Krishna

 Krishna is the hero of religious scriptures under the names of Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Vishnu Purana, etc. They describe episodes of the biography of God and his appearance. In some works, he is represented by a playful kid who steals oil from a distracted mother, in others Krishna is the legendary warrior and shepherd who teaches Arjun's friend. The only indisputable statement in every book is that Krishna is the eighth appearance of Vishnu , the main god of the pantheon of India.



According to legend, the years of the life of a divine being date back to the fourth millennium BC. God allegedly appeared in the material world as an incarnation of Vishnu, having been reborn in the human body. He was born in the city of Mathur in the crowned family of Vasudeva and Devaki, so that the Indians could be shown miracles of divine power and granted religion. The plots described by Krishna’s biography are similar to the leitmotifs of the scripture that tells about the life of Jesus.

Krishna was called by different names - in accordance with the directions of religion. He introduced himself as Gopala and Govinda, becoming a participant in the story of the shepherd and shepherdess in love. In Orissa, Krishna was called Jagannath. His name has a lot of sounds depending on the avatar in which God appears before people.


At the same time, the meaning of the name Krishna is interpreted by the followers as “dark blue” or, in an alternative variation, “attractive”. This name can be translated as "darkness."
Considerable attention is paid to the attributes that accompany the hero. In the image of Govinda, he was portrayed as a swarthy man with a flute in his hands. His second appearance is a fantastic embodiment with many arms and heads. In some paintings, God has a blue skin color, and his head and face are decorated with gold pendants and chains.
The bluish tint of the body is easily explained by errors in the decoding of the texts, because the name of Krishna is translated as “like a thundercloud”, that is, simply strong. Probably, over time, the speech revolution was visualized on the images.

People who worshiped Krishna met in ashrams - improvised peculiar temples that became simple houses. All those interested, headed by a guru, gathered to join in spiritual practices, in which philosophy played an important role. Such gatherings are characteristic in that they offer sacrifices in the form of food - prasada. The word ashram itself is understood as protection.
The communities that attended the gathering place were under the peculiar guardianship spread by Krishna. In such places there were sculptures of the deity and his images in company with his girlfriend Radha. Her myths are dedicated to the woman who accompanied Krishna. Many associate Radha with the incarnation of God in the form of a woman.

Krishna is a revered religious idol in India, so his images are present in every home. Numerous souvenirs offered to tourists celebrate the cult of a many-sided deity. His birthday is celebrated by a large festival called "Krishna Janmashtami."
It is believed that Krishna was born on July 19, 3228 BC. according to the Christian calendar, but the holiday, according to the tradition of Asian beliefs, is celebrated in August-September. God’s birthday is on 8 lunar day. He is called "Krishna Ashtami."
The most popular mantra was the Hare Krishna, proclaimed in Sanskrit. It contains 16 words translated as the names of a single god. The mantra was invented in the 16th century, and gained widespread popularity in the middle of the 20th century thanks to the numerous sermons of the Hare Krishnas. It is believed that regular chanting of the mantra allows one to purify the mind and karma by attaining the highest love - love of Krishna.

Krishna is a kind of religious standard. This god is perceived as a prophet and protector. At the same time, he is a wise philosopher and teacher, friend and leader. All Indian culture is permeated with his teachings and instructions. A reflection of the commandments of Krishna can be found in literature, art, folklore, philosophy and religion.
Divine scriptures, such as “Krishna Karnamrita”, contain many facts, the view of which is modified over time. Thus, Hare Krishnas are sure that Krsna did not eat meat and, becoming followers of the doctrine, they switch to vegetarianism. In fact, the sacred texts contain refutation of these speculations.