Krishna
Krishna with Radha, 18th C Rajasthani painting Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (767x1108, 581 KB) Painting of Radha and Krishna from the 1700s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Devanagari	कृष्ण
Affiliation	Vishnu Avatar Svayam bhagavan
Abode	Vrindavan, Dwarka
Weapon	Discus (Sudarshana Chakra)
Consort	Radha, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati.
Sastra	Bhagavata Purana, Bhagavad-gita
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This article is about the Hindu deity. For other meanings, see Krishna (disambiguation).

Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari, kṛṣṇa in IAST, pronounced [ˈkr̩ʂɳə] in classical Sanskrit) is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism. Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism is monotheistic in its understanding of Krishna.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} A distinguishing feature of the Vaisnava teachings is that God, as Krishna or Vishnu,^[7][8] is a real being and His creation is also real.^[8][9]
Krishna is often described as having the appearance of a dark-skinned man during his earthly incarnation, often depicted as a young cowherd boy playing a flute (as in the Bhagavata Purana) or a youthful prince giving philosophical direction and guidance to others (as in the Bhagavad Gita).^[8]There are a number of perspectives on Krishna within a number of traditions in India.^[10]
Krishna and the stories associated with him appear across a broad spectrum of Hindu philosophical and theological traditions.^[11][9] Though they sometimes differ in details reflecting the concerns of a particular tradition, some core features are shared by all.^[10] These include a divine incarnation, a pastoral childhood and youth, and life as a heroic warrior and teacher.^[7] Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ... , Vrindavan   (alternate spellings Vrindaban or Brindavan), or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on the site of an ancient forest which is believed to have been the region where the famous cowherd boy, Krishna, from Hindu scriptures spent his childhood days. ... , Dwarka   is a city and a municipality in Jamnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. ... Sudarshana Chakra (Sanskrit: सुदर्शण चक्रम्) is a spinning disc like weapon with very sharp edge, which is one of the weapons in the Hindu God Vishnus hands. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In Hinduism, Srimati Rukmini was the first wife and queen of Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu. ... Satyabhama is the beloved third wife of Hinduisms Lord Krishna, known for her strong will and tantrums. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it easier to understand, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... Krishna reveals his Vishvarupa form to Arjuna during their discourse of the Bhagavad Gita. ... Krishna is a Hindu deity and the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanāgarÄ« (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... This article is about the term Deity in the context of mysticism and theology. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... For the Celtic Frost album, see Monotheist (album) In theology, monotheism (from Greek one and god) is the belief in the existence of one deity, or in the oneness of God. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... A cowboy (Spanish vaquero) tends cattle and horses on cattle ranches in North and South America. ... The bansuri (Hindi: ) is a transverse alto flute of India, made of a single length of bamboo with six or seven open finger holes. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Hindu philosophy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... For other uses, see Divinity (disambiguation) and Divine (disambiguation). ... This article is about the type of character. ... For other uses, see Warrior (disambiguation). ...

The exact relationship between Krishna and Vishnu, particularly regarding which is "primary" to the other, is one of the more frequently discussed issues in the Vaishnava majority branch of Hinduism.^[12] Within all Vaishnava traditions Vishnu is believed to be the Supreme God and the source of all avatars, while Krishna is often worshiped as a full avatar of Vishnu or regarded as non-different from Him.^[1] In some Vaishnava traditions, such as Gaudiya Vaishnavism,^[1][2] the Vallabha Sampradaya and the Nimbarka Sampradaya, Krishna is worshiped as svayam bhagavan, believed to be the source of all avatars including Vishnu.^[3][4] Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... The Sri Nimbarka Sampradaya (IAST Śrī Nimbārka Sampradāya; Sanskrit श्रीनिम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय), also known as the Hamsa Sampradāya, Kumāra Sampradāya, Catuḥ Sana Sampradāya, Sanakādi Sampradāya etc, is one of the four authorised Vaiṣṇava Sampradāyas (philosophical schools characterised by leaders in disciplic succession) as...

