Krishna (Sanskrit: कृष्ण Kṛṣṇa in IAST, pronounced [ˈkr̩ʂɳə] (listen)), literally “black”) is the 8th incarnation of the supreme god Vishnu in Hinduism. The name Krishna appears as the 57th and 550th name of Lord Vishnu in Vishnu Sahasranama of the Mahabharata, and is likewise noted in the 24 Keshava Namas of Lord Vishnu which are recited and applauded at the start of all Vedic pujas. A puja is the ceremonial praise offered in Hinduism.
According to the Bhagavata Purana, which is a sattvic purana, [6] Krishna is termed as Svayam Bhagavan given that he was the purna-avatara or full incarnation of the supreme god Vishnu.
[7] [8] Krishna is frequently described and represented as an infant or young boy playing a flute as in the Bhagavata Purana, [9] or as a youthful prince offering direction and guidance as in the Bhagavad Gita. [10] The stories of Krishna appear throughout a broad spectrum of Hindu philosophical and theological customs.[11] They portray him in various perspectives: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero and the supreme being.
[12] The principal scriptures discussing Krishna’s story are the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Vishnu Purana.
Worship of the deity Krishna, either in the form of Vasudeva, Bala Krishna or Gopala, can be traced to as early as 4th century BC.[13][14] Worship of Krishna as svayam bhagavan, or the supreme being, known as Krishnaism, arose in the Middle Ages in the context of the bhakti movement. From the 10th century AD, Krishna became a favourite subject in performing arts and regional traditions of devotion developed for forms of Krishna such as Jagannatha in Odisha, Vithoba in Maharashtra and Shrinathji in Rajasthan.
Since the 1960s the worship of Krishna has also spread in the West, largely due to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
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