Deity

Krishna

कृष्णKṛṣṇa

verses
11,006
books
26
chapters
1,981
Avatar of
Vishnu
Teacher of
Arjuna
Slew
Kamsa
Abode
Dvaraka
Sibling of
Balarama
Consort of
Radha
Child of
Vasudeva, Devaki

What the texts say

In the Bhagavata Purana, a prayer addresses Krishna as the Lord who descends to relieve the distress of the cows, the brahmanas and the devotees. Bhagavatam 1.8.43 The same Purana tells that he took birth as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. Bhagavatam 1.1.12, 1.8.33 When the cowherds stopped their sacrifice to Indra, king of the gods, and heavy rain threatened the land of Vraja for seven days, Krishna held up Govardhana hill with one hand to protect the animals. Bhagavatam 2.7.32 Later he went to the city of Mathura with Balarama, and the two killed King Kamsa to please their parents. Bhagavatam 3.3.1 In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, bewildered about dharma, asks Krishna to teach him as a disciple, and Krishna begins. Bhagavad Gita 2.7, 2.11 There Krishna says he manifests himself whenever dharma declines, to protect the good and establish dharma. Bhagavad Gita 4.7, 4.8

Where to read

Every verse that names Krishna, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    3,435 verses · 656 chapters

    All 3,435 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 5,926 verses

    • 5.129.1

      Vaishampayan ne kaha. Vidura ne jo baat kahi, uske baad Keshav ne Duryodhan se baat ki. Keshav dushmanon ko harane wale hain. Duryodhan Dhritrashtra ka beta tha, usme bhi bahut taakat thi.

    • 16.5.1

      Vaishampayan ne kaha, phir Daruke, Krishna aur Babhru Ram ko dhoondhte hue chale gaye. Wahan unhone Ram ko dekha. Woh ped ke paas baitha tha, akela, soch mein dooba hua.

    • 7.164.66

      Kunti ke bete Droon ke teeron se darr ke maare pareshan the. Yeh dekh ke Krishna ne socha ki ab karna kya chahiye. Phir usne Arjun se baat ki.

  2. Bhagavatam

    1,890 verses · 201 chapters

    All 1,890 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 10.16.1

      Shukdev ne kaha ki Krishna ne dekha ki Yamuna nadi mein ek kala saanp ne kharabi phaila di. Woh saanp Kaliya tha. Krishna ne socha ki is nadi ko saaf karna hai. Isliye us saanp ko wahan se bhaga diya.

    • 10.47.1

      Shukdev ne kaha. Vraj ki auratein dekhti hain Krishna ka ek sevak aa raha hai. Uske haath lambe hain, aankhein phooli hui kamal jaisi. Usne peela kapda pehna hai, kamal ke phoolon ki maala hai. Uske chehare par chamakdar baaliyan hain. Sab…

    • 10.13.2

      Bhakt logon ka kaam hai ki woh har waqt Krishna ke baare mein sochein. Unki baatein, unke kaan, unka dil, sab Krishna mein laga rehta hai. Jaise log auraton ki baatein sunte rehte hain, waise hi bhakt Krishna ki baatein sunte rehte hain.…

  3. Skanda Purana

    1,254 verses · 284 chapters

    All 1,254 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 7.4.12.4

      Prahlad ne kaha, Krishna ne Kansa ko maar daala. Woh Bhoj ka raja tha. Krishna ki taakat kisi se kam nahi thi. Phir Ugrasen ko Mathura mein raja banaya. Yeh bada kaam tha.

    • 7.4.24.2

      Woh bade brahmin us jagah gaye jahan Krishna har din Rukmini ke saath rehte hain. Yeh wohi jagah hai jahan sab tirth khud aake base hain.

    • 5.1.27.1

      Sanatkumar bole. Jo shaksh Avanti mein Ankapaad naam ki jagah par Ram aur Janardan ko dekhta hai. Bas un dono ko dekh ke woh Yamraj ki duniya nahi dekhta.