Etymology

Main article: List of titles and names of Krishna

The term Krishna in Sanskrit has the literal meaning of "black" or "dark", and is used as a name to describe someone with dark skin. The Brahma Samhita describes Krishna's complexion as being "tinged with the hue of blue clouds",^[13] and he is often depicted in paintings with blue or dark-blue skin. In murtis, Krishna is more commonly portrayed as being dark skinned or black. For instance the Jagannatha deity (a form of Krishna, whose name means Lord of the World) at Puri is black in colour, next to his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra, both having much lighter complexions. . ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... The Brahma Samhita is a Sanskrit Pancaratra text, comprised of verses of prayer believed to be spoken by Brahma to Krishna at the beginning of creation. ... A large clay Ganesha murti at Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, 2004 In Hinduism, a murti (Devanagari: मूर्ति) typically refers to an image in which the Divine Spirit is murta, or expressed. ... Jagannatha (1690-1750) was an astronomer in the court of Jai Singh. ... Puri is a city in the Indian state of Orissa. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... Jagannath(far right) with his brother Balarama(far left) and sister Subadra (center) in Radhadesh, Belgium Subhadra is the sister of Krishna. ...

The Gaudiya tradition explains the primary meaning of the name Krishna as being “all-attractive”. This is justified by an interpretation of a verse in the Mahābhārata, as given in the Chaitanya Charitamrita.^[14] Commentators on the Vishnu sahasranama offer explanations on similar lines. According to Adi Sankara's commentary, Krishna is the 57th name of Vishnu and means the "Existence of knowledge and Bliss." Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the late 1400s. ... Mahabharat redirects here. ... The Chaitanya Charitamrita is the biography written by Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a pivotal figure of the Hindu sect Gaudiya Vaishnavism. ... The Vishnu sahasranāma (literally: the thousand names of Vishnu) is a list of 1,000 names for Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the Supreme Person for Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu). ... Sri Adi Sankara Adi Shankaracharya or Adi Shankara (the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord), Shankara (approximately 509- 477 BC (though some claim 788-820 CE)) was the most famous Advaita philosopher who had a profound influence on the growth...

Literary sources

Yashoda bathing the child Krishna. (Western Indian illustrated Bhagavata Purana Manuscript)

The earliest text to explicitly provide detailed descriptions of Krishna as a personality is the Mahābhārata which depicts Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu^[15] who is central to many of the main stories of the epic. The eighteen chapters of the sixth book (Bhishma Parva) that constitute the Bhagavad Gita contain the advice of Krishna to Arjuna, on the battlefield. Krishna is already an adult in the epic, although there are allusions to his earlier exploits. The Harivamsa, a later appendix to this epic, contains the earliest detailed version of Krishna's childhood and youth. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1029, 202 KB) Description: Title: de: Bhâgavata-Purâna-Handschrift, Szene: Der Knabe Krishna im Bade Technique: de: Papier Dimensions: de: 10,4 × 20,5 cm Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Bombay Current location (gallery): de... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1029, 202 KB) Description: Title: de: Bhâgavata-Purâna-Handschrift, Szene: Der Knabe Krishna im Bade Technique: de: Papier Dimensions: de: 10,4 × 20,5 cm Country of origin: de: Indien Current location (city): de: Bombay Current location (gallery): de... In Hinduism, Yasoda is a peasant woman and foster-mother of Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu. ... Mahabharat redirects here. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... For other uses, please see Arjun. ... The Harivamsha (also Harivamsa; Sanskrit the lineage of Hari (Vishnu)) is an important work of Sanskrit literature, containing 16,375 verses. ...

Virtually every one of the later Puranas tells Krishna's life-story or some highlights from it. The Mahābhārata and the Harivamsa are considered sacred by Hindus. Two Puranas, the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana, that contain the most elaborate telling of Krishna’s story and teachings are the most theologically venerated by the Gaudiya Vaishnava schools.^[8] Roughly one quarter of the Bhagavata Purana is spent extolling his life and philosophy. The Puranas are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss devotion and mythology. ... SACRED SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... The Vishnu Purana is one of the oldest of the Puranas (dating to maybe the 5th century), containing some 23,000 shlokas, presented as a dialogue between Parasara with his disciple Maitreya. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... This article is about life in general. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ...

