SRI KRISHNA AVATAR

 Powerful Incarnation of Vishnu                                                     The great exponent of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity of deities. Of all the Vishnu avatars he is the most popular, and perhaps of all Hindu gods the one closest to the heart of the masses. Krishna was dark and extremely handsome. The word Krishna literally means 'black', and black also connotes mysteriousness.

The Importance of Being Krishna                                              Krishna has been God to millions, who go ecstatic even as they hear his name. People consider Krishna their leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all rolled into one. Krishna has influenced the Indian thought, life, and culture in myriad ways. He has influenced not only its religion and philosophy, but also literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore.

The Time of the Lord                                                                    Indian expect the period between 3200 BC and 3100 BC as the period in which Lord Krishna lived on earth. Krishna took birth at midnight on the Ashtami or the 8th day of the Krishnapaksha or dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan . The birthday of Krishna is called Janmashtami, a special occasion for Hindus that is celebrated around the world. 

.Baby Krishna: Killer of Evils                                                       Stories about Krishna's exploits abound. Legends have it that on the very sixth day of his birth, Krishna killed lady demon Putna by sucking on her breasts. In his childhood, he also killed many other mighty demons, such as Trunavarta, Keshi, Aristhasur, Bakasur, Pralambasur et al. During the same period he also killed Kali Nag and made the holy water of river Yamuna poison free.

Krishna's Childhood Days

Krishna made cowherdesses happy by the  soulful music of his flute. He stayed in Gokul, the legendary 'cow-village' in Northern India. As a child he was reputed to be very mischievous, stealing curd and butter and playing pranks with his girl friends or gopis. Having completed his Lila or exploits at Gokul, he went to Vrindavan and stayed there. According to a famous legend, Krishna drove away from the monstrous serpent Kaliya from the river to the sea. Krishna, according to another popular myth, lifted the Govardhana hill up with his little finger and held it like an umbrella to protect the people of Vrindavana from the torrential rain caused by Lord Indra, who had been annoyed by Krishna. Then he moved to Nandagram.

Krishna's Youth and Education                                                   Krishna and Balarama returned to Mathura, his birthplace, and killed his wicked maternal uncle King Kamsa along with all his cruel associates and liberated his parents from jail. He also reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura. He completed his education and mastered the 64 sciences and arts in 64 days at Avantipura under his preceptor Sandipani. As gurudaksina or tuition fees, he restored Sandipani's dead son to him, he stayed in Mathura.

Krishna, the King of Dwarka                                                      Krishna then came to the rescue of a clan of Yadava chiefs, who were ousted by the king Jarasandha of Magadha. He easily triumphed over the multi-million army of Jarasandha by building an impregnable capital Dwarka, "the many-gated" city on an island in the sea. The city located on the western point of Gujarat is now submerged in the sea according to the epic Mahabharata. In Dwarka, he married Rukmini, then Jambavati, and Satyabhama. He also saved his kingdom from Nakasura, the demon king of Pragjyotisapura, had abducted 16,000 princesses. Krishna freed them and married them since they had nowhere else to go.

Krishna, the Hero of the Mahabharata                                          For many years, Krishna lived with the Pandava and Kaurava kings who ruled over Hastinapur. When a war was about to break out between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Krishna was sent to mediate but failed. War became inevitable, and Krishna offered his forces to the Kauravas and himself agreed to join the Pandavas as the charioteer of the master warrior Arjuna. This epic battle of Kurukshetra described in the Mahabharata was fought in about 3000 BC. In the middle of the war, Krishna delivered his famous advice, which forms the crux of the Bhagavad Gita, in which he put forward the theory of 'Nishkam Karma' or action without attachment.

Krishna's Final Days on Earth                                                        After the great war, Krishna returned to Dwarka. In his final days on earth, he taught spiritual wisdom to Uddhava, his friend, and disciple, and ascended to his abode after casting off his body, which was shot at by a hunter named Jara. He is believed to have lived for 125 years. Whether he was a human being or a God-incarnate, there is no gainsaying the fact that he has been ruling the hearts of millions for over three millennia. In the words of Swami Harshananda, "If a person can affect such a profound impact on the Hindu race affecting its psyche and ethos and all aspects of its life for centuries, he is no less than God."