside him.

Mythological Stories

Childhood Pastimes: Krishna’s childhood is celebrated for its enchanting episodes — stealing butter (makhan chori), subduing the serpent Kaliya, lifting Mount Govardhana on his little finger, and slaying the demoness Putana. He revealed the entire cosmos in his mouth to Mother Yashoda, proving his divinity.

Slaying of Kamsa: Despite numerous assassination attempts by his uncle Kamsa, Krishna travelled to Mathura and killed the tyrant, freeing his birth parents Vasudeva and Devaki from imprisonment.

The Bhagavad Gita: On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, when Arjuna refused to fight upon seeing his kinsmen arrayed against him, Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita — the quintessence of karma, jnana, bhakti, and yoga.

Major Temples

• Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple, Mathura — Situated at Krishna’s birthplace
• Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan — A beloved temple among Vaishnava devotees
• Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka, Gujarat — One of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites
• Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha — The famous temple of Krishna in the Jagannath form

Associated Festivals

Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark half of Bhadrapada as Krishna’s birthday. Holi is associated with the rasa leela of Braj and the love of Radha and Krishna. Govardhan Puja is observed the day after Diwali. Dahi Handi and Raas Utsav are other prominent celebrations linked to Krishna.

Associated Mantras and Prayers

• Mool Mantra: “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya”
• Hare Krishna Maha Mantra: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”
• Bhagavad Gita: Krishna’s divine discourse, part of the Mahabharata
• Krishna Chalisa: A forty-verse hymn in praise of Krishna