See Also: Krishna in Mahābhārata

Life

Krishna with Gopis - Painting from Smithsonian Institution

This summary is based on details from the Mahābhārata, the Harivamsa, the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana. The scenes from the narrative are set in north India, mostly in the present states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat. The quotations at the start and end of the summary set the theological framework in which the story is viewed. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Smithsonian Institution Building or Castle on the National Mall serves as the Institutions headquarters. ... Mahabharat redirects here. ... The Harivamsha (also Harivamsa; Sanskrit the lineage of Hari (Vishnu)) is an important work of Sanskrit literature, containing 16,375 verses. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... The Vishnu Purana is one of the oldest of the Puranas (dating to maybe the 5th century), containing some 23,000 shlokas, presented as a dialogue between Parasara with his disciple Maitreya. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA:  , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ... For the town in Hoshiarpur district, see Hariana. ... , For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... This article is for the Indian state. ...

The incarnation

Multiple Hindu scriptures explain the purpose of the incarnation.^[1] In the words of the Bhagavata Purana:

"Lord Brahma informed the demigods: Before we submitted our petition to the Lord, He was already aware of the distress on earth. Consequently, for as long as the Lord moves on earth to diminish its burden by His own potency in the form of time, all of you demigods should appear through plenary portions as sons and grandsons in the family of the Yadus."^[16]

The Mahābhārata^[17] gives a similar account, with slight variations in details.

Birth

Traditional belief based on scriptural details and astrological calculations gives the date of Krishna's birth, known as Janmashtami, as either 19th or 21st July 3228 BCE.^[18] Jyotisha (, in Hindi and English usage Jyotish; sometimes called Hindu astrology, Indian astrology, and/or Vedic astrology) is the Hindu system of astrology, one of the six disciplines of Vedanga, and regarded as one of the oldest schools of ancient astrology to have had an independent origin, affecting all other... Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी) , also known as Krishnashtami,Saatam Aatham ,Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanthi or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. ... (34th century BC - 33rd century BC - 32nd century BC - other centuries) (5th millennium BC - 4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC) Events Unification of the first Ancient Egyptian state, marking the beginning of the Ancient Egyptian civilization. ...

Krishna was of the royal family of Mathura, and was the eighth son born to the princess Devaki, and her husband Vasudeva. Mathura was the capital of the closely linked clans of Vrishni, Andhaka, and Bhoja. They are generally known as Yadavs after their eponymous ancestor Yadu, and sometimes as Surasenas after another famed ancestor. Vasudeva and Devaki belonged to these clans. The king Kamsa, Devaki's brother, had ascended the throne by imprisoning his father, King Ugrasena. Afraid of a prophecy that predicted his death at the hands of Devaki's eighth son, he had locked the couple into a prison cell, planning to kill all of Devaki's children at their birth. After killing the first six children, and Devaki's apparent miscarriage of the seventh, Krishna took birth. Since he believed Krishna's life was in danger, Krishna was secretly taken out of the prison cell to be raised by his foster parents, Yasoda and Nanda in Gokul, Mahavana. Two of his siblings also survived, Balarama (Devaki's seventh child, transferred to the womb of Rohini, Vasudeva's first wife) and Subhadra (daughter of Vasudeva and Rohini, born much later than Balarama and Krishna). Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... In Hinduism, Devaki is the wife of Vasudeva and mother of Krishna and Balarama. ... Krishna and Balarama meet their parents. ... Vrishni (वृषणि) was a descendent of Yadu in Yadav vansh. ... In Hinduism, Andhaka often refers to a malevolent demon. ... Bhoja from a mural in the Parliament of India building Bhoj was a great philosopher king and polymath of medieval India. ... Yadavas redirects here. ... An eponym is a person (real or fictitious) whose name has become identified with a particular object or activity. ... Yadu is the name of one of the five Aryan clans mentioned in the Rig Veda. ... Surasena (or Shourasena) was the kingdom around the modern Brajabhumi. ... In Hinduism, Kamsa is the son of a demon and half-brother of Devaki. ... Ugrasena was a king of Mathura (as per the Hindu epic Mahabharata, husband of Karni, and father of Kansa and Devaka (father of Devaki). ... For other uses, see Prophecy (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Yasoda is a peasant woman and foster-mother of Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu. ... According to Hindu mythology, Nanda is a peasant and foster-father of Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu. ... Gokul is a village 15 kms south-east of Mathura in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... Rohini may refer to any of the following - Rohini as in Rohini Nakshatram (see also Nakshatra), in Hindu mythology a daughter of Daksha and a consort of the moon-God Chandra; symbolised as the star Rohini. ... Jagannath(far right) with his brother Balarama(far left) and sister Subadra (center) in Radhadesh, Belgium Subhadra is the sister of Krishna. ...

