Vishnu and Krishna are two Hindu deities that are often considered to be one and the same, but with a few differences. Vishnu is one of the three principal deities in Hinduism, along with Brahma and Siva, and is known as the protector. Krishna, on the other hand, is an incarnation of Vishnu and is one of his ten avatars taken in different ages to safeguard righteousness and destroy evil.
Key Takeaways
- Vishnu is one of the three principal deities in Hinduism, while Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu.
- Vishnu was not born from any womb, but Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva.
- Vishnu resides in the milky ocean, while Krishna dwelled in Dwaraka.
Vishnu’s consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, who has eight forms. Krishna has eight wives and is known as the singer of the celestial song, the Bhagavad Gita. While Vishnu resides in the milky ocean, Krishna has Dwaraka as his abode. Vishnu is not said to have been born of parents, but Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva and later nourished by Yasoda and Nandagopa.
Vishnu is known for taking most of his incarnations to kill demons and the wicked. For example, when he was born as Rama, he killed Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka. When he was born as Krishna, he killed Sisupala and Narakasura. In contrast, Krishna was a cowherd who killed several demons even as a child, including Putana, Sakatasura, Bakasura, and Kamsa.
In summary, the main differences between Vishnu and Krishna are that Vishnu is one of the three principal deities in Hinduism, while Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu; Vishnu was not born of any womb, whereas Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva; and Vishnu resides in the milky ocean, whereas Krishna dwelled in Dwaraka. Additionally, Vishnu is the protector of the universe, while Krishna sang the celestial song, the Bhagavad Gita.
