Painting of Krishna subduing Keshi, circa 1750

Krishna (/ˈkrɪʃnə/; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, Kṛṣṇa in IAST, pronounced [ˈkr̩ʂ.ɳɐ] (Classical Sanskrit) and [kr̩ʂ.ɳɐ́] in Vedic Sanskrit is a Hindu deity worshipped across many traditions of Hinduism in a variety of different perspectives. In Hinduism, Krishna is recognized as the complete and eighth incarnation of Vishnu, or as the Supreme God (Svayam Bhagavan) in his own right.[1]

As one of the most popular of all Hindu deities, Krishna has acquired a number of epithets, and absorbed many regionally significant deities, such as Jagannatha in Odisha and Vithoba in Maharashtra. The Hindu texts portray him in various perspectives:[2] a lovable infant, a divine child, a prankster, a cowherd, a model lover, a divine hero, a diplomat, a king, a kingmaker, a selfless friend, a philosopher, charioteer to Arjuna and a dispenser of spiritual discourse, as in the Bhagavad Gita.[3] Among the principal scriptures that discuss Krishna's legend are the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa, the Srimad Bhagavatam, and the Vishnu Purana. The Vishnu Sahasranama, the list of Vishnu's thousand names, also includes many of the titles and names of Krishna.

Epithets

In popular culture, Krishna is often associated with 108 names.[4][5] The following is a list of fifty of among the most popular names, titles, and epithets associated with the deity Krishna:

NameTransliterationTranslation
अच्युतAcyutāHe who is infallible[6]
माधवMādhavāHe who is the lord of knowledge;[7] He who is like honey
गोविन्दGovindaHe who is a cow-protector[8]
जनार्दनJanārdanaHe who is the original abode and protector of all living beings
केशवKeśavaHe who has long locks of hair;[9] slayer of Keshi; He who is himself the Trimurti
हरिHariHe who takes away (sins)[10]
द्वारकानाथDvārakanāthaHe who is the lord of Dvaraka
मुरारिMurāriHe who is the slayer of the asura Mura[11]
वासुदेवVāsudevaHe who is the son of Vasudeva
मुकुंदMukundāHe who offers liberation[12]
पार्थसारथिPārthasārathīHe who is the charioteer of Partha (Arjuna)[13]
मधुसूदनMadhusūdanaHe who is the slayer of the asura Madhu[14]
दामोदरDāmodaraHe who has a rope around his stomach
जगन्नाथJagannāthaHe who is the lord of the universe
गोपालGopālaHe who is a cow-protector[15]
पुरुषोत्तमPuruṣottamaHe who is the highest being
नन्दकुमारNandakumāraHe who is the prince (son) of Nanda
मनोहरManoharāHe who is lovely
जगदिशJagadiśaHe who is the protector of the universe
सुरेशSureśaHe who is the lord of the suras (devas)
श्रीकान्तŚrīkāntaHe who is beloved by Shri (Lakshmi)
श्रीनाथŚrīnāthaHe who is the husband of Shri (Lakshmi)
परमेश्वरParameśvaraHe who is the supreme lord
मोहनMohanaHe who is enchanting
गिरिधरGiridharaHe who bears mountains
सर्वजनSarvajanaHe who is omniscient
पुण्यPunyahHe who is supremely pure
मुरलीधरMuralīdharaHe who bears the flute[16]
देवकीपुत्रDevakīputraHe who is the son of Devaki
नवनीतNavanītaHe who eats butter
निरञ्जनाNirañjanāHe who is unblemished
हृषीकेशHṛṣīkeśaḥHe who is the master of the senses[7]
पतितपावनPatitapāvanaHe who is the purifier of the fallen[17]
श्यामसुन्दरŚyāmasundaraHe who is dark and handsome
यदुनन्दनYadunandanaHe who belongs to the Yadu dynasty
ईश्वरःIśvaraHe who is the lord[18] (of the universe)
ज्ञानेश्‍वरJñeśvaraHe who is the lord of wisdom
चतुर्भुजाCaturbhujāHe who has four arms
दयानिधिDayānidhiHe who is the treasure of mercy[19]
दयालुDayāluHe who is the repository of compassion
अनिरुद्धAniruddhaHe who cannot be obstructed
अक्षराAkṣarāHe who is indestructible
अद्भुतAdbhutāHe who is astonishing
रुक्मिणीपतिRukmiṇīpatiHe who is the husband of Rukmini[20]
योगेश्वरYogeśvaraHe who is the lord of yoga
राधावल्लभRādhāvallabhaHe who is the beloved of Radha[21]
पाण्डुरङ्गPāṇḍuraṅgaHe who is the lord of Pandharpur
ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പൻGuruvāyūrappanHe who is the father of Guruvayur
கண்ணன்KaṇṇaṉHe who is dear[22]
कान्हाKāṇhaHe who is dark-skinned

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mahony, W.K. (1987). "Perspectives on Krsna's Various Personalities". History of Religions. American Oriental Society. 26 (3): 333–335. doi:10.1086/463085. JSTOR 1062381. S2CID 164194548.
  2. ↑ Knott 2000, p. 56
  3. ↑ Knott 2000, p. 36, p. 15
  4. ↑ Rogerson, Barnaby (7 November 2013). Rogerson's Book of Numbers: The culture of numbers from 1001 Nights to the Seven Wonders of the World. Profile Books. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-84765-983-5.
  5. ↑ Nadeau, Randall L. (13 January 2014). Asian Religions: A Cultural Perspective. John Wiley & Sons. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-118-47195-1.
  6. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (9 April 2016). "Acyuta, Acyutā: 31 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  7. 1 2 Knapp, Stephen (2005). The Heart of Hinduism: The Eastern Path to Freedom, Empowerment And Illumination. iUniverse. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-595-35075-9.
  8. ↑ Fieldhouse, Paul (17 April 2017). Food, Feasts, and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 331. ISBN 978-1-61069-412-4.
  9. ↑ Knapp, Stephen (2005). The Heart of Hinduism: The Eastern Path to Freedom, Empowerment And Illumination. iUniverse. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-595-35075-9.
  10. ↑ Hopkins, Steven P. (18 October 2007). An Ornament for Jewels: Love Poems For The Lord of Gods, by Vedantadesika. Oxford University Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-19-804372-0.
  11. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (13 January 2019). "Murari, Mura-ari, Murāri: 10 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  12. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (7 August 2016). "Mukunda, Mukundā, Mukumda: 20 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  13. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (20 April 2017). "Parthasarathi, Pārthasārathī, Pārthasārathi, Partha-sarathi: 4 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  14. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (29 June 2012). "Madhusudana, Madhusūdana, Madhu-sudana: 20 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  15. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (29 June 2012). "Gopala, Gopāla, Go-pala: 28 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  16. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (8 January 2019). "Muralidhara, Muralīdhara, Murali-dhara: 9 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  17. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (25 May 2018). "Patitapavana, Patitapāvana: 3 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  18. ↑ Easwaran, Eknath (2004). Bhagavad Gita. Shambhala Publications. p. 258. ISBN 978-1-59030-190-6.
  19. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (19 December 2011). "Dayanidhi: 4 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  20. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (10 January 2022). "Rukminipati, Rukmini-pati, Rukmiṇīpati: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  21. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (6 January 2019). "Radhavallabha, Rādhāvallabha: 6 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  22. ↑ Hopkins, Steven P. (18 October 2007). An Ornament for Jewels: Love Poems For The Lord of Gods, by Vedantadesika. Oxford University Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-19-804372-0.

Bibliography

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.