The place believed by worshippers to mark Krishna's birth is now known as Krishnajanmabhoomi, where a temple is raised in his honour. Temple at the birthplace of Krishna Krishnajanmabhoomi, which means the birth-place of Krishna, is a temple built on the birthplace of Krishna (an avatar of God Vishnu) in Mathura, India. ...

Gaudiya Vaishnava scholars identify the form of Krishna who appeared in Mathura as Vasudeva Krishna of the first quadrupal expansion. In this form Krishna appeared before Vasudeva and Devaki without a natural birth, fully grown, with four arms and full paraphernalia. ^[19] Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... Krishna was the son of the Yadava chief Vasudeva and his wife Devaki. ...

Krishna holding Govardhan hill. From the Smithsonian Institution collections.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 382 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 940 pixel, file size: 322 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A painting of Krishna holding Govardhan hill from the following link of Smithsonian Institute: http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 382 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 940 pixel, file size: 322 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A painting of Krishna holding Govardhan hill from the following link of Smithsonian Institute: http://www. ... Krishna holding Govardhan hill from Smithsonian Institute’s collections Govardhan hill, literal meaning the increasing cattle, was the name of a mythical hill near Vrindavan. ... The Smithsonian Institution Building or Castle on the National Mall serves as the Institutions headquarters. ...

Childhood and youth

Nanda was the head of a community of cow-herders, and he settled in Vrindavana. The stories of Krishna's childhood and youth here include that of his life with, and his protection of, the local people. Kamsa learnt about the child's escape and kept sending various demons (such as Aghasura) to put an end to him. The demons were defeated at the hands of Krishna and his brother Balarama. Some of the most popular exploits of Krishna center around these adventures, such as the lifting of Govardhan hill and his play with the gopis of the village, including Radha. The stories of his play with the gopis became known as the Rasa lila and were romanticised in the poetry of Jayadeva, author of the Gita Govinda. Vrindavana is the name of a mythic forest or forested region in Northern India, in which the Hindu deity Krishna spent his childhood. ... Aghasura, 18th C Rajasthani painting Aghasura, is a demon (asura) from Hindu, (Vedic) tradition, and one of the generals of King Kamsa. ... Krishna holding Govardhan hill from Smithsonian Institute’s collections Govardhan hill, literal meaning the increasing cattle, was the name of a mythical hill near Vrindavan. ... Gopis as depicted in portrait at the Smithsonian Institute Gopi is a word of Sanskrit (गोपी) origin meaning cow-herd girl. In Hinduism specifically the name gopi (sometimes gopika) is used more commonly to refer to the group of cow herding girls famous within Vaishnava Theology for their unconditional devotion (bhakti... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ras Lila is a classical Manipuri dance. ... Jayadeva is considered one of the greatest Sanskrit poets of all times. ... The Gita Govinda or the Song of the Shri Krishna is a work composed in the 12th century by Jayadeva Goswami. ...

The prince

Krishna as a young man returned to Mathura, and overthrew and killed his uncle Kamsa. Krishna re-installed Kamsa's father, Ugrasena, as the king of the Yadavas. He himself became a leading prince at the court. In this period he became a friend of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes of the Kuru kingdom, who were his cousins, on the other side of the Yamuna. Later, he took his Yadava subjects to the city of Dwaraka (in modern Gujarat). He married Rukmini, daughter of King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha. Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... Kuru or Kurus may be: Kuru (kingdom), a powerful Indian kingdom during the Vedic period and later a republic during the Mahajanapada period Kuru Kingdom, a kingdom based on the historic Kuru kingdom in Indian epic literature Kuru (disease), neurological, and associated with New Guinea, the Fore, and cannibalism Kuru... Not to be confused with the nearby Jamuna River a tributary of the Meghna River, which is sometimes confused both in older historical literature, and by translations of the local dialects. ... Dwarka is a city in Gujarat, India. ... This article is for the Indian state. ... In Hinduism, Srimati Rukmini was the first wife and queen of Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu. ... Map of the districts comprising the Vidarbha region. ...

