Krishna

"There's no need to worry. I will make sure this world is safe and protected from all dangers that there are. No one will be able to destroy it under my watch. After all, wasn't that what I was born to do?"

- Krishna.

Krishna is a major Hindu deity who was worshiped in a variety of different perspectives. He is also the representative and leader of the Polytheistic Alliance.

Overview
Krishna is mostly the god of Love, Knowledge, and Beauty. Krishna is recognized as the Svayam Bhagavan which is the eight avatar and complete incarnation of Vishnu, the Preserver. He battled many demons and waged war alongside a man called Arjuna. He is a famous deity in the Mahabharata and he is believed to have written the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna is one of the most widely worshiped and popular of all Hindu deities.

Krishna is often described and portrayed as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute as in the or as an elder giving direction and guidance as in the Bhagavad Gita. The stories of Krishna appear across a broad spectrum of Hindu Philosophical and theological traditions. They portray him in various perspectives: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the Supreme Being. His Name is sometimes translated as "all-attractive." Krishna was raised by cow herders. As a boy, he would play his flute, causing women to flock to him. As an adult, he became a great tactician. Left his physical body after being shot in the back of the leg by mistake by a hunter named Jara.

He is often portrayed as an infant eating butter; a young boy playing a flute, and as in the Bhagavata Purana; a young man along with Radha; or a young man surrounded by women; or as an elderly gentleman giving direction and guidance, as in the Bhagavad Gita.

Appearance
Krishna is often represented as an androgynous male, possessing female physical characteristics, sometimes resembling a woman. The reason for this is probably to show that Krishna was a very beautiful man, as other religious figures such as John the Apostle were also depicted with androgynous traits to represent beauty.

Krishna's appearance was that of a young man, with blue skin and a delicate face like that of a woman. He has a curvy but shapely appearance, somewhat muscular but slender. His hair was dark and long, with his eyes being golden. He usually appears shirtless on top, wearing only a pair of Hindu prince pants. He is usually carrying his flute.

Powers and Abilities
Krishna is known to be one of the most powerful incarnations of Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity, if not the most powerful of all the Vishnu avatars. He is also among the most popular, and perhaps of all Hindu gods the one closest to the heart of the masses.

Myths and Legends
"A divine hero of Hindu mythology. He is the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who is said to appear whenever the world is at risk. Name is sometimes translated as "all-attractive." Raised by cow herders. As a boy, he would play his flute, causing women to flock to him. As an adult, he became a great tactician. Shot in the back of the leg by mistake by a hunter named Jara.""

- The Demonic Compendium.

Krishna is represented in the Indian traditions in many ways, but with some common features. His iconography typically depicts him with black, dark, or blue skin, like Vishnu. However, ancient and medieval reliefs and stone-based arts depict him in the natural color of the material out of which he is formed, both in India and in southeast Asia. In some texts, his skin is poetically described as the color of Jambul (Jamun, a purple-colored fruit).

For generations, Krishna has been an enigma to some, but a 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 into its mysticism and literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore.

Indian as well as Western scholars have now accepted the period between 3200 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 (August-September). The birthday of Krishna is called Janmashthami, a special occasion for Hindus that is celebrated around the world. The birth of Krishna is in itself a transcendental phenomenon that generates awe among the Hindus and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings.

Krishna is commonly worshipped as:
 * Kanhaiyya/Bankey Bihari/Thakurji: Uttar Pradesh
 * Jagannath: Odisha
 * Vithoba: Maharashtra
 * Shrinathji: Rajasthan
 * Guruvayoorappan: Kerala
 * Dwarakadheesh/Ranchhod: Gujarat
 * Parthasarathy: Tamil Nadu

Non-Hindu Legends
Krishna is mentioned as Krishna Avtar in the Chaubis Avtar, a composition in Dasam Granth traditionally and historically attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. Baháʼís believe that Krishna was a "Manifestation of God", or one in a line of prophets who have revealed the Word of God progressively for a gradually maturing humanity. In this way, Krishna shares an exalted station with Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Muhammad, Jesus, the Báb, and the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, Bahá'u'lláh.

