Born in Mathura Lord Krishna is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is much revered amongst the Hindus. Read on to know more about Krishna.


Krishna

Unique Attributes : Beauty, Strength, Divinity, Mischievousness, Opulence, Knowledge.
Parents : Biological - Devaki and Vasudeva; Foster - Yashoda and Nanda.
Other Names : Kanhaiya, Nanda lal, Keshava, Gopal, Kanha.
Consort : Rukmini
Primary Scriptures : Bhagwad Gita, Bhagwad Purana, Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana.
Mula Mantra : Om Krishanaya Namah

Born in Mathura to Princess Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna was actually brought up by Yashoda and Nanda in Vrindavan. He is the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna wields extensive influence not only over Hindu Religion and its philosophy but also over Indian culture, art, literature, sculpture, mysticism and folklore. Born nearly five thousand years ago Lord Krishna is famous for his mischievous acts and his love for makhan (butter). In fact Lord Krishna is fondly referred to as Makhan chor. Since childhood the young Lord astonished everyone with his divine acts, some of the famous acts being lifting of the Govardhan Parvat (Mountain) and overpowering the Kaliya Nag in the Yamuna River. Lord Krishna took immense pleasure in performing Rasa-lila (the dance of love) with the Gopis. With his Radharani and other Gopis the Lord danced to glory in the autumn and Monsoon months amid the melodious flute played by him.

Bhagwad Gita is Krishna's greatest knowledge and message given to Arjuna at the battlefield of Mahabharata; it is the supreme knowledge passed on to the mankind to live life righteously. When asked by Arjuna, "What are the virtues of a man of knowledge?" The lord replied to this, absence of egotism, dispassion for sense objects and absence of seeing misery and evil in birth, death and old age and disease - all of this are the virtues found in a man of knowledge. Lord Krishna like other gods born in human form is known for his acts of destroying the evil and protecting his believers and virtuous men. The birth of Krishna as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu was in fact planned to overcome the evil forces like his uncle Kansa of Mathura whom he exterminated to relieve Mother Earth from malevolence.

The affectionate god Krishna is particularly famous in Mathura, Vrindavan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. With the starting of the Hare Krishna movement pioneered by ISKCON - International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the fame and reverence for Lord Krishna has spread widely across the globe. Now, one finds several beautiful temples of Lord Krishna all over the world. Every year on the eighth day of the dark half (Krishna Paksha) in the Hindu month of Shravan, 'Janmashtami' is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna on Earth. Janmashtami or Krisnashtami is celebrated all over India and beyond with utmost vigor and joy. Many people fast on this occasion and break it after midnight on the birth of Lord Krishna. The celebrations however start with 'Dahi-handi' during forenoon, a custom of breaking a highly placed small pot filled with butter as the makhan chor himself did.


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