Concept in Definition ABC

The term Krishna must be placed in the coordinates of Hinduism, the religion majority of India in which there is not a single god but multiple divinities. Thus, Brahma is the creator of the universe, Vishnu is the one who sustains it and Krishna is one of the avatars or reincarnations of Vishnu. In the tradition of Hinduism Krishna can also refer to a historical character, as indicated in the Bhagavad-Gita, one of the sacred texts and at the same time historical with about 5000 years of history (it is an epic poem that would be equivalent to the Iliad and the Odyssey as a work that inspired the mythology Greek).

Different meanings

In any case, Krishna has a dimension divine and spiritual that presents several meanings depending on each religious tradition of Hinduism: 1) the Gaudiya Vaishnavites are the promoters of the movement Hare Krishna, who believe that the human soul has been in contact with the spirit of Krishna prior to earthly life, 2) the abhiras represent a version of Hinduism that conceives of Krishna as the protector of shepherds and cattle, 3) for other groups Krishna was a divinity who danced and seduced the women who kept the cattle and each of them believed of herself that she was the unique

love of Krishna.

The different versions of Krishna make sense in the context of Hinduism, since in this religion God is considered to be makes present in the world in multiple forms of divinity and, therefore, it is possible to worship any of the manifestations divine.

Despite the variety of interpretations, for Hinduism the figure of Krishna has one characteristic: he loves all beings equally, in such a way that each being is unique. Consequently, there is no chosen people as in Judaism or man is conceived as the center of creation in Christianity. From the perspective in Hinduism the idea of ​​God is associated with absolute reality. Believers are inspired by the divinities to fulfill their duty as individuals (personal duty is known as dharma).

At the same time, this implies accepting one's own responsibility of their acts, that is, karma (karma would be the set of actions, their acceptance and their connection with the universe). These beliefs make the followers of Hinduism uphold the idea of ​​reincarnation, just as the Hare Krishna hold, for whom the soul of living beings migrates from one body to another. In this process, the spiritual entity that inhabits us goes on a path of learning and self-knowledge.

Photos: iStock - VSanandhakrishna / vbel71

Themes in Krishna