Krishna (deity)
Krishna is a prominent deity in Hinduism, recognized as the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, the Supreme Being. According to legend, Vishnu manifests as an incarnation whenever unrighteousness threatens to disrupt the cosmic order. Krishna's life, filled with remarkable deeds and adventures, is well-documented in ancient texts, including the Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata. He is often depicted with blue skin, symbolizing his divine nature and connection to the vastness of the sky and ocean.
Krishna's mythological narrative begins with a prophecy that foretold his birth as the son of Devaki, who would ultimately defeat her tyrannical brother, King Kamsa. Raised by foster parents in a pastoral setting, Krishna is celebrated for his playful nature and divine exploits, which include defeating demons and enchanting villagers with his flute music. As he matured, Krishna became a pivotal figure in the epic Kurukshetra War, assisting the Pandavas against the Kauravas.
The worship of Krishna has deep historical roots, particularly in the Braj region of Northern India, with references to him found in Vedic texts and archaeological findings dating back to as early as 3000 BCE. His significance spans various religious traditions, including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, and he is revered by some Islamic groups as a great prophet. This multifaceted reverence reflects his enduring impact on spirituality and culture across diverse communities.
Krishna (deity)
Symbol: Flute and peacock feathers, ball of butter
Culture: India/Hindu
Mother: Devaki (birth); Yasoda (foster)
Father: Vasudeva (birth); Nanda (foster)
Siblings: Balarama (brother); Subhadra (sister)
Children: More than 100,000
Overview
Krishna is an Indian folk hero who is considered to be the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, an aspect of the Supreme Being in Hinduism. According to legend, Lord Vishnu descends among mortals as an incarnation whenever he senses that unrighteousness threatens world order. Krishna is an actual historical figure, who ruled a powerful kingdom and waged wars depicted in ancient scriptures. His life and deeds are well-documented in many principal Sanskrit texts, such as Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharata, Harivamsha, and Vishnu Purana. Krishna is a staple in Hindu art and the subject of many paintings and sculptures. He is traditionally portrayed as having blue skin, as the myth of his creation mentions that Krishna originated from Vishnu’s black hair, so he had to have a dark complexion. Rather than black, Krishna was given the color blue by artists, who wanted to connect him to the blue of the vast sky and ocean, which are both symbols of the Supreme Being.
In Mythology
Krishna was born in a time of injustice propagated by King Kamsa. A prophesy revealed that the eighth son of Kamsa’s sister, Devaki, would bring justice to the world and kill Kamsa. The king couldn’t bring himself to kill his own sister, so he imprisoned both her and her husband, Vasudeva. Kamsa killed the first six of Devaki’s sons and was told that the seventh had been aborted. However, the seventh son, Balarama, was also an incarnation of Vishnu, and survived by being miraculously transferred to the womb of Rohini, Vasudeva’s second wife. Balarama was sent to help Krishna in his earthly quest, and the two divine brothers grew up to be powerful warriors and allies. When the time for Krishna’s birth finally came, another miracle switched Krishna with a girl from a nearby village. Krishna ended up with his new foster parents Nanda and Yasoda, rich dairy farmers from the Braj area. Kamsa came to kill the eighth son, but instead found a baby girl and spared her life. The mythological origins story of Krishna and Balarama reveals their deep connection. The story explains that both brothers were created from two different hairs of Vishnu’s—Krishna was conceived from a black hair and Balarama from a white one.
Krishna and Balarama grew up together in a loving environment provided by Nanda, Yasoda, and Rohini. Krishna was famous for being a prankster as a child. He enjoyed stealing butter and curds from the workers at the dairy farm and causing other mischief. He often used his divine powers to avoid getting caught or to change the thoughts of anyone thinking of punishing him for misbehaving. Many depictions of Krishna in art feature him holding a ball of butter, which has become one of his symbols.
News of the miracles spread and Kamsa, still suspicious and anticipating his demise at the hands of Krishna, sent many demons to hunt for the boy. Krishna and Balarama defeated a number of them, including a witch, a serpent, an ox, and cow demons, and a sea dragon. As Krishna entered his teenage years, he also used his divine powers to enchant the local dairy girls and wives with his flute, leading them into midnight dances and love affairs. The flute became one of his symbols, and he is often portrayed with it, surrounded by young women.
Kamsa invited Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, his capital, for a major celebration. He intended to lure them into a trap and kill them. However, a follower of Krishna warned them of Kamsa’s plans, and the two divine brothers managed to defeat all the adversaries the king threw at them, including an evil elephant and two powerful wrestlers. In the end, Krishna and Balarama killed Kamsa and his eight brothers and took over the city of Mathura. In the king’s jail, they found Krishna’s birth parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, and freed them. Kamsa’s father-in-law, King Jarasandha of Magadha, vowed to avenge Kamsa and gathered support from many other powerful rulers against Krishna. Krishna had to retreat to an island off the northwest coast of India, where he built a new city, Dvaraka, which became the capital of his kingdom. Krishna’s kingdom flourished, becoming a rich and mighty land. He married more than sixteen thousand wives and built palaces for them in Dvaraka. His chief wife was Rukmini. According to scripture, each wife bore him ten children, so he was the father of more than one-hundred thousand offspring.
The final chapter of Krishna’s life covers the Kurukshetra War and its consequences, one of which was the departing of Krishna from his earthly body. The Pandavas and the Kauravas fought in an epic eighteen-day war, depicted in the Mahabharata scripture. Krishna helped the Pandavas win the war and, as a result, killed all one hundred sons of Gandhari, wife of the king of Hastinapura. She was stricken with grief and angry at Krishna’s role in the war and cursed Krishna and his whole dynasty, the Yadavas, to perish within thirty-six years. The Yadavas killed each other in disputes and Krishna was struck in the heel by an arrow causing his mortal body to die, while his essence ascended to the heavens as Vishnu.
Origins & Cults
The worship of Krishna started in the Braj region in Northern India. The beginning of his worship, however, cannot be determined with certainty and ranges from around 3000 BCE to 1500 BCE, based either on astrological or archeological evidence. References to Krishna can be found in early Vedic texts, but the earliest mention of his name dates circa 900 BCE. Krishna is one of the most significant incarnations of Vishnu and is worshiped by many different religious movements in different degrees of divinity. Some regard him as a mere companion to the true divine being, while others consider him to be the source of all divinity, equal to or greater than Vishnu. Krishna is venerated in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, as well as by a branch of Islam that considers Krishna to be a great prophet of God.
Bibliography
Archer, W.G.. "The Loves of Krishna: In Indian Painting and Poetry." Sai ePublications & Sai Shop, 8 Dec. 2015. Web. 21 July 2016.
Beck, Guy L. "Alternative Krishnas. State University of New York Press, Mar. 2005. Web. 21 July 2016.
"Crawling Krishna Holding a Butterball." University of Missouri Museum of Art and Archaeology, n.d. Web. 21 July 2016.
"The Symbol of Krishna’s Flute." International Sufi Movement,n.d. Web. 21 July 2016.
Vemsani, Lavanya. "Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names." ABC-CLIO, 30 Jun. 2016. Web. 21 July 2016.