Mahabharata

by

Vyasa

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Krishna Character Analysis

Krishna is the mortal incarnation of the god Vishnu. He is one of the strongest and wisest characters in the poem. In the Kurukshetra War, he sides with the Pandavas, acting as Arjuna’s charioteer, but due to a promise he made before the war, he refuses to personally kill any Kauravas in battle. Krishna is an expert in dharma, and he delivers the majority of the Bhagavadgita, a discourse on morality that is arguably the most famous part of the whole epic poem. Despite his reputation for dharma, however, Krishna remains a mysterious character, at times advising the Pandavas to go against dharma for the greater good, like when he tells Bhima to use a dishonorable trick and hit Duryodhana in the leg during a club duel. Krishna represents an ideal way of living life, and the Mahabharata is just one of many depictions of this important figure in Hinduism.

Krishna Quotes in Mahabharata

The Mahabharata quotes below are all either spoken by Krishna or refer to Krishna . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Dharma Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5. Perseverance Quotes

When Kunti’s son the wealth-winner heard Krishna’s words, he chose Krishna Keśava, though he would not fight in battle.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna , Duryodhana , Krishna , Vishnu
Page Number: 295
Explanation and Analysis:

Anyone seeking pleasure and wealth should also practice dharma from the outset, for neither wealth nor pleasure is ever found away from dharma.

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana
Page Number: 322
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6. Bhishma Quotes

The blessed lord replied, ‘I am Time, the destroyer of worlds, fully developed, and I have set out here to bring the worlds to their end.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7. Drona Quotes

And he performed this last find and astonishing foe-slaying feat: at the time he was pierced in the heart by the Spear, he appeared, O king, huge as a cloud, or a mountain; then that Rakshasa prince fell headlong to earth from on high, body torn, limbs stilled, lifeless and speechless, but gigantic in form. Bhima’s son Ghatotkaca, doer of fearful deeds, fell with the terrifying, fearful form he had assumed; and thus even in death he smashed on whole section of your army, bringing terror to the Kauravas.

Related Characters: Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna , Krishna , Bhima , Karna, Abhimanyu , Ghatotkaca
Related Symbols: Celestial Weapons
Page Number: 469
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9. Salya Quotes

Bhima of fearful deeds brought down that club with an impact like that of a thunderbolt, and it smashed Duryodhana’s two handsome thighs.

Related Characters: Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana , Krishna , Bhima
Page Number: 553
Explanation and Analysis:

Seeing these most wonderful happenings, and the honour paid to Duryodhana, the Pandavas felt ashamed; they grieved mightily to hear it said that Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Buriśravas had been killed unfairly. But Krishna, seeing them anxious and downcast, proclaimed in a voice sounding like thunder or drums, ‘Duryodhana here with his swift weapons, and those other valiant chariot-fighters, could not have been slain by you on the battlefield in a fair fight. That is why I devised these stratagems, lords of men—otherwise the victory of the Pandavas could never have happened.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana , Bhishma , Drona, Karna
Page Number: 560
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10. The Night-Raid Quotes

‘Here is the jewel, and here am I.’

Related Characters: Aśvatthaman (speaker), Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Krishna , Bhima , Drona, Draupadi , Śiva
Page Number: 578
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11. The Women Quotes

‘Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra. You have not slain Bhima. This was an iron effigy, king that you laid low.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Duryodhana , Bhima , Dhritarashtra
Page Number: 584
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12. Tranquility Quotes

Bhishma agrees to expound his knowledge, but insists that it must be Yudhishthira who questions him. Krishna explains that Yudhishthira is filled with shame and fears Bhishma’s curse, but Bhishma insists that the killing even of relatives and elders is in accord with the Kshatriya dharma.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Krishna , Bhishma
Page Number: 606
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13. Instruction Quotes

Bhishma replies that nothing can grow if no seed is sown: one should practice austerities, give gifts, abstain from violence and live virtuously, for this is what will determine one’s future condition.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Krishna , Bhishma
Page Number: 701
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15. The Hermitage Quotes

So, like a cloud sating the earth with rain, King Dhritarashtra sated those priests with the torrents of wealth he showered upon them; and when all was done, that lord of the earth then deluged his guests of every class with downpours of food and drink.