  4. Padma Purana

    986 verses · 202 chapters

    All 986 verses in the Padma Purana
    • 6.245.2

      Ab main Krishna ki kahaani sunna chahti hoon. Vasudev ke bete Krishna ki. Unke kaam jo paap mita dete hain. Aap mujhe bataiye.

    • 6.252.1

      Rudra ne kaha, Kans ki maut ke baad Magadh ka raja Yadavon se dushmani rakhta tha. Woh unhe roz tang karta rehta tha. Yadav log bahut pareshan ho gaye. Woh sab Krishna ke paas gaye aur apni baat batayi.

    • 5.72.3

      Pehle Kama mantra se offering ko shuddh karo. Phir jo chahte ho woh pyaar paane ke liye Krishna ko bolo. Saath mein swaha ka shabd lo. Yeh sabse bada mantra hai jo kaam karata hai.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Krishna matters most.

  1. Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā

    Bhagavatam 10.16 · 24 verses

    Protector and purifier who transforms a poisoned sacred river…

  2. Uddhava Meets the Gopīs: Bhramara-gītā and Kṛṣṇa’s Message of Separation

    Bhagavatam 10.47 · 43 verses

    Hidden center of gravity

  3. Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys (Brahma-vimohana-līlā)

    Bhagavatam 10.13 · 33 verses

    Svayaṁ Bhagavān who protects Vraja’s rasa, expands into calves…

  4. Veṇu-gīta-āhvāna and the Gopīs’ Appeal: The Opening of Rāsa-līlā

    Bhagavatam 10.29 · 26 verses

    Āśraya-tattva and līlā-nāyaka who summons the gopīs by flute…

  5. Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace

    Bhagavatam 10.80 · 18 verses

    Bhakta-vatsala Bhagavān who demonstrates that devotion, not…

  6. Govardhana-pūjā: Kṛṣṇa Redirects Indra-yajña to Worship of Govardhana, Cows, and Brāhmaṇas

    Bhagavatam 10.24 · 11 verses

    Strategist of devotion: He dismantles misdirected dependence…

  7. Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

    Bhagavatam 10.43 · 22 verses

    Āśraya-tattva revealed in public: protector, judge of adharma…

  8. Uddhava Sent to Vraja: Consolation to Nanda-Yaśodā and the Gopīs’ Separation

    Bhagavatam 10.46 · 27 verses

    Initiates ‘messenger theology’: He extends His presence into…

  9. The Gift of Flat Rice

    Bhagavatam 10.81 · 13 verses

    Heart-knowing Lord who teaches the theology of offering…

  10. Mucukunda’s Departure; Jarāsandha’s Pursuit; Prelude to Rukmiṇī’s Abduction (Rukmiṇī’s Message Begins)

    Bhagavatam 10.52 · 16 verses

    Protector and strategist: defeats Yavanas, eludes Jarāsandha…

Key episodes

  1. The Gita Begins: Arjuna's Despair on the Battlefield

    Bhagavad Gita 1-2

  2. Krishna Reveals the Cosmic Form (Vishvarupa)

    Bhagavad Gita 11

  3. The Birth of Krishna

    Bhagavatam 10.1-10.4

  4. Yashoda Sees the Universe in Krishna's Mouth

    Bhagavatam 10.8

  5. Damodara: Yashoda Ties Krishna to the Mortar

    Bhagavatam 10.9-10.10

  6. Brahma Steals the Calves and Cowherd Boys

    Bhagavatam 10.13-10.14

  7. Krishna Subdues Kaliya

    Bhagavatam 10.16-10.17

  8. Krishna Lifts Govardhana Hill

    Bhagavatam 10.24-10.27

  9. The Rasa Lila

    Bhagavatam 10.29-10.33

  10. Krishna Kills Kamsa

    Bhagavatam 10.43-10.44

  11. Uddhava's Message to the Gopis

    Bhagavatam 10.46-10.47

  12. Rukmini's Letter and Krishna's Rescue

    Bhagavatam 10.52-10.54

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q42891