According to some texts, Krishna had 16,108 wives,^[20] of which eight were chief - including Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jambavati. Krishna's other 16,100 wives were previously being held in captivity by Narakasura, until Krishna killed him and released them all. According to strict social custom of the time all of the captive women would be unable to marry as they had been under the control of Narakasura, however Krishna happily took them all as his royal princesses. In Vaishnava traditions, Krishna's wives are believed to be forms of the goddess Lakshmi. In Hinduism, Srimati Rukmini was the first wife and queen of Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu. ... Satyabhama is the beloved third wife of Hinduisms Lord Krishna, known for her strong will and tantrums. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it easier to understand, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Narakasura was the son of Goddess earth, (referred to as Dharthi), by Lord Vishnu himself during his Varaha (boar) avatar. ... For other uses, see Lakshmi (disambiguation). ...

The Kurukshetra war and the Bhagavad Gita

Krishna reveals his Vishvarupa form to Arjuna during their discourse of the Bhagavad Gita.

Main articles: Kurukshetra war and Bhagavad Gita

Krishna was cousin to both sides in the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Once battle seemed inevitable, Krishna offered both sides to choose between having either his army or simply himself, but on the condition that he personally would not raise any weapons. Arjuna on behalf of the Pandavas chose to have Krishna on their side, and Duryodhana chose to have Krishna's army on the side of the Kauravas. At the time of the great battle, Krishna thus acted as Arjuna's charioteer. The Bhagavad Gita is the advice given to Arjuna by Krishna on the battlefield just prior to the start of the fighting. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In Hinduism, Trisiras is the three-headed son of Tvashta. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Combatants Pandavas led by Dhristadyumna Kauravas led by Bhishma Commanders Arjuna Bhima Yudhishthira Nakula Sahadeva Bhishma Drona Karna Duryodhana Ashwatthama Strength 7 Akshauhinis 1,530,900 soldiers 11 Akshauhinis 2,405,700 soldiers Casualties Almost Total Only 7 survivors - the five Pandavas, Krishna, and Satyaki Almost Total Only 3 survivors... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (or Pandawa) brothers (Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव ) are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu (Sanskrit: पांडु), by his two wives Kunti and Madri. ... The term Kaurava (Sanskrit:कौरव) is a Sanskrit term, that means a descendant of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahabharata. ...

Later life

Following the war Krishna lived at Dwaraka for thirty-six years. Then at a festival, a fight broke out between the Yadavas who exterminated each other. His elder brother Balarama then gave up his body using Yoga. Krishna retired into the forest and sat under a tree in meditation. A hunter mistook his partly visible foot for a deer and shot an arrow wounding him mortally. According to the Mahābhārata, the Krishna's death was caused by a curse by Gandhari. Her bitter anger after witnessing the death of her sons caused her to utter this curse, because she believed that Krishna did not do enough to stop the war when he had the full capability to do so. Upon learning of the curse, Krishna smiled and accepted it, stating that his duty was to fight for, and protect, the righteous people, not to prevent the war. Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... For other uses such as Yoga postures, see Yoga (disambiguation) Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Sanskrit: योग Yoga, IPA: ) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ... An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. ... The word Gāndhārī can mean more than one thing: Gāndhārī is a character in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. ...

According to Puranic sources^[21], Krishna's death marks the end of Dvapara Yuga and the start of Kali Yuga, which is dated to February 17/18, 3102 BCE.^[22] The Puranas are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss devotion and mythology. ... Dvapara Yuga is the third out of four yugas, or ages, in the religion of Hinduism. ... Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... (32nd century BC – 31st century BC – 30th century BC – other centuries) (5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – 3rd millennium BC) // Front and Back Sides of Narmer Palette, this facsimile on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto, Canada. ... BCE is a TLA that may stand for: Before the Common Era, date notation equivalent to BC (e. ...

Early historical references

One of the earliest recorded instances of a Krishna who could potentially be identified with the deity can be found in the Chandogya Upanishad, where he is mentioned as the son of Devaki, and to whom Ghora Angirasa imparts secret knowledge; however at this stage Krishna is apparently still regarded as a man.^[23][24] Later Upansihads, namely Nārāyaṇātharvaśirsa and Ātmabodha, specifically regard Krishna as a god and associate him with Vishnu.^[23] The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the main ten Upanishads of Hinduism. ...

