Some Known & Lesser-Known, Facts About Lord Krishna
Birth & Early Life
Krishna was born in Mathura.
According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki while they were imprisoned by the tyrant Kansa in Mathura.
Krishna’s maternal uncle was Kansa.
Kansa was the brother of Devaki and became Krishna’s principal enemy after learning a prophecy that Devaki’s eighth son would cause his death.
Krishna did not initially appear as an ordinary human baby in the Bhagavata Purana.
The Bhagavatam describes him appearing before Vasudeva and Devaki in a four-armed Vishnu form, after which he assumed the appearance of an infant.
Krishna was secretly taken from Mathura to Gokula.
Vasudeva carried the newborn Krishna away from the prison and brought him to the household of Nanda and Yashoda in Gokula.
Yashoda raised Krishna during his childhood.
Although Devaki was his biological mother, Krishna’s famous childhood relationship with Yashoda is central to the Krishna tradition.
Krishna’s elder brother was Balarama.
Balarama is described in Vaishnava tradition as Krishna’s elder brother and as an expansion associated with Krishna.
Krishna spent his childhood in the pastoral region of Vraja.
The Bhagavata tradition associates his childhood and youth with Gokula, Vrindavan and Nandagrama.
Krishna was associated with cowherding.
The stories of his childhood repeatedly portray him among the cowherds, calves and cows of Vraja.
Childhood Exploits
Krishna killed Putana.
The Srimad Bhagavatam describes the demoness Putana attempting to kill the infant Krishna, but Krishna instead took her life.
Krishna overturned the cart as an infant.
The Bhagavatam states that when Krishna was about three months old, he kicked a large cart, causing it to overturn.
Krishna killed the demon Trinavarta.
According to the same account, when Krishna was about one year old, Trinavarta carried him into the sky, but Krishna seized him and killed him.
Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill.
One of the most famous accounts says that Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill with one hand to protect the inhabitants and cattle of Vraja from torrential rain sent by Indra.
The Govardhana episode is traditionally associated with seven days.
The Bhagavatam says the heavy rains continued for seven days, during which Krishna held up Govardhana.
The Bhagavatam gives Krishna’s age as seven during the Govardhana episode.
This is an important detail that is sometimes omitted in popular retellings.
Krishna’s childhood is associated with butter-stealing stories.
Traditional Krishna literature famously portrays him and his companions taking butter from the homes of the residents of Vraja. These stories became especially influential in devotional literature and art.
Krishna is closely associated with the flute.
The flute (venu/bansuri) became one of the most recognizable symbols associated with Krishna, particularly in the devotional traditions centered on Vrindavan.
Krishna, Mathura & Kansa
Krishna eventually went to Mathura.
The Bhagavata narrative describes Krishna leaving the pastoral setting of Vraja and going to Mathura.
Krishna killed Kansa.
Krishna ultimately confronted and killed Kansa, ending his tyrannical rule.
Krishna subsequently became associated with the Yadava political world.
His later life is connected with the Yadu/Yadava lineage and the political affairs of western India.
Krishna’s childhood and later life are presented very differently in the scriptures.
The early stories emphasize his pastoral life in Vraja, whereas the later narratives increasingly portray him as a political leader, strategist, diplomat and warrior.
Krishna & the Mahabharata
Krishna was a key figure in the Mahabharata.
His role extended far beyond that of a religious teacher: he acted as advisor, diplomat, strategist and charioteer.
Krishna served as Arjuna’s charioteer.
Before the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna chose Krishna’s services, while Krishna agreed to serve as his charioteer rather than personally fight.
Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
The Bhagavad Gita records Krishna’s dialogue with Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
The Bhagavad Gita contains 18 chapters.
The traditional text is organized into 18 chapters, containing Krishna’s teachings concerning duty, action, knowledge, devotion and liberation.
Krishna revealed his Vishvarupa to Arjuna.
In the Gita’s 11th chapter, Krishna reveals his universal or cosmic form to Arjuna.
Krishna advised Arjuna about dharma.
A central teaching of the Gita is that Arjuna must understand his duty (dharma) and act without selfish attachment to the fruits of action.
Krishna is not merely a warrior in the Mahabharata.
