Krishna - Historical or mythological?

[Muffled]

Did not Krishna have a lot in common with Jesus?

I do not believe so.

 

[Muffled]

Krishna and Moses were both born physically. God connected with them. Rest neither u know nor me.

I believe we can judge everyone by their words.

 

[Muffled]

Don't know about bahai. The Spirit descended into a human. Whether before incarnation, or whether 100 percent, neither matters nor can be known.

I believe it is not a descending. It is a different form but the person remains the same. The Baháʼu'lláh's words do not square with the words of God.

 

[metis]

Just for the record, I checked "I don't know" because I don't know.

 

[River Sea]

I believe it is not a descending. It is a different form but the person remains the same. The Baháʼu'lláh's words do not square with the words of God.

What are the words of God?

 

[joelr]

I do not believe so.

There are some although the stories are not directly influenced. There are many Krishna stories in different versions of Hinduism.

Nick Gier, Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho

There are many striking and instructive similarities between Krishna and Christ. Both were miraculously conceived; both had royal genealogies; both were threatened with death by a wicked ruler. Krishna and Christ were human incarnations of a triune God; both were tempted by demons; both worked miracles; both transfigured themselves (see image at left); and both predicted their own deaths. For more read "The Savior Archetype" here.
Krishna and Christ rose from death and ascended into heaven. Christ died a gruesome death on a cross, while Krishna died, Achilles-like, by an arrow to his heel (left). Both Christianity and the religion of Krishna are theologies of grace. Krishna's favor, however, appears to go further than Christ's. In his battle with demons, Krishna dispatches them to heaven after killing them. The hunter who accidentally kills Krishna is also forgiven all of his karmic debt.
Krishna is the eighth incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu, who, according to Hindu belief, has come in every cosmic age to save humankind from its sin and folly. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with India's Buddhists, Hindus decided that Vishnu's ninth incarnation was Lord Buddha, whom the Hindu Gandhi called the greatest ever teacher of non-violence.
In stark contrast, Vishnu's tenth and final incarnation has striking similarities with Christ's second coming. Hindus believe, and appear to have substantial evidence for it, that our age is particularly violent and sinful, and this means that a great warrior savior, his name is Kalki, will come astride a white horse to slay all unbelievers with his mighty sword.


The similarities I have noticed is a Hindu friend considered Krishna to be her personal deity, he guided her life, answered prayer with "feelings", similar to how Christians I have known speak of the relationship with Jesus. He is a personal deity for having a personal "relationship" with.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Did not Krishna have a lot in common with Jesus?

He did not.

 

[River Sea]

Bhagavad-gita Chant Series - Complete Version

 

[Jainarayan]

Unlike Egyptian, etc, we do know how Vedic Sanskrit sounds. The ancient Vedic priests developed pada patha or fidelity models to preserve the chants. The tradition of chanting has survived to this day through an unbroken chain. They were so effective that when European scholars took interest in Indian literature, they were astonished that the chanting of the Rig Veda in different parts of the country was almost identical, though they have been apart for long periods of time.

However, the meanings of several of these words are lost. The archaic form of Sanskrit (closer ties to ancient Persian) used in the Rig Veda is different from Vedic Sanskrit used in later Vedas, which again is different from classical post-Panian sanskrit.

As early as in ~800 BC, Yaska, the author of the Nirukta observed that people were chanting the Veda without understanding the meaning. There was more emphasis on chanting correctly vs. understanding. Not unlike, classical Indian singers who are very focused on getting the Raga right when singing the Bhaja Govindam, but have little to no interest in the meaning.

Actually you are right because most of what is chanted liturgically is largely Vedic Sanskrit. And we know that is passed faithfully from guru to student. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Jainarayan]

I believe Krishna only qualifies as a religious philosopher as does the Baháʼu'lláh.

I don’t care what you believe anymore than you care I believe Yahweh is an asura or rakshasa running amok, and Vishnu, who is Krishna and the Lord of the Universe in our beliefs, is biding his time before he kicks the stuffing out of Yahweh.

So …y’know?

But y’see, this is where religious conflicts come in because Christians are intolerant and disrespectful of other religions, and why so many are disliked. I am one of those persons who, as a former Christian, has a deep abiding dislike and distrust of many Christians.

 

[Jainarayan]

Did not Krishna have a lot in common with Jesus?

The other way around… The Jesus story was lifted from Krishna’s story, lock, stock and barrel… prophecies, birth and hiding the newborn, warnings from celestial beings, evil kings trying to kill the god-child, evil kings slaughtering innocent young children, the young god-man making lame beggars walk, showing his divine form to disciples, similar teachings. All with Jesus following Krishna by at least 1,100 years.

 

[Muffled]

What are the words of God?

I believe those are the words spoken to prophets, by angels and by Jesus.

 

[Muffled]

I don’t care what you believe anymore than you care I believe Yahweh is an asura or rakshasa running amok, and Vishnu, who is Krishna and the Lord of the Universe in our beliefs, is biding his time before he kicks the stuffing out of Yahweh.

So …y’know?

But y’see, this is where religious conflicts come in because Christians are intolerant and disrespectful of other religions, and why so many are disliked. I am one of those persons who, as a former Christian, has a deep abiding dislike and distrust of many Christians.

I believe that is a moral problem.

I do care that you should be so confused as to hold those beliefs.

