A Week of Krishna

This Saturday sees the celebration of Janmastami - Lord Krishna's birthday! Our Nandalal's birthday will be celebrated with much pomp, splendor and decoration in millions of Hindu homes and thousands of temples across His universe. So, this week, I shall be focusing on our Kanhaiya, and aspects of Him.

We have all heard of our dear Kanaiyalal, Kanha, Madhusudan Krsna. But, as a Hindu, I ask you - which avtaar was of Lord Vishnu was he? Do you need to think? Well, let me tell you, he was number 8. Krsna is the Supreme Person, the Godhead. Krsna is the speaker of the Bhagavad-Gita ("The Song of God").

Krishna appears under many names, in a multiplicity of stories, among different cultures, and in different traditions. Sometimes these contradict each other, though there is a common core story that is central to most people's knowledge of Krishna.

While in most Dharma traditions and Puranas (accounts), he is one of the major incarnations of Vishnu, in Gaudiya Vaishnavism he is considered to be the only true God, or the source of all incarnations.

Among his important or celebrated aspects are:

Govinda Krishna, the lord of the cow-herders. He is contrasted in this to his brother Balarama representing the cultivators, who is sometimes called Halayudha, the lord of the plough.

Krishna the focus of devotion (the lover, the all-attractive, the flute player). He is frequently shown playing the flute, attracting and bewildering the gopis (the cowgirls) of Vrindavan.

Krishna the child (Bala Krishna). Stories of his upbringing in Gokula and Vrindavan are a staple of children's tales in India, and Hindu's across the world.

The incarnation of the Supreme Being, and the divine Guru, who teaches Arjuna how to take the right action in the Bhagavad Gita.

Purpose behind His Incarnation

"I incarnate whenever Righteousness (Dharma) declines

and evil predominates, to re-establish Righteousness and vanquish evil."
The Lord, Bhagavat Gita (4/78)