Krishna

The Eighth Avatar of Vishnu (Photograph by Anne-Colombe Launois)

### Consorts

Radha, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Lakshmana, Satya, Bhadra, Nagnajiti and 16,000–16,100 other junior queens

### Offspring

Samba, among thousands of other sons and daughters

**Krishna** is the eighth incarnation of the Primeval Hindu deity, Vishnu, and is worshipped as a god of love, compassion and tenderness. He is one of the most widely prominent and popular Hindu deities of all time.

## Overview

Krishna is mostly the god of Love, Knowledge, and Beauty. Krishna is recognized as the Svayam Bhagavan which is the eight avatar and complete incarnation of Vishnu, the Preserver. He battled many demons and waged war alongside a man called Arjuna. He is a famous deity in the Mahabharata and he is believed to have written the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna is one of the most widely worshiped and popular of all Hindu deities.

Krishna is often described and portrayed as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute as in the or as an elder giving direction and guidance as in the Bhagavad Gita. The stories of Krishna appear across a broad spectrum of Hindu Philosophical and theological traditions. They portray him in various perspectives: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the Supreme Being

His Name is sometimes translated as "all-attractive." Krishna was raised by cow herders. As a boy, he would play his flute, causing women to flock to him. As an adult, he became a great tactician. Left his physical body after being shot in the back of the leg by mistake by a hunter named Jara.

Krishna is often portrayed as an infant eating butter; a young boy playing a flute, and as in the Bhagavata Purana; a young man along with Radha; or a young man surrounded by women; or as an elderly gentleman giving direction and guidance, as in the Bhagavad Gita.

## Appearance

Krishna is often represented as an androgynous male, possessing female physical characteristics, sometimes resembling a woman. The reason for this is probably to show that Krishna was a very beautiful man, as other religious figures such as John the Apostle were also depicted with androgynous traits to represent beauty.

Krishna's appearance was that of a young man, with blue skin (It should be noted that the color blue is intended to represent a black-skinned person) and a delicate face like that of a woman. He has a curvy but shapely appearance, somewhat muscular but slender. His hair was dark and long, with his eyes being golden. He usually appears shirtless on top, wearing only a pair of Hindu prince pants. He is usually carrying his flute.

## Powers and Abilities

Krishna is one of the most powerful incarnations of Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity if not the most powerful. Of all the Vishnu avatars he is the most popular, and perhaps of all Hindu gods the one closest to the heart of the masses.

* **Marfik**: An skill used by all deities that have avatars. This skill causes the avatar to lose its consciousness, with its true self taking control of the body, being able to use all of its abilities and powers. When Krishna uses this skill, his mind is erased, with Vishnu taking full control of his body, with Krishna no longer being separate deities but one and the same. Literally Krishna becomes the self-inserting Avatar of his progenitor. Remembering that this ability can also be used by the true self of each avatar, without needing the avatar's permission or authorization to take control of it.

## Myths and Legends

Krishna is represented in the Indian traditions in many ways, but with some common features. His iconography typically depicts him with black, dark, or blue skin, like Vishnu. However, ancient and medieval reliefs and stone-based arts depict him in the natural color of the material out of which he is formed, both in India and in southeast Asia. In some texts, his skin is poetically described as the color of Jambul (Jamun, a purple-colored fruit).

For generations, Krishna has been an enigma to some, but a god to millions, who go ecstatic even as they hear his name. People consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all rolled into one. Krishna has influenced the Indian thought, life and culture in myriad ways. He has influenced not only its religion and philosophy, but also into its mysticism and literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore.

Indian as well as Western scholars have now accepted the period between 3,200 and 3,100 BCE as the period in which Lord Krishna lived on earth. Krishna took birth at midnight on the ashtami or the 8th day of the Krishnapaksha or dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan (August-September). The birthday of Krishna is called Janmashthami, a special occasion for Hindus that is celebrated around the world. The birth of Krishna is in itself a transcendental phenomenon that generates awe among the Hindus and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings.

Krishna is commonly worshipped as:

* *Kanhaiyya/Bankey Bihari/Thakurji*: Uttar Pradesh
* *Jagannath*: Odisha
* *Vithoba*: Maharashtra
* *Shrinathji*: Rajasthan
* *Guruvayoorappan*: Kerala
* *Dwarakadheesh/Ranchhod*: Gujarat
* *Parthasarathy*: Tamil Nadu

### Non-Hindu Legends

Krishna is mentioned as *Krishna Avtar* in the Chaubis Avtar, a composition in Dasam Granth traditionally and historically attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. Baháʼís believe that Krishna was a "Manifestation of God", or one in a line of prophets who have revealed the Word of God progressively for a gradually maturing humanity. In this way, Krishna shares an exalted station with Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Muhammad, Jesus, the Báb, and the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, Bahá'u'lláh.

Ahmadiyya, a 20th-century Islamic movement, consider Krishna as one of their ancient prophets. Ghulam Ahmad stated that he was himself a prophet in the likeness of prophets such as Krishna, Jesus, and Muhammad, who had come to earth as a latter-day reviver of religion and morality.

Krishna worship or reverence has been adopted by several new religious movements since the 19th century, and he is sometimes a member of an eclectic pantheon in occult texts, along with Greek, Buddhist, biblical, and even historical figures. For instance, Édouard Schuré, an influential figure in perennial philosophy and occult movements, considered Krishna a *Great Initiate*, while Theosophists regard Krishna as an incarnation of Maitreya (one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom), the most important spiritual teacher for humanity along with Buddha.

Krishna was canonized by Aleister Crowley and is recognized as a saint of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica in the Gnostic Mass of Ordo Templi Orientis.

## Trivia

* Krishna charitas is a name given to legends regarding the life of Krishna.
* Krishna's children are said to many different names in different interpretations. In Bahagvad Puran,a and many other scriptures, Krishna had 16,008-16,108 wives and 160,080-161,080 children. In perspective he had 10 children with each of his consorts.
* The name Krishna means 'black'; the color black also relates to mysteries.
* Theologians have equated Krishna with Jesus Christ.