No. 005Hinduism

Krishna

कृष्ण

The dark, flute-playing cowherd of Vrindavan and teacher of the Bhagavad Gita

Krishna (कृष्ण), whose name means 'dark', is worshipped in Hinduism as the eighth avatar of Vishnu. In many traditions, including Gaudiya/ISKCON and Pushtimarg, he is worshipped as the Supreme Lord himself. Born in Mathura and raised among cowherds in Gokul and Vrindavan, he is the butter-stealing child, the cowherd whose flute stilled the cows, and the prince who counselled Arjuna on the battlefield in the teaching kept as the Bhagavad Gita.

Devotees turn to him for divine love and devotion (bhakti), for protection, and for the wisdom of the Gita. They celebrate his midnight birth at Janmashtami and honour him at Govardhan Puja and Gita Jayanti. His child forms, such as Bala Krishna and Laddu Gopal, are much loved, and his scenes with Radha are held sacred in the devotional tradition.

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Krishna

How to recognise Krishna

  1. Dark skinBlue, blue-black or black skin, like Vishnu's, with blue the most common popular colour.
  2. Bansuri fluteA straight bamboo flute held sideways to his lips, the key attribute of his cowherd forms.
  3. Peacock featherA peacock feather set in his crown or hair is one of the surest ways to recognise him.
  4. Dress and tilakA dhoti and jewelry, with a Vaishnava tilak on the forehead; childhood scenes show a short dhoti.
  5. Tribhanga poseHe often stands in the 'three-bend' pose, body gently curved and legs crossed at the ankle.
  6. Cows and RadhaCows or a calf recall his life as a cowherd, and Radha stands beside him in devotional scenes.
  7. Child formsBala Krishna (infant), Makhan Chor (the butter thief holding a ball of butter) and Laddu Gopal (crawling, holding a sweet) are much-loved forms.

Names and titles

  • The Butter ThiefMakhan Chor: as a mischievous boy in Vrindavan he stole butter
  • Holder of the FluteMurlidhara, the cowherd whose flute draws every soul to the divine
  • Protector of CowsGopala, the cowherd boy who tends and protects the cows
  • Lifter of Govardhan HillGiridhari: he held up the hill to shelter Vrindavan from a storm
  • Charioteer of ArjunaParthasarathi, who drove Arjuna's chariot and taught him the Bhagavad Gita

Feast days

  • Govardhan Puja / Annakut10 November 2026
  • Gita Jayanti20 December 2026
  • Krishna Janmashtami25 August 2027

Krishna in the shop

See all 11 Krishna designs

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Krishna
  2. Victoria and Albert Museum: Krishna and Bakasura (painting)
  3. Los Angeles County Museum of Art: collection object 59775
  4. Hindu American Foundation: article
  5. Wikipedia: Little Krishna
  6. WBUR: Peabody Essex Museum and Hindu plush toys (2022)
  7. ISKCON Desire Tree: Guide to worshiping Laddu Gopal
  8. Siasat: Allahabad High Court defers Krishna Janmabhumi-Shahi Idgah case
  9. DrikPanchang: Krishna Janmashtami 2027
  10. DrikPanchang: Govardhan Puja 2027
  11. DrikPanchang: Gita Jayanti 2027
  12. Search summaries: Spoonflower deity napkins apology (Universal Society of Hinduism complaint)
  13. Edwin F. Bryant (ed.), Krishna: A Sourcebook (Oxford University Press, 2007)

Also in Hinduism

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