Krishna

Eighth avatara of Vishnu, divine cowherd and statesman, speaker of the Bhagavad Gita

Parentage

• parent: Vasudeva
• parent: Devaki

Domains

• divine incarnation
• love
• statecraft

Powers

• Reveal the universal cosmic form encompassing all worlds
• Lift a mountain on one finger to shelter the herders
• Counsel and drive the chariot at Kurukshetra

Epithets

• गोविन्द sanskrit · Govinda · epithetFinder/protector of cows; cowherd lordHarivaṃśa; Viṣṇu-sahasranāma; Bhagavad Gītā 1.32 (primary)
• गोपाल sanskrit · Gopāla · epithetThe Cowherd, the protector of cattleBhāgavata Purāṇa, Book 10; Gopāla Tāpanī Upaniṣad (primary)
• केशव sanskrit · Keśava · epithetHe of beautiful hair; slayer of the demon KeśinBhagavad Gītā 1.31; Viṣṇu-sahasranāma (primary)
• मुरारि sanskrit · Murāri · epithetThe foe of the demon MuraBhāgavata Purāṇa 10.59 (slaying of Mura) (primary)
• माधव sanskrit · Mādhava · epithetLord of fortune (consort of Lakṣmī/Mā); of the Madhu lineageBhagavad Gītā 1.14; Viṣṇu-sahasranāma (primary)
• गिरिधर sanskrit · Giridhara · cultBearer of the mountain (Govardhana)Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.25 (lifting of Mount Govardhana); poems of Mīrābāī (primary)

Relations

• enemy: Kamsa
• half sibling: Subhadra

Sources

• existence: Mahabharata (primary); Bhagavata Purana (primary)