Sri Krsna

Summary

The article presents a Jaina perspective on the life and significance of Sri Krsna (Krishna), a central figure in Hindu mythology. Drawing primarily from Jaina scriptures such as the Harivamsa and the Bhagavata, the author argues that Sri Krsna is not merely a deity but one of the nine Vasudevas, or universal heroes, who appear in every Jaina cosmic cycle. The narrative begins with his miraculous birth in Mathura and his upbringing among the cowherds of Gokula. Unlike the Puranic traditions that emphasise his divine status, the Jaina texts portray him as a mortal born with exceptional virtues and destined to play a pivotal role in the cosmic drama between Vasudevas and Prati‑Vasudevas. The article describes Krsna’s early feats, such as killing his wicked uncle Kamsa and subduing various tyrants, as acts that establish social order rather than displays of divine wrath. The author devotes considerable space to Krsna’s teachings on varṇa‑dharma from the Bhagavat Gītā, interpreting them through the lens of Jaina ethics. According to this view, one’s caste (varna) is not determined by birth but by guṇa (quality) and karma (actions). A Brahmin is one who cultivates wisdom and compassion, and even a Candala or Sudra can attain the highest spiritual status through ethical conduct. This egalitarian teaching is illustrated with stories of Vyasa, Vidura and Balarama, who in spite of humble origins achieve spiritual greatness. The article also examines Krsna’s domestic life, quoting his dialogue with his wife Rukmini in the Bhāgavata. Krsna confesses that he has become the enemy of mighty kings through his confrontations and that he seeks refuge in Dvaraka to avoid further bloodshed. He describes himself as poor, bereft of wealth and palace, and uninterested in ostentatious display. Through this confession the author underscores the Jaina ideal of detachment and humility. The article concludes with Krsna’s death scene from the Jaina Harivamsa: after the fratricidal war of the Yadavas, Krsna retires to the forest, where a hunter mistakes him for a deer and pierces his foot. At the moment of death he chants the Jaina Mahamantra, entrusts his body to his brother Balarama and attains the next rebirth. The author asserts that Sri Krsna embodies the highest virtues of the Vedic age: valour tempered by humility, advocacy of karma‑based social mobility, and reverence for the Jina. In the Jaina interpretation, he is not worshipped as a god but revered as a moral exemplar whose life illustrates the law of karma and the path of right conduct.