Ahmadiyya, a 20th-century Islamic movement, consider Krishna as one of their ancient prophets. Ghulam Ahmad stated that he was himself a prophet in the likeness of prophets such as Krishna, Jesus, and Muhammad, who had come to earth as a latter-day reviver of religion and morality.

Krishna worship or reverence has been adopted by several new religious movements since the 19th century, and he is sometimes a member of an eclectic pantheon in occult texts, along with Greek, Buddhist, biblical, and even historical figures. For instance, Édouard Schuré, an influential figure in perennial philosophy and occult movements, considered Krishna a Great Initiate, while Theosophists regard Krishna as an incarnation of Maitreya (one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom), the most important spiritual teacher for humanity along with Buddha.

Krishna was canonized by Aleister Crowley and is recognized as a saint of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica in the Gnostic Mass of Ordo Templi Orientis.

Quotes

 * "I will free this world and its inhabitants from the rule of the Creator. I swear it. I know that it is difficult for you to accept my Salvation... But I will not abandon you. I will save you no matter what." - Krishna.


 * "You were supposed to be no more than an illusion! How could you...defeat me? My new universe...my salvation...it was all just a feeble dream!" - Krishna.


 * "Whenever the forces of evil rule the earth, I will incarnate myself to destroy the wicked, protect the saints, and establish righteousness age after age." - Krishna, Bhagavad Gita.


 * "I am not manifest to all, being veiled by yoga-maya and its delusion the world knows Me not, the unborn and immutable." - Krishna.


 * "If you fail to achieve your goal don't change your goal but change your strategy." - Krishna.


 * "Beautiful and mystical God of all, embodiment of beauty and love, the Lord Sri Krishna. With one glance he conquers thousands of cupids." - A scholar about Krishna.

Trivia

 * The legends about Krishna's life are called Krishna charitas.
 * The Number of Krishna's children varies from one interpretation to another. According to some scriptures like the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna had 10 children from each of his wives (16,008-16,108 wives and 160,080-161,080 children)
 * He is a famous being in the Mahabharata and he is believed to have written the Bhagavad Gita.
 * The word Krishna literally means 'black', and black also connotes mysteriousness.
 * In older Japanese, the name for the color blue is the same as the one for the color green: Ao, so in a certain sense, his current appearance still "blue-skinned".
 * His Christian equivalent is Jesus Christ.

Image Sources

 * (Krishna shin megami tensei iv final drawn by magatsumagic 1609736edaf4945026474ec55062782b.jpg) Krishna by magatsumagic
 * (Satyaki-sarkar-krishna-final.jpg) Krishna by Satyaki Sarkar
 * (Krishna anime style art by jazylh d914obn-fullview.jpg) Krishna - Anime Style Art by JazylH
 * (Krishna by xong d8rmeyx-fullview.jpg) Krishna by xong
 * (Gianluca-rolli-young-krishna-6.jpg) Young KRISHNA by Gianluca Rolli
 * (Krishna Age of Pantheons.jpg) Krishna by Shankss991
 * (Moonlight Krishna.jpg) Moonlight by Develv
 * (Sudhin-subramanian-krishna.jpg) Lord Krishna by sudhin subramanian
 * (Loreto-diaz-01-krishna-logo22.jpg) Krishna / MyL by Loreto Diaz
 * (Tan-man-krishna-rework-2020.jpg) The Enchanted Melody of Krishna's Flute by Tan Man
 * (Rajesh-nagulakonda-krishna-poster-copy.jpg) Sri Krishna by Rajesh Nagulakonda
 * (KRISHNA.jpg) KRISHNA by CHERDAK
 * (KRishna Child.jpg) Child Krishna by ???
 * (SMTIVA Krishna.png) Krishna by Kazimaru
 * (Krishna- a journey within.jpg) Krishna- a journey within by tejomaya
 * (Krishna a journey within by tejomaya d6s7ih5-fullview.jpg) Krishna - a journey within by tejomaya
 * (SMT IV FINAL Krishna.png) Krishna's artwork from Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
 * (Krishna concept SMT4A.jpg) Krishna's concept art in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
 * (Lord-krishna-painting.jpg) Krishna by ???
 * (Sri Mariamman Temple Singapore 2 amk.jpg) Krishna Statue at the Sri Mariamman Temple in Singapore by Naraina Pillai