The Hindu god Krishna is a central figure in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, where he serves as a key participant in its narrative of war, duty, and societal transition. Identified as the human avatar of the god Vishnu, Krishna appears in multiple roles, including counselor, warrior, diplomat, and teacher, influencing the outcomes for the Pandavas and Kauravas, the epic’s rival factions. His involvement highlights themes of righteousness (dharma) and the shift from the Dvapara Yuga to the Kali Yuga, a period associated with moral decline in Hindu cosmology.
Krishna, born to Vrishni clan, enters the epic with a background of notable deeds, such as the killing of Kamsa and the founding of Dvaraka. As a cousin to the Pandavas through his aunt Kunti, and a close associate of Arjuna, Krishna engages with the epic’s characters on both personal and strategic levels, often using diplomacy or divine intervention to support dharma. His absence during events like the dice game and his active participation in moments like Bhishma’s defeat illustrate a complex involvement in the narrative.
The Mahabharata portrays Krishna as a figure whose actions span familial ties and cosmic responsibilities. His relationship with the Pandavas begins early and intensifies through the war, while his divine identity as Vishnu, recognized by figures like Vyasa and revealed to Arjuna, shapes his broader significance.
Epithets According to scholar Vettam Mani, the following names and epithets are used for Kṛṣṇa in the Mahābhārata:
Background
Krishna’s background prior to the Mahabharata’s main events is referenced in the epic and detailed in related texts, particularly the appendix Harivamsha, establishing his identity and capabilities before his involvement with the Pandavas and Kauravas. He is born in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva, as their eighth child. A prophecy predicts that Devaki’s eighth son will kill Kamsa, her brother and the usurping king of Mathura, leading Kamsa to imprison the couple and kill their first seven children at birth. Krishna’s birth occurs under divine circumstances: Vishnu takes form as Krishna, and Vasudeva, aided by supernatural means, carries the newborn across the Yamuna River to Gokul on the night of his birth, exchanging him with the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda, cowherds who raise Krishna. Krishna grows up in Vrindavan among the Gopas and Gopis, a pastoral community, where he performs a series of acts documented in the Mahabharata and elaborated in texts like the Harivamsa. He defeats several demons and performs miracles like the lifting of Mount Govardhana. Later, Krishna returns to Mathura, confronts Kamsa in a public arena, and kills him, restoring Ugrasena, Kamsa’s father to the throne. Following this, Krishna relocates the Yadavas to Dvaraka, a fortified coastal city he establishes, where he rules alongside his wife Rukmini and other consorts.
This pre-epic history provides context for Krishna’s role in the Mahabharata. His Yadava lineage connects him to the Pandavas, as Kunti, their mother, is his father Vasudeva’s sister, making him their cousin. His reputation as the slayer of Kamsa and ruler of Dvaraka precedes his interactions with the epic’s characters, lending weight to his later counsel and actions. Additionally, his divine status as Vishnu, acknowledged by the sage Vyasa within the narrative and confirmed through revelations to Arjuna, informs his contributions to the Mahabharata’s events. Beyond family ties, Arjuna and Krishna are also rebirth of divine pair Nara and Narayana respectively. These origins establish Krishna as a figure with both human ties and a divine mission, setting the stage for his extensive involvement in the epic’s conflicts and resolutions.
Introduction
Krishna’s involvement with the Pandavas, the five brothers central to the Mahabharata, as well as his formal entry into the epic's narrative begins formally during the svayamvara (marriage selection ceremony) of Draupadi, a key event narrated in the Adiparvan. Krishna, accompanied by his brother Balarama, attends as a guest among various kings and princes gathered in the kingdom of Panchala. Unlike the other guests, the brothers don't participate in the tournament and instead witness the event as spectators. During the ceremony, Arjuna, disguised as a Brahmin, successfully completes the archery challenge to win Draupadi’s hand by striking a target, an act Krishna observes and acknowledges. Krishna identifies Arjuna as one of the Pandavas and supports his claim to Draupadi, marking the start of a significant alliance between Krishna and the brothers. This connection is reinforced by Krishna’s familial tie to the Pandavas, as their mother Kunti is the sister of Krishna’s father, Vasudeva, making him their cousin.
Early alliance with the Pandavas
Indraprastha and Rajasuya Krishna is actively involved in several key events following Draupadi's Svayamvara. He stays with the Pandavas for a time after their marriage and plays a role in their acceptance of half the Kuru kingdom, leading them to Khandavaprastha and assisting, along with Vyasa, in transforming it into Indraprastha. Later, during Arjuna's visit to Dvaraka, Krishna secures the marriage between his sister, Subhadra, and Arjuna and participates in the birth ceremonies of their son, Abhimanyu. During his stay, Krishna witnesses the burning of the Khandava forest and requests the Asura Maya to construct a magnificent hall for the Pandavas, a structure that later humiliates Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava, and fuels his envy.
