No god is loved in quite as many ways as Krishna. Mothers see him as the naughty child who steals butter, devotees as the flute-player who calls every soul home, and thinkers as the teacher of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, born to restore dharma at the end of the Dvapara Yuga.
The story of Krishna
Krishna was born at midnight in a prison cell in Mathura, to Devaki and Vasudeva, whose cruel brother King Kamsa had been told that Devaki’s eighth child would kill him. That same night Vasudeva carried the newborn across the flooded Yamuna to Gokul, where he was raised by Nanda and Yashoda.
His childhood is full of stories every Indian grandmother tells: stealing butter from the neighbours’ pots, Yashoda seeing the whole universe inside his mouth, subduing the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna, and lifting the Govardhan hill on his little finger to shelter the villagers from Indra’s storm. In Vrindavan he played the flute for the gopis and for Radha, and those leelas are the heart of Braj devotion.
As a young man he returned to Mathura and ended Kamsa’s rule, later founding the city of Dwarka. In the Mahabharata he is the friend and guide of the Pandavas, and on the eve of the great war at Kurukshetra he speaks the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
What his symbols mean
- The flute (murli): the call of the divine that draws every heart towards it.
- The peacock feather: beauty, joy and freedom from pride.
- Blue skin: the colour of the sky and the ocean, the infinite that cannot be contained.
- The cow and the calf: Krishna as Gopal, protector of cows and of all who are gentle.
How to worship Krishna at home
- Bathe the small idol of Laddu Gopal or Bal Krishna with water or panchamrit, and dress him in fresh clothes.
- Offer makhan-mishri, fruit or a milk sweet, with a tulsi leaf on top.
- Light a diya and incense, and ring a small bell.
- Chant ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय or the Hare Krishna mahamantra on a tulsi mala.
- Sing the aarti “Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki” and share the prasad.
Many families also read one chapter of the Bhagavad Gita each day; chapter 12, on bhakti, is a gentle place to begin.
Festivals and famous temples
Janmashtami celebrates his birth, Govardhan Puja (the day after Diwali) his lifting of the hill, and Holi in Braj his play with Radha and the gopis. The best-loved Krishna temples include Banke Bihari and ISKCON in Vrindavan, the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Dwarkadhish in Dwarka, Shrinathji in Nathdwara, Jagannath in Puri, Guruvayur in Kerala and Udupi Sri Krishna Matha in Karnataka.
Read also: How many wives did Krishna have? — the eight queens and the story of the 16,100.
Other names of Krishna
Krishna is called by hundreds of loving names; devotees chant 108 of them, and many families simply call him Kanha or Thakurji.
| Name | नाम | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kanha | कान्हा | The affectionate Braj name for little Krishna |
| Govind | गोविंद | The protector of cows, and giver of joy to the senses |
| Gopal | गोपाल | The cowherd |
| Shyam | श्याम | The dark one |
| Madhav | माधव | The sweet one, husband of Lakshmi |
| Murlidhar | मुरलीधर | The one who holds the flute |
| Giridhar | गिरिधर | The one who lifted the Govardhan hill |
| Mohan | मोहन | The enchanter |
| Murari | मुरारी | The enemy of the demon Mura |
| Banke Bihari | बांके बिहारी | The playful one who stands in a graceful curve, as worshipped in Vrindavan |
| Dwarkadhish | द्वारकाधीश | The king of Dwarka |
| Yashoda Nandan | यशोदानंदन | The son of Yashoda |
| Parthasarathi | पार्थसारथी | Arjuna’s charioteer at Kurukshetra |
Lord Krishna: common questions
When is Krishna Janmashtami celebrated?
Janmashtami falls on the Ashtami (eighth day) of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada (Shravan in the Amanta calendar), usually in August or September. Krishna is believed to have been born at midnight, so devotees fast through the day and break the fast after the midnight puja.
What is offered to Lord Krishna?
Krishna's favourites are makhan-mishri (white butter with rock sugar), panchamrit, tulsi leaves, and sweets made with milk such as peda and kheer. A tulsi leaf is placed on every offering to Krishna, because it is believed he does not accept bhog without it.
Who is Radha?
Radha is Krishna's beloved companion from Vrindavan and the symbol of the purest, selfless love for God. In many traditions, especially in Braj and among Vaishnavas, Radha and Krishna are worshipped together, and devotees greet each other with "Radhe Radhe".
What is the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita is the 700-verse conversation between Krishna and the warrior Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, found in the Mahabharata. Krishna teaches Arjuna to do his duty without attachment to the result, and explains the paths of action (karma), knowledge (jnana) and devotion (bhakti).