Is there any scriptural reference for Krishna being Black?

[Philomath]

I've searched but found nothing

 

[Chakra]

Oh, he's black alright.

I'll give you the references soon. AFAIK, it is mentioned in Bhagavata Purana. Also, many saints have called him black (syama). But I will give you the references.

 

[Philomath]

Oh, he's black alright.

I'll give you the references soon. AFAIK, it is mentioned in Bhagavata Purana. Also, many saints have called him black (syama). But I will give you the references.

Thanks

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

While I can't offer a specific scriptural reference some of the confusion over Krishna's skin tone comes from a difference in interpretation (I think). I have heard him described as dark like a "storm cloud", or black as a lotus, or even blue as a lotus. (Neither of which I've ever seen -time for a google search!)

:camp:

 

[Stormcry]

In Mahabharata, Shri Krishna is described as green as well.... He's green color and that's why he is called as 'Hari'...

 

[Stormcry]

Krishna is most believed to be dark and scriptures too say the same.

Scriptural Reference:

In 1st canto of Bhagavata Purana Bhisma praises krishna at the time of death - " त्रिभवनकमनं तमालवर्णं कृष्णं "

In Sanskrit,Tamal means -

1) Dark barked of Tamala-Indian-tree or

2) Dark Tobacco

So he's dark like tobacco ....You should have seen the dark cloud ..That's it

 

[Madhuri]

In Mahabharata, Shri Krishna is described as green as well.... He's green color and that's why he is called as 'Hari'...

Doesn't it mean golden or yellow?
So many of these word have multiple meanings. So confusing

 

[Chakra]

Doesn't it mean golden or yellow?
So many of these word have multiple meanings. So confusing

It can mean green as well.
However, saying Krishna was green is a bit of a stretch imo. Could you give us the Mahabharata verse HLK?

 

[Poeticus]

Random Factoid:

Lord Krishna taught Sunny Deol and Keanu Reeves how to do Martial Garba.

- - - - - - - -

In all honesty, the color of a god is irrelevant. The fact that it matters to humans is quite troubling. I doubt the Gomata-s at Vrindavan's Goshala care about the color of such a Lord. Instead, they are called by the serene sounds of his flute. How humbling that is, no ?

 

[ShivaFan]

Yes, there are descriptions of Krishna's color (scripture etc).

But these are descriptions, but IMHO you cannot describe Krishna's color, you can only experience it. It is undescribable. Electric.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"Harati iti Hari"
One who steals the heart is Hari (the stealer).
Other meaning: One who takes away Atma at the end of life is Hari.
Not just Krishna but all popular Hindu Gods are dark, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna. Among the Goddesses, Parvati and Kali are dark.
GhanaShyam, Krishna, Shyam. Don't know about Shiva. Brahma is fair.
Possibly indigenous/Aryan divide.

 

[DeviChaaya]

Shiva is described as fair in the Shiva Purana. He is often depicted as blue, like Visnu/Krishna because he is smeared in the blue tinged ashes of renunciation/the funeral pyre. I believe he becomes dark when he takes the form of Bhairava however?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Some Goddesses are described as being gold or fair skinned too.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.5.27

"Dvāpare bhagavāñ śyāmah, pīta-vāsā nijāyudhah;
śrīvatsādibhir ańkaiś ca, lakshanair upalak****ah."

dvāpare — in Dvāpara-yuga; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; śyāmaḥ — dark blue; pīta-vāsāḥ — wearing a yellow garment; nija-āyudhaḥ — having His own particular weapons (the disc, club, conchshell and lotus flower); śrīvatsa-ādibhiḥ — by Śrīvatsa and others; ańkaiḥ — bodily marks; ca — and; lakṣaṇaiḥ — by ornaments; upalakṣitaḥ — characterized.

In Dvāpara-yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears with a dark blue complexion, wearing yellow garments. The Lord's transcendental body is marked in this incarnation with Śrīvatsa and other distinctive ornaments, and He manifests His personal weapons.
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 5 Verse 27

 

[Stormcry]

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.5.27

"Dvāpare bhagavāñ śyāmah, pīta-vāsā nijāyudhah;
śrīvatsādibhir ańkaiś ca, lakshanair upalak****ah."

dvāpare — in Dvāpara-yuga; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; śyāmaḥ — dark blue; pīta-vāsāḥ — wearing a yellow garment; nija-āyudhaḥ — having His own particular weapons (the disc, club, conchshell and lotus flower); śrīvatsa-ādibhiḥ — by Śrīvatsa and others; ańkaiḥ — bodily marks; ca — and; lakṣaṇaiḥ — by ornaments; upalakṣitaḥ — characterized.

In Dvāpara-yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears with a dark blue complexion, wearing yellow garments. The Lord's transcendental body is marked in this incarnation with Śrīvatsa and other distinctive ornaments, and He manifests His personal weapons.
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 5 Verse 27

Shyama doesn't mean 'dark Blue'....

 

[Philomath]

Thanks for the answers