Krishna is also consulted by Yudhisthira regarding the Rajasuya sacrifice, which he supports. Before the ritual, he aids in eliminating King Jarasandha, Yudhisthira’s main rival, and later prevents disruptions by killing Shishupala. During the Rajasuya, Krishna was offered the first honors, leading to a confrontation. Figures like Bhishma defend Krishna, citing various gunas (qualities) he possesses. Shishupala insults Krishna repeatedly, and after enduring a set number of offenses—specified in the narrative as one hundred, based on a prior promise to Shishupala’s mother—Krishna uses his Sudarshana Chakra, a discus-like weapon, to behead Shishupala. This act resolves the conflict, allowing the Rajasuya to proceed and Yudhishthira to be recognized as emperor.
Game of Dice
However, after the successful Rajasuya, Krishna returns home and is absent during the critical dice games that lead to the Pandavas’ downfall. Some scholars, such as Walter Ruben, interpret his absence as evidence that the original narrative may not have included Krishna. Duryodhana invites Yudhishthira to a gambling match orchestrated by Shakuni, Duryodhana’s uncle, who uses loaded dice to ensure victory. The Pandavas lose their wealth, kingdom, and eventually Draupadi, who is staked and summoned to the assembly. At the time, Krishna is engaged in a battle against the king Salva and thus not physically present, but a well-known tradition depicts Krishna appearing during the dice game when Draupadi, in distress over Dushasana’s attempt to disrobe her, calls on him for help. Though physically absent, Krishna miraculously provides an endless stream of cloth to protect her honor, a divine intervention that underscores his role as her protector. This episode appears in multiple versions of the text (see Critical Edition notes). However, Franklin Edgerton’s research on the Sabhaparvan Critical Edition confirms that this account is an interpolation.
Forest visits Krishna’s absence during the dice game is later addressed during his first visit to the Pandavas at the start of their exile in the forest, as described in the Vanaparvan. By this point, the Pandavas have already received visits from Vidura and Maitreya, whose discourses provide moral lessons rather than advancing the epic’s main events. Krishna visits twice more, with the third visit being an interpolation. Unlike previous visitors, Krishna does not deliver moral tales; instead, his visit directly relates to the events of the Sabhaparvan and their aftermath. The primary purpose of this visit is to reaffirm his bond with the Pandavas after his absence during their humiliation. Through conversations with Yudhisthira, Arjuna, and Draupadi, Krishna reinforces his allegiance. He reassures Yudhisthira, promising future consecration and vengeance against their enemies. Arjuna, in turn, calms Krishna’s anger by recalling their divine identities as Nara and Narayana.
The most significant exchange occurs between Krishna and Draupadi, with their relation established that of friendship (sakha-sakhi). Krishna and Draupadi’s exchange highlights their mythological identities. Draupadi acknowledges her husbands as Indra’s equals and Krishna as Vishnu, the sacrificer and the sacrifice itself. She questions how, despite her divine associations, she could suffer such humiliation. Krishna responds by assuring her that the wives of her enemies will also grieve as their husbands fall in battle. He vows to restore her status, declaring that she will be the queen of kings and that his word is unbreakable. Symbolically, Draupadi, as Śrī (Prosperity), embodies royal fortune and is also considered the consort of Vishnu. A later interpolation reinterprets Draupadi as the incarnation of Indra's wife, Shachi, allowing Śrī to be associated instead with Krishna’s wife, Rukmini.
In his second visit, Krishna is accompanied by his third wife, Satyabhama, while in the third interpolated one, he saves the Pandavas from the fury of the sage Durvasa.
Diplomacy and peace mission
As the Pandavas complete their thirteen-year exile and demand their kingdom, Krishna emerges as a diplomat to avert the looming war. After the Pandavas successfully complete their year of concealment at King Virata’s court, Krishna brings Subhadra and Abhimanyu to join them and attends Abhimanyu’s wedding to Uttara. This visit extends into the Udyogaparvan, the book of war preparations.
At Upaplavya, Krishna advises the Pandavas to demand that Duryodhana honor the dice game’s terms and return Yudhisthira’s half of the kingdom. Before departing for Dvaraka, Krishna emphasizes his supposed neutrality, stating that he wishes well for both sides while they remain occupied with each other. However, he also warns that if Duryodhana refuses, the Pandavas should summon him and other allies. Aware that Duryodhana will also seek support, the Pandavas move quickly. Both sides send envoys to Krishna—Duryodhana for the Kauravas and Arjuna for the Pandavas. They arrive while Krishna is asleep: Duryodhana sits near his head, while Arjuna stands humbly at his feet. Upon waking, Krishna sees Arjuna first. Duryodhana claims priority for arriving first, citing a principle that favors early requests. Krishna acknowledges this but counters that Arjuna, being younger, has the first choice. Krishna then offers a decision: either a massive force of his Narayana troops or Krishna himself, unarmed and not fighting. Arjuna immediately chooses Krishna, while Duryodhana, delighted, takes the army. After Duryodhana departs, Krishna agrees to be Arjuna’s charioteer, marking a pivotal moment in the war’s buildup. Krishna is the last of three envoys seeking peace between the Kauravas and Pandavas, though he expects war. As he tells Yudhisthira (Udyogaparvan), his mission is to demonstrate Yudhisthira’s virtue and expose Duryodhana’s transgressions, persuading both the assembled kings and the broader public. While advocating for peace, he intends to observe the enemy’s stance, all the while anticipating conflict.