References to Vāsudeva also occur in early Sanskrit literature. Taittiriya Aranyaka (X,i,6) identifies him with Narayana and Vishnu. Panini, ca. 4th century BCE, in his Ashtadhyayi explains the word "Vāsudevaka" as a Bhakta (devotee) of Vāsudeva. This, along with the mention of Arjuna in the same context, indicates that the Vāsudeva here is Krishna.^{[citation needed]} At some stage during the Vedic period, Vasudeva and Krishna became one deity, and by the time of composition of the redaction of Mahabharata that survives till today, Krishna (Vasudeva) was generally acknowledged as an avatar of Vishnu and often as the Supreme God.^[23] The Aranyakas (Forest Books, Forest Treatises) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures are sometimes argued to be part of either the Brahmanas or Upanishads. ... Indian postage stamp depicting (2004), with the implication that he used (IPA ) was an ancient Gandharan grammarian (approximately 5th century BC, but estimates range from the 7th to the 3rd centuries) who is most famous for formulating the 3,959 rules of Sanskrit morphology known as the . ... The Ashtadhyayi (Ạṣtādhyāyī, meaning eight chapters) is the earliest known grammar of Sanskrit, and one of the first works on descriptive linguistics, generative linguistics, or linguistics altogether. ... For other uses, please see Arjun. ... Krishna and Balarama meet their parents. ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ...

In the 4th century BCE, Megasthenes the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya says that the Sourasenoi (Surasena), who lived in the region of Mathura worshipped Herakles. This Herakles is usually identified with Krishna ^[25] due to the regions mentioned by Megasthenes as well as similarities between some of the herioc acts of the two. Megasthenes also mentions that his daughter Pandaia ruled in south India. The south indeed had the kingdom of the Pandyas with the capital at Madhura (Madurai), which some researchers have claimed to relate to the kingdom of the Pandavas, and the city of Mathura^{[citation needed]}. Greek ruler Agathocles issuced coins bearing the images of Krishna and Balarama in around 180-165 BCE. ^[25] Megasthenes (c. ... Allegiance: Maurya Dynasty Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Bindusara Maurya Reign: 322 BC-298 BC Place of birth: Indian subcontinent Chandragupta Maurya (Sanskrit: चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य; Romanized Greek: Sandrakottos), whilst often referred to as Sandrakottos outside India, is also known simply as Chandragupta (born c. ... Surasena (or Shourasena) was the kingdom around the modern Brajabhumi. ... For the son of Alexander the Great, see Heracles (Macedon). ... The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient state at the tip of South India, founded around the 6th century BCE. It was part of the Dravidian cultural area, which also comprised other kingdoms such as that of the Pallava, the Chera, the Chola, the Chalukya and the Vijayanagara. ... , Madurai   (Tamil: , IPA: ) is a city and a municipal corporation with a city population of 922,913 according to 2001 census. ... The Pandavas were the five sons of the king Pandu. ... Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... For the grindcore band, see Agathocles (band) Agathocles (361 BC - 289 BC), tyrant of Syracuse (317 BC - 289 BC) and king of Sicily (304 BC - 289 BC). ...

Indian-standard silver drachm of the Greco-Bactrian king Agathocles (190-180 BCE)
'Rev: Vasudeva-Krishna, with ornate headdress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding kunda (pear-shaped vase) and chakra (wheel). Brahmi legend: RAJANE AGATHUKLAYASA "King Agathocles".
Obv: Balarama, 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 "Of King Agathocles".