His most important contribution to the Pandavas often came through strategy, diplomacy and counsel, rather than direct combat.
Krishna attempted diplomacy before the Kurukshetra War.
The Mahabharata describes Krishna undertaking a diplomatic mission to seek a peaceful settlement between the Pandavas and Kauravas.
Dwarka & Krishna’s Family
Krishna became closely associated with Dwarka.
After the Mathura episodes, Krishna’s later kingdom is traditionally identified with Dwarka (Dvaraka) on India’s western coast.
Rukmini is traditionally regarded as Krishna’s principal queen.
The Bhagavata tradition identifies Rukmini as the foremost among Krishna’s principal queens.
Krishna is traditionally said to have eight principal queens.
The Srimad Bhagavatam specifically identifies eight principal queens, headed by Rukmini.
Krishna is traditionally said to have 16,108 wives.
This number appears in the Bhagavata tradition. Importantly, this is a scriptural religious account, not a claim independently established by modern historical evidence.
The Bhagavata tradition says Krishna manifested himself in multiple palaces.
The narrative describes Krishna being present simultaneously in the individual residences of his many queens. This is presented as a manifestation of his divine power.
Krishna’s son by Rukmini was Pradyumna.
Pradyumna is identified as the prominent son of Rukmini and Krishna.
Krishna’s son Samba was associated with Jambavati.
The Bhagavata genealogy lists Samba among the sons of Jambavati.
The Bhagavata tradition gives Krishna ten sons by each wife.
The Srimad Bhagavatam states that Krishna had ten sons by each of his wives, giving a very large traditional genealogical account.
Lesser-Known & Interesting Facts
Krishna is described as a member of the Yadu lineage.
His later family and political relationships are deeply connected with the Yadu dynasty, from which the term Yadava is derived.
Krishna’s relationship with Arjuna was both personal and political.
Arjuna was not simply Krishna’s student. The Mahabharata portrays them as close friends and allies, with Krishna repeatedly guiding Arjuna through major crises.
Krishna is called by many different names.
Among the best-known are Krishna, Govinda, Gopala, Madhava, Keshava, Vasudeva, Janardana and Damodara. Different names emphasize different aspects of his personality, relationships or deeds.
Some facts about Lord Krishna
* Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu.
* Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura.
* Kansa was Krishna’s maternal uncle.
* Vasudeva carried baby Krishna from Mathura to Gokula.
* Nanda and Yashoda raised Krishna in Gokula.
* Balarama was the elder brother of Krishna.
* Krishna spent his childhood in the region of Vraja.
* Krishna worked as a cowherd during his childhood.
* Krishna is famous for playing the flute.
* Krishna loved butter and is famous for his butter-stealing stories.
* Krishna killed the demoness Putana when he was a child.
* Krishna killed the demon Trinavarta.
* Krishna defeated the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna River.
* Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill to protect the people of Vraja.
* Krishna held Govardhana Hill for seven days.
* Krishna went from Vraja to Mathura when he grew older.
* Krishna killed Kansa and ended his rule in Mathura.
* Krishna became a powerful leader of the Yadava clan.
* Dwarka became the main city of Krishna during his later life.
* Krishna played an important role in the Mahabharata.
* Krishna became Arjuna’s charioteer during the Kurukshetra War.
* Krishna did not fight in the Kurukshetra War with a weapon.
* Krishna gave the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
* The Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters.
* Krishna showed his Vishvarupa, or universal form, to Arjuna.
* Krishna taught Arjuna about duty, action, devotion and knowledge.
* Krishna went to Hastinapura as a peace messenger before the Kurukshetra War.
* Arjuna and Krishna were close friends.
* Rukmini was the principal queen of Krishna.
* Krishna had eight principal queens.
* Pradyumna was the son of Krishna and Rukmini.
* Samba was the son of Krishna and Jambavati.
* Krishna had 16,108 wives.
* Krishna is also known by names such as Govinda, Gopala, Madhava and Keshava.
* Gopala means the protector of cows and is a name of Krishna.
* Krishna is one of the most important deities in Vaishnavism.
* Janmashtami is celebrated as the birth festival of Krishna.
* Krishna has greatly influenced Indian literature, music, dance, painting and religious traditions.