I believe God is intolerant of evil but that is most unlikely in most religions. I find falsehood intolerable and God doesn't like that either. I respect people who are rational and reasonable and care about other people.

I do not believe one should equate former experiences as the last word in Christianity.

 

[Jainarayan]

I believe that is a moral problem.

I do care that you should be so confused as to hold those beliefs.

I believe God is intolerant of evil but that is most unlikely in most religions. I find falsehood intolerable and God doesn't like that either. I respect people who are rational and reasonable and care about other people.

I do not believe one should equate former experiences as the last word in Christianity.

I find your entire response offensive and insulting, but it typical of your writing and responses that constantly denigrate Hinduism. I’ll have no more to do with you.

 

[Bharat Jhunjhunwala]

There are some although the stories are not directly influenced. There are many Krishna stories in different versions of Hinduism.

Nick Gier, Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho

There are many striking and instructive similarities between Krishna and Christ. Both were miraculously conceived; both had royal genealogies; both were threatened with death by a wicked ruler. Krishna and Christ were human incarnations of a triune God; both were tempted by demons; both worked miracles; both transfigured themselves (see image at left); and both predicted their own deaths. For more read "The Savior Archetype" here.
Krishna and Christ rose from death and ascended into heaven. Christ died a gruesome death on a cross, while Krishna died, Achilles-like, by an arrow to his heel (left). Both Christianity and the religion of Krishna are theologies of grace. Krishna's favor, however, appears to go further than Christ's. In his battle with demons, Krishna dispatches them to heaven after killing them. The hunter who accidentally kills Krishna is also forgiven all of his karmic debt.
Krishna is the eighth incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu, who, according to Hindu belief, has come in every cosmic age to save humankind from its sin and folly. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with India's Buddhists, Hindus decided that Vishnu's ninth incarnation was Lord Buddha, whom the Hindu Gandhi called the greatest ever teacher of non-violence.
In stark contrast, Vishnu's tenth and final incarnation has striking similarities with Christ's second coming. Hindus believe, and appear to have substantial evidence for it, that our age is particularly violent and sinful, and this means that a great warrior savior, his name is Kalki, will come astride a white horse to slay all unbelievers with his mighty sword.


The similarities I have noticed is a Hindu friend considered Krishna to be her personal deity, he guided her life, answered prayer with "feelings", similar to how Christians I have known speak of the relationship with Jesus. He is a personal deity for having a personal "relationship" with.

Yes but the time, geography, names of ancestors and ethnographic evidence does not match. These get resolved if Moses was krishna.

 

[joelr]

Yes but the time, geography, names of ancestors and ethnographic evidence does not match. These get resolved if Moses was krishna.

Genesis was influenced by Mesopotamian myths but there isn't any connection with Hinduism. There may be some connection between Hinduism and Persian thought, but Zoroastrianism is similar to Christianity rather than Hinduism.

 

[Bharat Jhunjhunwala]

Genesis was influenced by Mesopotamian myths but there isn't any connection with Hinduism. There may be some connection between Hinduism and Persian thought, but Zoroastrianism is similar to Christianity rather than Hinduism.

At least these majestic narratives of genesis match word by word with india. 1.four rivers from a mount are found in pushkar. 2. Pishon is pisangan. 3 hiddekel is dai. 4. Brahmas body split into male and female. Not in near east.

 

[Muffled]

I find your entire response offensive and insulting, but it typical of your writing and responses that constantly denigrate Hinduism. I’ll have no more to do with you.

I suppose HInduism can't be so great if you are not willing to defend it. I and God get insulted all the time but we are quick to defend our beliefs and actions.

 

[Muffled]

Genesis was influenced by Mesopotamian myths but there isn't any connection with Hinduism. There may be some connection between Hinduism and Persian thought, but Zoroastrianism is similar to Christianity rather than Hinduism.

I believe there is no evidence that Genesis was influenced by Mesopotamian myths. However it is possible for two different entities to talk about the same events with perhaps different perspectives.

 

[lukethethird]

Krishna is regarded by many Hindus as one of the most important deities in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of the God Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is the God of compassion, tenderness, love and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities.

Was He a real historic character or are the accounts of His life in Hindu sacred scriptures wholly mythical?

According to Wikipedia:

According to Guy Beck, "most scholars of Hinduism and Indian history accept the historicity of Krishna—that he was a real male person, whether human or divine, who lived on Indian soil by at least 1000 BCE and interacted with many other historical persons within the cycles of the epic and puranic histories." Yet, Beck also notes that there is an "enormous number of contradictions and discrepancies surrounding the chronology of Krishna's life as depicted in the Sanskrit canon."[140]

Lanvanya Vemsani states that Krishna can be inferred to have lived between 3227 BCE – 3102 BCE from the Puranas.[141] A number of scholars, such as A. K. Bansal, B. V. Raman places Krishna's birth year as 3228 BCE.[142][143] A paper[which?] presented in a conference in 2004 by a group of archaeologists, religious scholars and astronomers from Somnath Trust of Gujarat, which was organised at Prabhas Patan, the supposed location of the where Krishna spent his last moments, fixes the death of Sri Krishna on 18 February 3102 BC at the age of 125 years and 7 months.

Krishna - Wikipedia

Is there reasonable evidence to conclude Krishna was a real person or merely wishful thinking on the part of some Hindu scholars?

I remain skeptical of a list of so called religious founders, not only of Krishna, but just about any a person can name. Legends abound but facts are scarce.