At Ghosundi, near the town of Udaipur, is an inscription by a devotee mentioning Vasudeva and Narayana engraved around 150 BCE.^[25] In the 1st century BCE, Heliodorus from Greece erected the Heliodorus pillar at Besnagar near Bhilsa^[25] with the inscription: This Garuda-column of Vasudeva the god of gods was erected here by Heliodorus, a worshipper of the Lord Bhagavata, the son of Diya Greek Dion and an inhabitant of Taxila, who came as ambassador of the Greeks from the Great King Amtalikita [Greek Antialcidas] to King Kasiputra Bhagabhadra the saviour, who was flourishing in the fourteenth year of his reign… [missing text]… three immortal steps… [missing text]… when practiced, lead to heaven—self-control, charity, and diligence. Coin of Agathocles of Bactria. ... Coin of Agathocles of Bactria. ... Approximate extent of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom circa 220 BCE. The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising todays northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion... Agathocles the Just was an Indo-Greek king, who reigned between around 190 and 180 BCE. He might have been a son of Demetrius and one of his sub-kings in charge of the Paropamisadae between Bactria and India. ... (Redirected from 190 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC - 190s BC - 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC 140s BC Years: 195 BC 194 BC 193 BC 192 BC 191 BC - 190 BC... (Redirected from 180 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC - 180s BC - 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 185 BC 184 BC 183 BC 182 BC 181 BC - 180 BC... Krishna and Balarama meet their parents. ... Kunda is a town (founded May 1, 1938) in Estonia, located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. ... For the Naruto jutsu, see Chakra (Naruto). ... BrāhmÄ« refers to the pre-modern members of the Brahmic family of scripts, attested from the 3rd century BC. The best known and earliest dated inscriptions in Brahmi are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... Udaipur   (उदयपुर) is a city and a municipal council in Udaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. ... (Redirected from 150 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC - 150s BC - 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC Years: 155 BC 154 BC 153 BC 152 BC 151 BC - 150 BC... (Redirected from 1st century BCE) (2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century - other centuries) The 1st century BC starts on January 1, 100 BC and ends on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st... Several persons named Heliodorus are known to us from ancient times, the best known of which is Heliodorus of Emesa, author of the novel Aethiopica. ... The Heliodorus pillar was erected around 110 BCE in central India at the site of Vidisha, by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas to the court of the Sunga king Bhagabhadra. ... Vidisha or Besnagar is a city in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written by Sri Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasadeva c. ... Taxila (Urdu: , Sanskrit: , Pali:Takkasilā) is an important archaeological site in Pakistan containing the ruins of the Gandhāran city of Takshashila (also Takkasila or Taxila) an important Vedic/Hindu[1] and Buddhist[2] centre of learning from the 6th century BCE[3] to the 5th century CE.[4] [5...

Another 1st century BCE inscription from Mathura records the building of a part of a sanctuary to Vasudeva by the great satrap Sodasa. Look up satrap in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sodasa was an Indo-Scythian, and the son of the Great Satrap of Mathura Rajuvula. ...

The renowned grammar scholar Patanjali, who wrote his commentary on Panini's grammar rules around 150 BCE (known as the Mahabhashya), quotes a verse: May the might of Krishna accompanied by Samkarshana increase! Other verses are mentioned. One verse speaks of Janardana with himself as fourth (Krishna with three companions, the three possibly being Samkarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha). Another verse mentions musical instruments being played at meetings in the temples of Rama (Balarama) and Kesava (Krishna). Patanjali also describes dramatic and mimetic performances (Krishna-Kamsopacharam) representing the killing of Kamsa by Vasudeva. Patañjali, is the compiler of the Yoga Sutra, a major work containing aphorisms on the practical and philosophical wisdom regarding practice of Raja yoga. ... The Mahābhāṣya (great commentary), attributed to Patañjali, is a commentary on the celebrated Ashtadhyayi of Panini is one of the three most famous works in Sanskrit grammar. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ...

Also in the 1st century BCE, there seems to be evidence for a worship of five Vrishni heroes (Balarama, Krishna, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Samba) for an inscription has been found at Mora near Mathura, which apparently mentions a son of the great satrap Raj Uvula, probably the satrap Sodasa, and an image of Vrishni, "probably Vasudeva, and of the "Five Warriors".^{[citation needed]} Pradyumna is a character in Hindu mythology. ... Aniruddha was a grandson of lord krishna his further generations were 3. ... For other uses, see Samba (disambiguation). ... Mora can mean: Cameroon Mora, Cameroon Costa Rica Mora Canton Portugal Mora, Portugal Sweden Mora, Sweden - a municipality of Dalarna County in Sweden Mora Court District - a district of Dalecarlia in Sweden United States Mora, Minnesota, United States Mora County, New Mexico, United States Mora (linguistics): A unit of sound...

Many inscriptions and references to worship of Krishna can be found from the early centuries of the Common Era. BCE redirects here. ...

The Bhakti tradition

Main article: Bhakti

Bhakti, meaning devotion, is not confined to any one deity of Hinduism however this view is sometime disputed by more Orthodox groups.^[1] However Krishna has become an important and popular focus of the devotional and ecstatic aspects of Hindu religion, particularly among the Vaishnava sects.^[6][26] Bhakti (Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Devotional songs are hymns that accompany religious rituals. ... Religious ecstasy is a trance-like state characterized by expanded mental and spiritual awareness and is frequently accompanied by visions, hallucinations, and physical euphoria. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ...

