A Wisdom Archive on Krishna

Introduction and links to related topics

Krishna - Krishna krsna (Sanskrit) Black, dark, dark blue; the most celebrated and eighth avatara of Vishnu. Hindus consider him their savior, and he is worshiped as the most popular of their gods. Krishna was born some 5000 years ago, the incarnated human spiritual power that closed the dvapara yuga -- his death in 3102 BC marked the beginning of kali yuga. He was the son of Devaki and the nephew of Kansa, who parallels King Herod.

The life of Krishna bears interesting and occasionally striking similarities to the legends of other spiritual teachers. The lives of all those great spiritual messengers were recorded by initiates in the language of symbol and allegory. Krishna''s conception, birth, and childhood are in essentials a prototype of the New Testament story.

One portion of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad-Gita, contains the teachings given by Krishna to Arjuna as his guide and spiritual instructor, teachings which are the quintessence of the highest yoga. The details of Krishna''s life are symbolically given in the Puranas.

Krishna - An incarnation of God. He was the friend and charioteer of Arjuna, a human in ancient India. While waiting on a battlefield prior to the initial battle of a ghastly civil war, Arjuna was overcome with despondency. During this time, Krishna offered his advice to Arjuna and it was while listening to Krishna''s council that Arjuna became aware for the first time that his long-time friend was in fact God. Krishna''s advice to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra was recorded in the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most cherished of Hindu scriptures.

The name of the Supreme Lord and subject of numerous stories in all the great Puranas and Vedas. Also refers to darkness or blackness in color, such as the dark half of the Moon''s monthly cycle when it is returning from the position of being full to the position of being new or conjunct with the Sun. This is also called the waning phase of the Moon when it is getting smaller or darker or Krishna.

Vaishnavism - The system of Hindu beliefs and practices that honor Vishnu/Krishna as Supreme God; probably the most widely followed kind of Hinduism. Bhakti yoga is the primary practice of this religion, the final reward of which is eternal communion with God.

The most famous of this god''s many names are Vishnu, Narayana, Hari, Bhagavan, Krishna, and Rama; hence the usage Vishnu/Krishna. Vaishnavism''s ancient name, Bhagavata ("followers of the Blessed Lord, i. e. , Bhagavan"), may clarify its beginnings, for it makes a connection with the movement''s two most important literary works: the Bhagavad Gita (first put in print ca. 150 BC) and the Bhagavata Purana (Shrimad Bhagavatam, ca. 850-900).

Though the tradition began earlier, two things became clear by about 200 BC: the Bhagavatas related to their god, Krishna, by devotion and accepted the Vedas and Upanishads, the scriptures of Brahmanic Hindu religion. In this process the Brahmanic deities Vishnu and Narayana became identified with Bhagavan Krishna. Thereafter, Krishna has been viewed as an incarnation (avatara) of the Supreme God Vishnu (by South Indian Vaishnavas), and Vishnu has been viewed as a subordinate form of the Supreme God Krishna (by North Indian Vaishnavas).

The Bhagavad Gita is the earliest full statement of the Bhagavata synthesis. Krishna teaches a path of salvation: desire-free performance of one''s born duty should be combined with the meditative wisdom of the Upanishads, suffused by and culminating in loving devotion to Krishna.

Krishnapaksha - Krishnapaksha(m) krsnapaksam (Sanskrit) (from krishna dark, black + paksha the half of a month)

The dark half of a month, the 15 days during which the moon in waning.

See also SUKLATAKSHA

Hare Krishna - Nickname for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. (ISKON)

Guru - Refers to the ''Spiritual Master''. One who has attained perfection in yoga. Also refers to the name for Jupiter as well as the general title for a ''teacher''. Guru literally means ''heavy'' and refers to ''heavy with knowledge''. Jupiter is also the largest planet.

The blessings of the real guru are totally necessary for material and spiritual advancement. This stands for Jupiter as well as teacher or guru in life. Guru ninda, or guru aparadha, offenses to the guru for a follower of the pure vedic path are completely detrimental for all aspects of life. In the vedic tradition when approaching one''s guru and requesting spiritual instructions, one should approach very humbly and bow down.

In the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna recommends approaching a real guru, asking sincere meaningful questions ready to render menial services in return and thus receive from the tattva-darshini or seer of the truth the real meaning and essence of life.

Ulupi - Ulupi (Sanskrit). A daughter of Kauravya, King of the Nagas in Patala (the nether world, or more correctly, the Antipodes, America). Exoterically, she was the daughter of a king or chief of an aboriginal tribe of the Nagas, or Nagals (ancient adepts) in pre-historic America - Mexico most likely, or Uruguay.

She was married to Arjuna, the disciple of Krishna, whom every tradition, oral and written, shows travelling five thousand years ago to Patala (the Antipodes). The Puranic tale is based on a historical fact. Moreover, Ulupi, as a name, has a Mexican ring in it, like " Atlan ", " Aclo ", etc.

Krishna - An incarnation of God. He was the friend and charioteer of Arjuna, a human in ancient India. While waiting on a battlefield prior to the initial battle of a ghastly civil war, Arjuna was overcome with despondency. During this time, Krishna offered his advice to Arjuna and it was while listening to Krishna''s council that Arjuna became aware for the first time that his long-time friend was in fact God. Krishna''s advice to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra was recorded in the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most cherished of Hindu scriptures.

The name of the Supreme Lord and subject of numerous stories in all the great Puranas and Vedas. Also refers to darkness or blackness in color, such as the dark half of the Moon''s monthly cycle when it is returning from the position of being full to the position of being new or conjunct with the Sun. This is also called the waning phase of the Moon when it is getting smaller or darker or Krishna.

Yajur Veda - (Sanskrit) "Wisdom of sacrificial formulas."

One of the four compendia of revelatory texts called Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva).

When used alone, the term Yajur Veda generally refers to this Veda''s central and oldest portion - the Samhita, "hymn collection." Of this there are two recensions:
the Krishna ("black") Yajur Veda (so-called because the commentary, Brahmana, material is mixed with the hymns); and
the Shukla ("white or clear") Yajur Veda (with no commentary among the hymns).

The contents of these two recensions are also presented in different order. The Yajur Veda Samhita is divided into 40 chapters and contains 1,975 stanzas. About 30 percent of the stanzas are drawn from the Rig Veda Samhita (particularly from chapters eight and nine). This Veda is a special collection of hymns to be chanted during yajna. The Krishna Yajur Veda Samhita exists today in various recensions, most importantly the Taittiriya Samhita and the Maitrayani Samhita. The Shukla Yajur Veda Samhita is preserved most prominently as the Vajasaneyi Samhita.
See: Vedas.

Gopi - Gopi (Sanskrit) (fem of gopa cowherd)

In Hindu mythology the female cowherds of Vrindavana -- playmates and companions of Krishna during his boyhood, considered mystically as celestial personages or powers. Gopi is sometimes spoken of as one of the wives of Sakyamuni, but the meaning here is a mystical power.