Related Characters: Vyasa (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Duryodhana , Krishna , Dhritarashtra
Page Number: 738
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16. The Clubs Quotes

Thinking that he had committed a dreadful crime, he touched his head to Krishna’s feet in distress; but noble Krishna reassured him, even as he soared aloft, filling all heaven and earth with his glory.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Krishna , Vishnu , Balarama
Related Symbols: Snakes
Page Number: 763
Explanation and Analysis:
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Krishna Quotes in Mahabharata

The Mahabharata quotes below are all either spoken by Krishna or refer to Krishna . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Dharma Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5. Perseverance Quotes

When Kunti’s son the wealth-winner heard Krishna’s words, he chose Krishna Keśava, though he would not fight in battle.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna , Duryodhana , Krishna , Vishnu
Page Number: 295
Explanation and Analysis:

Anyone seeking pleasure and wealth should also practice dharma from the outset, for neither wealth nor pleasure is ever found away from dharma.

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana
Page Number: 322
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6. Bhishma Quotes

The blessed lord replied, ‘I am Time, the destroyer of worlds, fully developed, and I have set out here to bring the worlds to their end.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7. Drona Quotes

And he performed this last find and astonishing foe-slaying feat: at the time he was pierced in the heart by the Spear, he appeared, O king, huge as a cloud, or a mountain; then that Rakshasa prince fell headlong to earth from on high, body torn, limbs stilled, lifeless and speechless, but gigantic in form. Bhima’s son Ghatotkaca, doer of fearful deeds, fell with the terrifying, fearful form he had assumed; and thus even in death he smashed on whole section of your army, bringing terror to the Kauravas.

Related Characters: Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Arjuna , Krishna , Bhima , Karna, Abhimanyu , Ghatotkaca
Related Symbols: Celestial Weapons
Page Number: 469
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9. Salya Quotes

Bhima of fearful deeds brought down that club with an impact like that of a thunderbolt, and it smashed Duryodhana’s two handsome thighs.

Related Characters: Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana , Krishna , Bhima
Page Number: 553
Explanation and Analysis:

Seeing these most wonderful happenings, and the honour paid to Duryodhana, the Pandavas felt ashamed; they grieved mightily to hear it said that Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Buriśravas had been killed unfairly. But Krishna, seeing them anxious and downcast, proclaimed in a voice sounding like thunder or drums, ‘Duryodhana here with his swift weapons, and those other valiant chariot-fighters, could not have been slain by you on the battlefield in a fair fight. That is why I devised these stratagems, lords of men—otherwise the victory of the Pandavas could never have happened.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Duryodhana , Bhishma , Drona, Karna
Page Number: 560
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10. The Night-Raid Quotes

‘Here is the jewel, and here am I.’

Related Characters: Aśvatthaman (speaker), Samjaya (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Krishna , Bhima , Drona, Draupadi , Śiva
Page Number: 578
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11. The Women Quotes

‘Do not grieve, Dhritarashtra. You have not slain Bhima. This was an iron effigy, king that you laid low.’

Related Characters: Krishna (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Duryodhana , Bhima , Dhritarashtra
Page Number: 584
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12. Tranquility Quotes

Bhishma agrees to expound his knowledge, but insists that it must be Yudhishthira who questions him. Krishna explains that Yudhishthira is filled with shame and fears Bhishma’s curse, but Bhishma insists that the killing even of relatives and elders is in accord with the Kshatriya dharma.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Krishna , Bhishma
Page Number: 606
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13. Instruction Quotes

Bhishma replies that nothing can grow if no seed is sown: one should practice austerities, give gifts, abstain from violence and live virtuously, for this is what will determine one’s future condition.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Krishna , Bhishma
Page Number: 701
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15. The Hermitage Quotes

So, like a cloud sating the earth with rain, King Dhritarashtra sated those priests with the torrents of wealth he showered upon them; and when all was done, that lord of the earth then deluged his guests of every class with downpours of food and drink.

Related Characters: Vyasa (speaker), Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Yudhishthira , Duryodhana , Krishna , Dhritarashtra
Page Number: 738
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16. The Clubs Quotes

Thinking that he had committed a dreadful crime, he touched his head to Krishna’s feet in distress; but noble Krishna reassured him, even as he soared aloft, filling all heaven and earth with his glory.

Related Characters: Ugraśravas (speaker), Vaiśampayana (speaker), Krishna , Vishnu , Balarama
Related Symbols: Snakes
Page Number: 763
Explanation and Analysis: