Krishna: Difference between revisions
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:''This article is about |
:''This article is about God. For other meanings, see [[Lord Krishna (disambiguation)]].'' |
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'''Lord |
'''Lord Krishna''' ([[IAST]] ''{{IAST|kr.s.n.a}}'', the [[Sanskrit]] for "all-attractive") (see [[Lord Krishna#Lord Sri Krishna|below]]), is the eternal, omniscient and Supremely blissful Almighty [[God]]. |
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[[Image:UniversalForm.jpg|thumb|right|290px|Lord |
[[Image:UniversalForm.jpg|thumb|right|290px|Lord Krishna revealing His Universal form to [[Arjuna]] <small>''Artwork © courtesy of [http://www.Lord Krishna.com The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust]''</small>]] |
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==Major aspects== |
==Major aspects== |
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Lord |
Lord Krishna has many names, in a multiplicity of stories, among different cultures, and in different traditions. |
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Among |
Among His important or celebrated aspects are: |
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* |
* Sri Govinda, the lord of the cow-herders. He is accompanied by His divince brother [[Balarama]] (a prakasa of Lord Krishna), who is also known as Halayudha - 'armed with a plough'. |
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* Lord |
* Lord Krishna the focus of devotion (the lover, the attractive one, the flute player). He is frequently shown playing the flute, attracting and bewildering the residents of [[Vrindavana]]. |
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* Lord |
* Lord Krishna the child (Bala Lord Krishna). Stories of His upbringing in Gokula and Vrindavan are a staple of children's tales in India. |
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* The incarnation of the Supreme Being, and the divine [[Guru]], who teaches [[Arjuna]] how to take the right action in the [[Bhagavad Gita]]. |
* The incarnation of the Supreme Being, and the divine [[Guru]], who teaches [[Arjuna]] how to take the right action in the [[Bhagavad Gita]]. |
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==Texts, stories, and literature== |
==Texts, stories, and literature== |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:Radha Krishna_manor.JPG|thumb|180px|right|Lord Krishna (left) with [[Radha]]<br/>Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, England]] |
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A number of |
A large number of scriptures describe Lord Krishna, His pastimes and His divine instructions. These include the [[Mahabharata]], the [[Bhagavad Gita]], the [[Bhagavata Purana]], and the [[Gita Govinda]]. Roughly one quarter of the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' (mostly in the tenth book) is spent extolling His transcendental pastimes. |
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The best known, or the most important |
The best known, or the most important accounts of Lord Krishna, include these: |
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* Lord |
* Lord Krishna the butter-thief (Maakhanchor). Lord Krishna as a child stealing freshly made butter from His mother as a mark of His divine love for His mother. |
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* Lord Krishna Giridhari. As a boy, He raised Govardhana hill to protect the residents of Vraja from rain and flood sent by [[Indra]]. |
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* The killer of Putana. She was a demoness who was sent to kill him by getting him to suckle her poisoned breasts. |
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* Lord |
* Lord Krishna the prince of the Yadu dynasty at [[Dwaraka]]. As a prince he was also the husband of [[Rukmini]] and Satyabhama. |
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* Krishna the protector. He protects the dignity of [[Draupadi]] when [[Dushasana]] tries to strip her naked in the king's court. |
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* Govinda Lord Sri Krishna, the beloved of the [[gopi]]s. The original stories of Lord Sri Krishna as a boy included his adolescent play with the [[Gopi]]s or cowgirls of the village of [[Vrindavana]]. These were developed to form the basis of the [[Gita Govinda]], and numerous other later works. |
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* Lord Sri Krishna Vaasudeva the prince, of the [[Yadava]]s at [[Mathura]] and later at [[Dwaraka]]. As a prince he was also the husband of [[Rukmini]]. |
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* Lord Sri Krishna, together with Arjuna, was responsible for the burning of the Khandava forest. |
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* He plays a major role in the events leading up to the Kurukshetra war in the [[Mahabharata]], helping the Pandavas who accept him as their counsel and guide. He protects the dignity of [[Draupadi]] when [[Dushasana]] tries to strip her in the court. |
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===Birth and childhood=== |
===Birth and childhood=== |
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'''Lord |
'''Lord Krishna''' was of the royal family of [[Mathura]], and was the eighth son born to the princess [[Devaki]], and her husband [[Vasudeva]], a noble of the court. He was born in a prison cell in Mathura, and the place of His birth is now known as [[Lord Krishnajanmabhoomi]], where a temple is raised in His memory. As His life was in danger from His uncle [[Kamsa]] the king, he was smuggled out to be raised by His foster parents [[Yashoda]] and Nanda in the forest at [[Vrindavana]]. Two of His siblings also survived, [[Balarama]] and [[Subhadra]]. |
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===Boyhood and youth=== |
===Boyhood and youth=== |
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He reached adolescence in Vrindavana where he performed many charming and wonderful pastimes in the company of the residents of Vrindavana. |
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He reached adulthood at Vrindavana. The original corpus of stories of his youth here include that of his life with, and his protection of, the local people. They included those of his play with the gopis of the village, including [[Radha]], which later became known as the ''rasa lila''. |
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===Lord |
===Lord Krishna the prince=== |
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Lord |
Lord Krishna as a young man returned to Mathura, overthrew His uncle [[Kamsa]], and became ruler of the Yadavas at Dwarka after installing His maternal grandfather to the throne at Mathura. In this period he became a friend of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes of the [[Kuru]] kingdom on the other side of the [[Yamuna]]. Later, he returns to His kingdom in Dwaraka (in modern [[Gujarat]]). He married Rukmini, daughter of King [[BHishmaka]] of [[Vidarbha]]. |
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===The Kurukshetra War=== |
===The Kurukshetra War=== |
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In the [[Mahabharata]], Lord |
In the [[Mahabharata]], Lord Krishna is cousin to both sides in the war between the [[Pandava]]s and [[Kaurava]]s. He asks the sides to choose between His army and himself. The Kauravas pick His army and the Pandavas choose Him. He agrees to be the chariot driver for [[Arjuna]] in the great battle. The [[Bhagavad Gita]] is a poem that Lord Krishna speaks as instruction to Arjuna before the start of the battle. |
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=== |
===Dwarka=== |
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Lord |
Lord Krishna rules the Yadavas at Dwarka. Later, the Yadavas kill themselves through infighting. Lord Krishna dwells for a time in the forest, and disappears from earth. |
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==The Bhakti traditions== |
==The Bhakti traditions== |
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[[Image:AgathoclesSquareCoin.jpg|thumb|300px|Indian-standard silver drachm of the [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [[Agathocles of Bactria|Agathocles]] ([[190 BC]]-[[180 BC]])<br> |
[[Image:AgathoclesSquareCoin.jpg|thumb|300px|Indian-standard silver drachm of the [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [[Agathocles of Bactria|Agathocles]] ([[190 BC]]-[[180 BC]])<br> |
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'''Obv:''' |
'''Obv:''' God [[Balarama]]-[[Samkarshana]], wearing an ornate headress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding a mace in His right hand and a plow-symbol in the left. Greek legend: BASILEOS AGATOKLEOUS "King Agathocles". |
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<br>'''Rev:''' |
<br>'''Rev:''' God [[Vasudeva]]-[[Lord Krishna]], with ornate headdress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding [[sankha]] (pear-shaped vase) and [[chakra]] (wheel). [[Brahmi]] legend: RAJANE AGATHUKLAYASA "King Agathocles".]] |
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'''Bhakti''', meaning devotion, is not confined to any one deity of [[Hinduism]]. However Lord Sri Krishna has become the most important and popular focus of the [[devotional]] and [[ecstatic]] aspects of Hindu religion. |
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'''Bhakti''', meaning devotion, is confined to Lord Krishna in [[Sanatana Dharma]]. |
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Devotees of Lord Sri Krishna subscribe to the concept of [[lila]], or divine play as the central principle of the universe. This is counterpoint to another avatar of Vishnu: [[Rama]], "He of the straight and narrow path of ''maryada'', or rules and regulations." |
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===Earlier traditions=== |
===Earlier traditions=== |
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Those ''bhakti'' movements devoted to Lord |
Those ''bhakti'' movements devoted to Lord Krishna first became prominent in southern India in the late [[1st millennium]]. Earlier works included those of the [[Alvar]] saints of the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] country. A major collection of their works is the [[Divya Prabandham]]. |
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===Gita Govinda - the song of the cowherd=== |
===Gita Govinda - the song of the cowherd=== |
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Certain literary works were important to later development of the ''bhakti'' traditions, including especially the [[Gita Govinda]]. |
Certain literary works were important to later development of the ''bhakti'' traditions, including especially the [[Gita Govinda]]. THis work was composed by [[Jayadeva]] in eastern India, in the [[12th century]]. It elaborated part of the story of Lord Krishna, and of one particular gopi, called [[Radha]] who had been a minor character in the Mahabharata. According to one interpretation of tHis work, Radha represented humanity, and Lord Krishna represented divinity. The desire of Radha for Lord Krishna can be seen as allegory of the desire of humanity for union with the godhead. |
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===Recent Lord |
===Recent Lord Krishna bhakti movements=== |
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Later bhakti traditions include those promoted by [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] ([[16th century]] in [[Bengal]]). Followers of Chaitanya maintain that he is an incarnation of Lord |
Later bhakti traditions include those promoted by [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] ([[16th century]] in [[Bengal]]). Followers of Chaitanya maintain that he is an incarnation of Lord Krishna. A number of modern movements belong in tHis tradition, including [[ISKCON]], sometimes called the ''Hare Lord Krishna'' movement. ISKCON has recently been participating in bringing the academic study of Lord Krishna into western academia in the theological discourse on [[Krishnology]]. |
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==The name== |
==The name== |
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[[Image:Udupi_balaLord |
[[Image:Udupi_balaLord Krishna.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Icon of [[Lord Krishna]] in [[Udupi]].]] |
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The Sanskrit name and word is written ''{{IAST|kṛṣṇa}}'' in [[IAST]] transliteration (the equivalent of [[Devanagari]] {{Unicode|कृष्ण}}; see [[Sanskrit]] for pronunciation.) |
The Sanskrit name and word is written ''{{IAST|kṛṣṇa}}'' in [[IAST]] transliteration (the equivalent of [[Devanagari]] {{Unicode|कृष्ण}}; see [[Sanskrit]] for pronunciation.) |
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===Lord |
===Lord Krishna the Dark One=== |
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The term Lord |
The term Lord Krishna in Sanskrit means "black" or "dark". It is related to similar words in other [[Indo-European]] languages meaning black. The name is often translated as 'the dark one' or as 'the black one'. |
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In depictions, Lord |
In depictions, Lord Krishna often appears as a black or dark-skinned figure, for instance in the modern [[murti]]s (statues) and pictorial representations of Lord [[Jaganatha]] at [[Puri]] (Lord Krishna as Lord of the World). In the same representations, His brother and sister are shown with a distinctly lighter complexion. Early pictorial representations also generally show him as dark or black-skinned. [[Rajasthan]]i miniature paintings of the [[16th century]] are often of a brown or black-skinned figure. However, by the [[19th century]], he is almost always shown as blue skinned. |
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===Other meanings of the name=== |
===Other meanings of the name=== |
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The name is sometimes said to mean dark blue, rather than black. |
The name is sometimes said to mean dark blue, rather than black. THis may be connected to the common modern practice of representing many Hindu deities with blue skin. The blue is meant to represent the deities' holy aura. |
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*[[Mahabharata]], [[Udyogaparva]] 71.4, gives |
*[[Mahabharata]], [[Udyogaparva]] 71.4, gives tHis analysis of the word 'Lord Krishna': |
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:''krishir bhu-vacakah sabdo nas ca nirvriti-vacakah'' |
:''krishir bhu-vacakah sabdo nas ca nirvriti-vacakah'' |
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:''tayor aikyam param brahma Lord |
:''tayor aikyam param brahma Lord Krishna ity abhidhiyate'' |
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*"The word 'krish' is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and 'na' means 'spiritual pleasure.' When the verb krish is added to na, it becomes Lord |
*"The word 'krish' is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and 'na' means 'spiritual pleasure.' When the verb krish is added to na, it becomes Lord Krishna, which indicates the Absolute Truth." |
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*According to the [[Vishnu sahasranama]], Lord |
*According to the [[Vishnu sahasranama]], Lord Krishna is the 57th name of [[Vishnu]], and also means the "Existence of Knowledge and Bliss". |
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*There are [http://www.astrology.aryabhatt.com/108_Names_Lord |
*There are [http://www.astrology.aryabhatt.com/108_Names_Lord Krishna.asp 108 Names of Lord Krishna] |
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[[Image:Krishngovinda.jpg|thumb|180px|Gopala, the protector of [[sacred cow|cows]].]] |
[[Image:Krishngovinda.jpg|thumb|180px|Gopala, the protector of [[sacred cow|cows]].]] |
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===Other names of Lord |
===Other names of Lord Krishna === |
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He is known by [[List of titles and names of Lord |
He is known by [[List of titles and names of Lord Krishna|numerous other names or titles]]. The most commonly used of these include: |
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* ''[[Acyutah]]'' |
* ''[[Acyutah]]'' |
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* ''[[Madhava]]'' - bringer of springtime |
* ''[[Madhava]]'' - bringer of springtime |
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* '' [[ Panduranga]]'' |
* '' [[ Panduranga]]'' |
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* ''[[Vaasudeva]]'', Lord |
* ''[[Vaasudeva]]'', Lord Krishna Vaasudeva - son of [[Vasudeva]] |
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==Chronology== |
==Chronology== |
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A paper presented recently{{fact}} at a convention in [[Prabhas Patan]] near [[Somnath]], speculates that Lord |
A paper presented recently{{fact}} at a convention in [[Prabhas Patan]] near [[Somnath]], speculates that Lord Krishna "died" at the age of 125 on [[February 18]], [[32nd century BC|3102 BC]] at 14:27:30 hours on the banks of river [[Hiran]] in Prabhas Patan. As the report goes, he was 125 years, 7 months and 6 days old when he left the earth for His [[divine]] abode [[Goloka]]. |
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The finding was based on clues in the [[Rig Veda|Vedic]] literatures. Certain dates were fed into special software which was used to prepare a ''kundli'' (astrological horoscope charts). The [[Bhagavata Purana]] and [[Bhagavad Gita]] say that Lord |
The finding was based on clues in the [[Rig Veda|Vedic]] literatures. Certain dates were fed into special software which was used to prepare a ''kundli'' (astrological horoscope charts). The [[Bhagavata Purana]] and [[Bhagavad Gita]] say that Lord Krishna "left" [[Dwarka]] 36 years after the Battle of the [[Mahabharata]]. The [[Matsya Purana]] says that Lord Krishna was 89 years old when the battle was fought. There after [[Pandavas]] ruled for a period of 36 years, their rule was in the beginning of Kali yuga. It further says that the [[Kali Yuga]] began on the day Duryodhana was felled to ground by Bhima. Some Hindus believe that the year [[2005]] is the year 5106 of the Kali Yuga (which began with a [[year zero|year 0]]). |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Hindu deities]] |
*[[Hindu deities]] |
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*[[List of Hindu deities]] |
*[[List of Hindu deities]] |
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*[[International Society for Lord |
*[[International Society for Lord Krishna Consciousness]] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.parthasaradhi.org Lord |
* [http://www.parthasaradhi.org Lord Krishna Temple Website] |
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* [http://www.dlshq.org/download/lordLord |
* [http://www.dlshq.org/download/lordLord Krishna.htm Lord Krishna and His Teachings, by Swami Sivananda] |
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* [http://www.iskcon.com/ International Society for Lord |
* [http://www.iskcon.com/ International Society for Lord Krishna Consciousness] |
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* [http://1-Lord |
* [http://1-Lord Krishna.com Hare Lord Krishna ] |
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* [http://www.vedabase.net/kb/en Lord |
* [http://www.vedabase.net/kb/en Lord Krishna's Life Story] |
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* [http://www.shikshapatri.org.uk/~imagedb/hms/mss_obj.php?type=biographies&id=7#a7 Lord |
* [http://www.shikshapatri.org.uk/~imagedb/hms/mss_obj.php?type=biographies&id=7#a7 Lord Krishna's Biography] |
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* [http://www.hareLord |
* [http://www.hareLord Krishna.com/~ara/col/books/BG/tsem1.html Gita and strong monotheism.] |
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* [http://Lord |
* [http://Lord Krishna.org/Articles/2000/10/00147.html Questions From A Muslim With Answers From Khan] |
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* [http://www.Lord |
* [http://www.Lord Krishna.com/ Lord Krishna.com] All about Lord Krishna. Includes information, books, MP3s, images, and radio. |
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* [http://www.sreecgmath.org Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math] An extensive site on the bhakti tradition and Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
* [http://www.sreecgmath.org Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math] An extensive site on the bhakti tradition and Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
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* [http://www.jkp.org Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat] The homepage of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, which propagates ''Raganuga Bhakti'' |
* [http://www.jkp.org Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat] The homepage of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, which propagates ''Raganuga Bhakti'' |
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* [http://www.stephen-knapp.com/sri_Lord |
* [http://www.stephen-knapp.com/sri_Lord Krishna.htm Stephen Knapp's site about Lord Krishna.] |
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* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/index.htm#8 Vedic Encyclopedia] information on Lord |
* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/index.htm#8 Vedic Encyclopedia] information on Lord Krishna. |
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* [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/Lord |
* [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/Lord Krishnaimage Iconographic Perception of Lord Krishna's Image], by Dr. P. C. Jain. |
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* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/ |
* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/Historical-krsna.htm Search for the Historical Lord Krishna, by Prof. N.S. Rajaram] |
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*[http://www.wva-vvrs.org/ World Vaishnava Association] An Umbrella Organisation of the Vaishnava faith |
*[http://www.wva-vvrs.org/ World Vaishnava Association] An Umbrella Organisation of the Vaishnava faith |
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*[http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/ Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha] An extensive site on Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
*[http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/ Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha] An extensive site on Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
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* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/Lord |
* [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/Lord Krishna-archeology.htm Lord Krishna Archeology, by Nanditha Lord Krishna] |
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* [http://www.dvaita.org/shaastra/gita/gita_sara/gs-007.html Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness] (only one God in Hinduism, #56 and see Shri Lord |
* [http://www.dvaita.org/shaastra/gita/gita_sara/gs-007.html Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness] (only one God in Hinduism, #56 and see Shri Lord Krishna is the supreme God; #57.) |
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*[http://www.ashejournal.com/four/index.shtml Ashe Journal] Special Issue on Lord |
*[http://www.ashejournal.com/four/index.shtml Ashe Journal] Special Issue on Lord Krishna Consciousness |
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*[http://www.gitamrta.org/ Pro-Lord |
*[http://www.gitamrta.org/ Pro-Lord Krishna site] |
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*[http://www.vina.cc/ VINA - Vaishnava Internet News Agency] The Official News Site of the World Vaishnava Association |
*[http://www.vina.cc/ VINA - Vaishnava Internet News Agency] The Official News Site of the World Vaishnava Association |
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*[http://bhagavadgita.swami-center.org/page_21.shtml Three Aspects of Lord |
*[http://bhagavadgita.swami-center.org/page_21.shtml Three Aspects of Lord Krishna’s Teaching] |
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{{Hinduism}} |
{{Hinduism}} |
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[[Category:Mahabharata epic]] |
[[Category:Mahabharata epic]] |
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[[Category:Hindu gods]] |
[[Category:Hindu gods]] |
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[[category:titles and names of Lord |
[[category:titles and names of Lord Krishna]] |
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[[Category:Vaishnavism]] |
[[Category:Vaishnavism]] |
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[[Category:Forms of Vishnu]] |
[[Category:Forms of Vishnu]] |
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[[ca:Lord |
[[ca:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[da:Lord |
[[da:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[de:Lord |
[[de:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[es:Lord |
[[es:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[eo:Kris^no]] |
[[eo:Kris^no]] |
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[[fr:Lord |
[[fr:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[it:Lord |
[[it:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[hu:Krisna]] |
[[hu:Krisna]] |
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[[nl:Lord |
[[nl:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[no:Lord |
[[no:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[pl:Kryszna (bóg)]] |
[[pl:Kryszna (bóg)]] |
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[[pt:Lord |
[[pt:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[ru:??????]] |
[[ru:??????]] |
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[[simple:Lord |
[[simple:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[sr:??????]] |
[[sr:??????]] |
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[[fi:Lord |
[[fi:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[sv:Lord |
[[sv:Lord Krishna]] |
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[[ta:?????????]] |
[[ta:?????????]] |
Revision as of 18:07, 26 December 2005
- This article is about God. For other meanings, see Lord Krishna (disambiguation).
Lord Krishna (IAST kr.s.n.a, the Sanskrit for "all-attractive") (see below), is the eternal, omniscient and Supremely blissful Almighty God.
Major aspects
Lord Krishna has many names, in a multiplicity of stories, among different cultures, and in different traditions.
Among His important or celebrated aspects are:
- Sri Govinda, the lord of the cow-herders. He is accompanied by His divince brother Balarama (a prakasa of Lord Krishna), who is also known as Halayudha - 'armed with a plough'.
- Lord Krishna the focus of devotion (the lover, the attractive one, the flute player). He is frequently shown playing the flute, attracting and bewildering the residents of Vrindavana.
- Lord Krishna the child (Bala Lord Krishna). Stories of His upbringing in Gokula and Vrindavan are a staple of children's tales in India.
- The incarnation of the Supreme Being, and the divine Guru, who teaches Arjuna how to take the right action in the Bhagavad Gita.
Texts, stories, and literature
A large number of scriptures describe Lord Krishna, His pastimes and His divine instructions. These include the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda. Roughly one quarter of the Bhagavata Purana (mostly in the tenth book) is spent extolling His transcendental pastimes.
The best known, or the most important accounts of Lord Krishna, include these:
- Lord Krishna the butter-thief (Maakhanchor). Lord Krishna as a child stealing freshly made butter from His mother as a mark of His divine love for His mother.
- Lord Krishna Giridhari. As a boy, He raised Govardhana hill to protect the residents of Vraja from rain and flood sent by Indra.
- Lord Krishna the prince of the Yadu dynasty at Dwaraka. As a prince he was also the husband of Rukmini and Satyabhama.
- Krishna the protector. He protects the dignity of Draupadi when Dushasana tries to strip her naked in the king's court.
- Paartha-sarathi – the charioteer of Arjuna (Paartha) during the great battle where he instructs Arjuna in dharma and yoga in the Bhagavad Gita.
Summary of the account of Lord Krishna
THis summary is derived from the Mahabharata, and the Harivamsaparva, an addendum to it.
Birth and childhood
Lord Krishna was of the royal family of Mathura, and was the eighth son born to the princess Devaki, and her husband Vasudeva, a noble of the court. He was born in a prison cell in Mathura, and the place of His birth is now known as Lord Krishnajanmabhoomi, where a temple is raised in His memory. As His life was in danger from His uncle Kamsa the king, he was smuggled out to be raised by His foster parents Yashoda and Nanda in the forest at Vrindavana. Two of His siblings also survived, Balarama and Subhadra.
Boyhood and youth
He reached adolescence in Vrindavana where he performed many charming and wonderful pastimes in the company of the residents of Vrindavana.
Lord Krishna the prince
Lord Krishna as a young man returned to Mathura, overthrew His uncle Kamsa, and became ruler of the Yadavas at Dwarka after installing His maternal grandfather to the throne at Mathura. In this period he became a friend of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes of the Kuru kingdom on the other side of the Yamuna. Later, he returns to His kingdom in Dwaraka (in modern Gujarat). He married Rukmini, daughter of King BHishmaka of Vidarbha.
The Kurukshetra War
In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna is cousin to both sides in the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. He asks the sides to choose between His army and himself. The Kauravas pick His army and the Pandavas choose Him. He agrees to be the chariot driver for Arjuna in the great battle. The Bhagavad Gita is a poem that Lord Krishna speaks as instruction to Arjuna before the start of the battle.
Dwarka
Lord Krishna rules the Yadavas at Dwarka. Later, the Yadavas kill themselves through infighting. Lord Krishna dwells for a time in the forest, and disappears from earth.
The Bhakti traditions
Bhakti, meaning devotion, is confined to Lord Krishna in Sanatana Dharma.
Earlier traditions
Those bhakti movements devoted to Lord Krishna first became prominent in southern India in the late 1st millennium. Earlier works included those of the Alvar saints of the Tamil country. A major collection of their works is the Divya Prabandham.
Gita Govinda - the song of the cowherd
Certain literary works were important to later development of the bhakti traditions, including especially the Gita Govinda. THis work was composed by Jayadeva in eastern India, in the 12th century. It elaborated part of the story of Lord Krishna, and of one particular gopi, called Radha who had been a minor character in the Mahabharata. According to one interpretation of tHis work, Radha represented humanity, and Lord Krishna represented divinity. The desire of Radha for Lord Krishna can be seen as allegory of the desire of humanity for union with the godhead.
Recent Lord Krishna bhakti movements
Later bhakti traditions include those promoted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (16th century in Bengal). Followers of Chaitanya maintain that he is an incarnation of Lord Krishna. A number of modern movements belong in tHis tradition, including ISKCON, sometimes called the Hare Lord Krishna movement. ISKCON has recently been participating in bringing the academic study of Lord Krishna into western academia in the theological discourse on Krishnology.
The name
The Sanskrit name and word is written kṛṣṇa in IAST transliteration (the equivalent of Devanagari कृष्ण; see Sanskrit for pronunciation.)
Lord Krishna the Dark One
The term Lord Krishna in Sanskrit means "black" or "dark". It is related to similar words in other Indo-European languages meaning black. The name is often translated as 'the dark one' or as 'the black one'.
In depictions, Lord Krishna often appears as a black or dark-skinned figure, for instance in the modern murtis (statues) and pictorial representations of Lord Jaganatha at Puri (Lord Krishna as Lord of the World). In the same representations, His brother and sister are shown with a distinctly lighter complexion. Early pictorial representations also generally show him as dark or black-skinned. Rajasthani miniature paintings of the 16th century are often of a brown or black-skinned figure. However, by the 19th century, he is almost always shown as blue skinned.
Other meanings of the name
The name is sometimes said to mean dark blue, rather than black. THis may be connected to the common modern practice of representing many Hindu deities with blue skin. The blue is meant to represent the deities' holy aura.
- Mahabharata, Udyogaparva 71.4, gives tHis analysis of the word 'Lord Krishna':
- krishir bhu-vacakah sabdo nas ca nirvriti-vacakah
- tayor aikyam param brahma Lord Krishna ity abhidhiyate
- "The word 'krish' is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and 'na' means 'spiritual pleasure.' When the verb krish is added to na, it becomes Lord Krishna, which indicates the Absolute Truth."
- According to the Vishnu sahasranama, Lord Krishna is the 57th name of Vishnu, and also means the "Existence of Knowledge and Bliss".
- There are Krishna.asp 108 Names of Lord Krishna
Other names of Lord Krishna
He is known by numerous other names or titles. The most commonly used of these include:
- Acyutah
- Gopala - cowherd; protector of cows
- Govinda - protector of cows
- Hari - the fawn (or yellow or gold) coloured one
- Hrshikesha - master of the senses
- Jaganatha - lord of the universe (see also Juggernaut).
- Keshava – long haired; in some accounts, the killer of Kesi
- Madhava - bringer of springtime
- Panduranga
- Vaasudeva, Lord Krishna Vaasudeva - son of Vasudeva
Chronology
A paper presented recently[citation needed] at a convention in Prabhas Patan near Somnath, speculates that Lord Krishna "died" at the age of 125 on February 18, 3102 BC at 14:27:30 hours on the banks of river Hiran in Prabhas Patan. As the report goes, he was 125 years, 7 months and 6 days old when he left the earth for His divine abode Goloka.
The finding was based on clues in the Vedic literatures. Certain dates were fed into special software which was used to prepare a kundli (astrological horoscope charts). The Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita say that Lord Krishna "left" Dwarka 36 years after the Battle of the Mahabharata. The Matsya Purana says that Lord Krishna was 89 years old when the battle was fought. There after Pandavas ruled for a period of 36 years, their rule was in the beginning of Kali yuga. It further says that the Kali Yuga began on the day Duryodhana was felled to ground by Bhima. Some Hindus believe that the year 2005 is the year 5106 of the Kali Yuga (which began with a year 0).
See also
- Balarama
- Bhagavad Gita
- Vishnu
- Hindu deities
- List of Hindu deities
- International Society for Lord Krishna Consciousness
External links
- Lord Krishna Temple Website
- Krishna.htm Lord Krishna and His Teachings, by Swami Sivananda
- International Society for Lord Krishna Consciousness
- Krishna.com Hare Lord Krishna
- Lord Krishna's Life Story
- Lord Krishna's Biography
- Krishna.com/~ara/col/books/BG/tsem1.html Gita and strong monotheism.
- Krishna.org/Articles/2000/10/00147.html Questions From A Muslim With Answers From Khan
- Krishna.com/ Lord Krishna.com All about Lord Krishna. Includes information, books, MP3s, images, and radio.
- Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math An extensive site on the bhakti tradition and Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat The homepage of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, which propagates Raganuga Bhakti
- Krishna.htm Stephen Knapp's site about Lord Krishna.
- Vedic Encyclopedia information on Lord Krishna.
- Krishnaimage Iconographic Perception of Lord Krishna's Image, by Dr. P. C. Jain.
- Search for the Historical Lord Krishna, by Prof. N.S. Rajaram
- World Vaishnava Association An Umbrella Organisation of the Vaishnava faith
- Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha An extensive site on Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- Krishna-archeology.htm Lord Krishna Archeology, by Nanditha Lord Krishna
- Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness (only one God in Hinduism, #56 and see Shri Lord Krishna is the supreme God; #57.)
- Ashe Journal Special Issue on Lord Krishna Consciousness
- Pro-Lord Krishna site
- VINA - Vaishnava Internet News Agency The Official News Site of the World Vaishnava Association
- Three Aspects of Lord Krishna’s Teaching
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