BOOKS IN KANNADA ON KRISHNA

One of the prominent deities in India, Lord Krishna is widely revered in the country with multiple temples, artworks, and literary pieces made in his devotion. He is worshiped across the country as the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu, but he is still considered a Supreme deity in his own right. He is attributed to protection, kindness, benevolence, and love. The main sacred texts that mention Lord Krishna are the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, and other Hindu metaphysical, religious, and mythological texts. 

Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita

Krishna plays a significant role in the Bhagavad Gita as one of the main characters. His role is to be an advisor to Arjuna before the Kurukshetra War that takes place between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Pandavas' army is led by Prince Arjuna. Sri Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu who has chosen to take on earthly form in The Bhagavad Gita, drives his chariot. Krishna has been Arjuna's companion and counselor his entire life, but he is unable to carry the burden of fighting the war. Arjuna's dharma—his responsibility and destiny—is to be the leader of the battalion. Krishna is just there to help. Krishna elaborates that things that are only momentary should not be deemed true. Suffering and joy, heat and cold, even the meaning of earthly existence is all fleeting. Likewise, the men Arjuna will combat aren't real; their true selves are immortal and unchanging. People who realize the distinction between reality and illusion will stay calm in any circumstance, unphased by positive or negative times. These individuals have made significant strides toward breaking the cycle of rebirth.  Even if Arjuna is unable to distinguish the concepts of transient bodies from the real souls that reside in these individuals at this time, Krishna remarks that the cycle of birth occurs to everyone. These men will die regardless of whether Arjuna ends up killing them or not, and there is no point in lamenting fate.

Krishna in the Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata, Krishna assumes the role of both a political reformer as well as a philosopher. He is revered as the deity who assists the Pandavas all across the narrative. He enables them to acknowledge their dharma as leaders and warriors in the war, and continuously assures them that any brutal act they are afraid of is authorized by devotion. In the "Bhagavad Gita," which is a part of the Mahabharata, his monologue to Arjuna on dharma and initiative, has been acknowledged as a pivotal thought in Hindu traditions along with the traditional Vedic passages.

Krishna in the Brahma Vaivarta

This Purana is particularly noteworthy for recognising Krishna as the ultimate reality and declaring that all deities, including Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Ganesha, are all the same, and exist as manifestations of Krishna. The title of the passage, 'Brahmavaivarta', translates as "transformation of Brahman," who is revealed as Krishna in the content of the Brahmavaivarta. The Brahman as Krishna is not only the maker of the universe but the universe itself, according to this Purana. This Purana depicts the emergence and structure of the universe through the tale of Radha and Krishna.

Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana

Regarded as one of the greatest Puranas, the Bhagavata Purana, otherwise known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, is known for promoting the bhakti (devotion) of Krishna. The Bhagavata Purana, like many other Puranas, illustrates theories about the universe, astrophysics, chronology, geographical features, folklore, music, dance, yoga, and society. The dark forces have won a war between the compassionate devas (deities) and the villainous asuras (demons) and now govern the universe, as the story starts. Truth reappears as Krishna (also known as "Hari" and "Vasudeva" in the text) initially makes a deal with the demons, then comprehends and innovatively annihilates them, restoring optimism, fairness, liberty, and contentment - a cyclic motif that emerges in many mythological tales.

FAQ’s: 

Q1. What is the common representation of Krishna in Hindu traditions? 

The most popular depiction is of Krishna playing the flute, encircled by enthralled gopis, cowherds' wives and daughters. Alternatively, as a toddler,  Krishna is usually portrayed crawling on his hands and knees or dancing joyfully with a stick of butter in his palms.

Q2. What clan was Krishna born into? 

Krishna belongs to the Yadava clan. He was Vasudeva and Devaki's son. Devaki was the sister of Kamsa, the evil king of Mathura.