Krishna

Krishna or Kṛṣṇa (meaning black as well as all-attractive one) is a Hindu god, and is popularly considered one of the avatars of Vishnu. Another perspective presents Krishna as existing prior to any material manifestation and prior to any God such as Vishnu, who is assigned the task of maintaining the material manifestation. In this view, Krishna is considered the Supreme Lord. Perhaps the best way to explain the relationship between Krishna and Vishnu is to consider them to be irrevocably linked and that one is the expansion of the other.

According to the Mahabharata, Krishna is the narrator of the Bhagavad Gita: he narrates the Gita to Arjuna in the beginning of the great Mahabharata battle. Parthasarathy is a name of Krishna that refers to his being the charioteer (sarathy) of Arjuna when he narrates the Gita, a name that endears Krishna to Arjuna who becomes blissful whenever he contemplates how merciful it is that Krishna has consented to become his charioteer.

Stories surrounding Krishna depict him as mischievous and clever, showing that even God has a sense of humor. His pastimes are ever youthful. He is found stealing clothes from the Gopis, breaking the butterpot for ghee, and playing transcendental pranks This is a counterpoint to another avatar of Vishnu: Rama, he of the straight and narrow path.

Krishna also is involved in defending honor, and in fighting demonic personalities. In one such story, Vishnu told Krishna to kill Kamsa, a tyrant and a son of a demon. Krishna and his brother, Balarama, were threated by Kamsa, who had been told a son of his half-sister, Devaki, would kill him. He therefore murdered her first six children. Krishna and Balarama, twins, were moved to Rohini's womb to protect them. Krishna was then given to Nanda and Yasoda to hide him from Kamsa; as a child, he was known as Balakrsna, one of hundreds of names of Krishna. Of all names, Krishna, or all attractive, is considered the topmost.

While growing up, Krishna led a mischievous life, playing pranks and engaging in a variety of transcendental pastimes. Radha, is the object of Krishna's love, and is joined with Him as the Fountainhead of all Spiritual Energy from which the material universes emanate.

Krishna is 'Sat Cit Ananda', full of bliss and knowlege. To a Hindu, all living entities are part and parcel of Krishna, and each living entity walks within a world made up of the material energy, another one of Krishna's unblimited energies.

The amorous pastimes of Krishna are popularly misunderstood and should not be attempted until the nature of Krishna is fully inderstood. For example, to fulfill the desires of his devotees he expanded to be personally present to His sixteen-thousand wives. On one hand this seems adulterous, whereas on the other hand, as expansions of Krishna, all husbands are part and parcel of Krishna and therefore ultimately Krishna is indirectly married to all wives.

Despite all these transcendental activities, Krishna's favorite is Radha, daughter of Nanda. When Krishna advented in Vrindavana, India, Radha followed within two years, however, she would not open her eyes until Krishna was present before Her. At Her first birth day Krishna, (then three) came and pulled down the veil of her crib. She then opened Her eyes because Krishna, was there as if He had just stepped out of the Spiritual World. Compared to the Spiritual World, there was nothing here worthwhile for Radha to see.

Upon reaching adulthood, Krishna killed Kamsa.

Krishna is also married to Bhumidevi and, with her, he is the father of Naraka.

See also: Juggernaut, River Krishna

Alternative: Parthasarthy