कृष्ण
Krishna
Govinda · The Divine Flute-Player
“Divine love and wisdom — the cowherd of Vrindavan and teacher of the Gita.”
Krishna is the eighth avatar of Vishnu, the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita, and one of the most beloved deities in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the playful child (Bal Gopal), the divine lover (with Radha), the wise charioteer (in the Mahabharata), and the supreme Godhead.
- Vahana
- Garuda
- Consort
- Rukmini · Radha in devotion
- Abode
- Goloka · Dwarka
- Tradition
- Vaishnava
Devi's Insight · What few people know
Krishna in the Upanishads
Long before the Bhagavata Purana, an Upanishad already mentions “Krishna, son of Devaki”, who learns from the sage Ghora Angirasa that life itself is a sacrifice and that one should meditate on the imperishable at the end. It is one of the earliest textual references to the name, and its teaching echoes the Bhagavad Gita.
Source: Chandogya Upanishad 3.17.6
Iconography
Reading the sacred form
- 1
Dark blue/black complexion: infinite like the sky.
- 2
Playing flute (Murli): the divine call that enchants all of creation.
- 3
Peacock feather in crown: beauty, grace, and acceptance of all aspects of nature.
- 4
Yellow garments (Pitambara): earth and prosperity.
- 5
Standing in Tribhanga pose (three-bend): grace and beauty.
- 6
Radha always beside him: divine love that transcends worldly attachment.
- 7
Cow and calf: nurturing and protection of dharma.
- 8
Sudarshana Chakra (in Vishwarupa form): divine will and protection.
From the scriptures
Did you know?
He held Govardhan hill on one finger for seven days to shelter Vrindavan from Indra's storm.
— Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10
The Bhagavad Gita, about 700 verses, sits inside the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata.
— Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva
As a child he showed his mother Yashoda the whole universe inside his mouth.
— Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10
Chant
Sacred mantras
Celebrate
Festivals
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