Devotees of Krishna subscribe to the concept of lila, meaning 'divine play', as the central principle of the universe. The lilas of Krishna, with their expressions of personal love that transcend the boundaries of formal reverence, serve as a counterpoint to the lilas of another avatar of Vishnu: Rama, "He of the straight and narrow path of maryada, or rules and regulations."^[2] Lila is a concept from Hinduism that explains the universe as a cosmic puppet theater or playground for the gods. ... For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ... Rama ( in IAST, in Devanāgarī) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ...

The bhakti movements devoted to Krishna became prominent in southern India in the 7th to 9th centuries CE. The earliest works included those of the Alvar saints of the Tamil country. A major collection of their works is the Divya Prabandham. The Alvar Andal's popular collection of songs Tiruppavai, in which she conceives of herself as a Gopi, is perhaps the oldest work of this genre. Kulashekhara's Mukundamala was another notable offering of this early stage. The Alvars are Hindu saints, followers of Lord Vishnu. ... Tamil ( ; IPA ) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... The Naalayira Divyap Prabhandham is one of the most sacred texts in Hinduism, especially in South India. ... Andal, pronounced aanDaaL is one of the twelve Alvars of Vaishnavism, and is the second most important of them. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... One of the twelve Alvars, born in the asterism Punarvasu, Kulasekara-azhvaar ruled the Chera Kingdom. ... A poem in sanskrit written by kulasekara alvar, one of the last kings of chera dynasty in Kerala, also, the 9th alvar(one of 12 mendicant saints venerated by south indian srivaishnavism) c. ...

Spread of the Krishna-bhakti movement

"Celebration of Spring by Krishna and Radha," 18th Century miniature; in the Guimet Museum, Paris

The movement spread rapidly from Northern India into the south, with the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva (12th century CE) becoming a landmark of devotional, Krishna-based, literature. It elaborated a part of the story of Krishna, that of his love for one particular gopi, called Radha, a minor character in the Bhagavata Purana but a major one in some others like the Bramhavaivarta-Purana. The poem is in Sanskrit and soon became famous all across India. Radha henceforth became inseparable from devotion to Krishna.^[10] Image File history File links Holi. ... Image File history File links Holi. ... The word celebration has several meanings: See celebration for a joyous event or party. ... For other uses, see Spring. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Guimet in his museum. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... The Gita Govinda or the Song of the Shri Krishna is a work composed in the 12th century by Jayadeva Goswami. ... Jayadeva is considered one of the greatest Sanskrit poets of all times. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

While the learned sections of the society well versed in Sanskrit could enjoy works like Gita Govinda or Bilvamangala's Krishna-Karnamritam, the masses sang the songs of the devotee-poets who composed in the regional languages of India. These songs expressing intense personal devotion were written by devotees from all walks of life. The songs of Mirabai and Surdas became epitomes of Krishna-devotion in north India. Mirabai (मीराबाई) (1498-1547) (sometimes also spelled Meera) was a female Hindu mystical poet whose compositions are popular throughout India. ... Surdas was a Hindu poet, sant and musician of India. ...

These devotee-poets, like the Alvars before them, were aligned to specific theological schools only loosely, if at all. But by the 11th century CE, Vaishnava Bhakti schools with elaborate theological frameworks around the worship of Krishna were established in north India. Nimbarka (11th century CE), Vallabhacharya (15th century CE) and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (16th century CE) were the founders of the most influential of these schools. Chaitanya's tradition, called Gaudiya Vaishnavism,^[2] sees Krishna as the supreme God,^[8] rather than as an avatar of Vishnu.^[7][6] Followers of Chaitanya and Vallabha maintain that he is himself an incarnation of Krishna. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Bhakti (Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... Nimbarka, is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology of Dvaitaadvaita, duality in unity. ... Vallabhacharya (1479 - 1531) was the founder of the Vallabha sect in Indian philosophy. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST ) (Bengali ) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Vaishnava monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal[1], (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh) and Orissa in India[2]. Chaitanya was a notable proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ...

In the Maharashtra and