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Radha and Krishna, Rajput miniature, c. 1760 CE — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Lord Krishna
कृष्ण
കൃഷ്ണൻ
The Divine Cowherd · Govinda · Speaker of the Gita
🕉 Vaishnavism · Krishna Bhakti
🦅 Garuda (as Vishnu avatar)
💛 Radha (eternal) · Rukmini & Satyabhama
🔗 Temple Links
See the Guruvayur Temple page for official darshan booking and online vazhipadu.
Who is Lord Krishna?
Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar of Vishnu and the most beloved figure in all of Hinduism. He is simultaneously the divine child of Gokul, the playful youth of Vrindavan, the charioteer of Arjuna on Kurukshetra, and the cosmic lord who revealed the Bhagavad Gita. His life encompasses the full range of human and divine experience.
Tradition
Vaishnavism · Krishna Bhakti
Vahana (Vehicle)
Garuda (as Vishnu avatar)
Consort
Radha (eternal) · Rukmini & Satyabhama
Weapons & Symbols
Sudarshana Chakra · Kaumodaki Mace
Origin / Parents
Vasudeva & Devaki · Nanda & Yashoda (foster)
Sanskrit · Malayalam
कृष्ण · കൃഷ്ണൻ
The Sacred Story
Krishna was born in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva but raised in Gokul by Yashoda and Nanda to protect him from the tyrant Kamsa. His childhood in Vrindavan — stealing butter, playing the flute, dancing the Raas Leela — forms the core of the Bhakti tradition. As a young man he slew Kamsa, established Dwarka, and on the field of Kurukshetra, as Arjuna's charioteer, delivered the Bhagavad Gita — the distilled essence of Vedic wisdom and one of humanity's most profound philosophical texts.
Iconography & Symbolism
Krishna is depicted as a dark-complexioned (blue-black) youth, wearing a peacock feather crown and yellow silk (Pitambara), playing a flute (Murali). His most beloved forms include Bal Krishna (the divine child crawling with butter), Radha-Krishna (the eternal lovers of Vrindavan), and Parthasarathi (the charioteer at Kurukshetra). The Srivatsa mark on his chest identifies him as Vishnu himself.
Sacred Mantras
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
"O Krishna, O Rama — we call upon you, Hari. Sixteen names, thirty-two syllables — the great mantra of the Kali Yuga."
🪔 For liberation and purification of the mind — chanted continuously
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Oṃ Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
"Salutations to the Lord, son of Vasudeva — Krishna."
🪔 The twelve-syllable mantra of Krishna — for devotion and divine grace
🙏 For the complete mantra library visit our Spirituality Archive →
Festivals & Sacred Days
🎊 Janmashtami
Krishna's birthday — Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami (August). Midnight celebrations mark the exact hour of his birth. The fast is broken only after the midnight puja.
🎊 Govardhan Puja
The day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna's lifting of Govardhan Hill to shelter the people of Vrindavan from Indra's wrath.
🎊 Guruvayur Ekadashi
The most important Ekadashi at Guruvayur Temple — massive gatherings of devotees to seek the blessings of Guruvayurappan.
🪔 Check today's auspicious timings on our live Hindu Panchangam →
Lord Krishna in Kerala Temples
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📍 Thrissur — Guruvayurappan — Krishna in his four-armed Vishnu form — most sacred Krishna shrine in Kerala
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Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple
📍 Alappuzha — Famous for the legendary Palpayasam — sweet rice from a chess match with Krishna himself
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Thrichambaram Temple
📍 Kannur — Ancient Krishna temple — renowned Utsavam celebrations
🛕 Explore the complete Temples of Kerala archive →
🕉 Explore the Full Archive
Discover more deities, sacred mantras, Kerala temples, and today's live Panchangam.