Three Ways To Describe Krishna To Someone Who Has Never Heard Of Him

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

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अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“You take the time every day to explain, teach, and glorify Shri Krishna and the concept of devotion to Him. You also cover the various incarnations, the non-different expansions, like Shri Rama, Narasimha, Vishnu and the like. There is also the lives of the saints. I have heard it said that a person who remembers one of these saints while quitting the body, at the time of death, is assured of liberation.

“While I appreciate the effort, I wonder how you would get through to someone new. Not even a curious observer who happened to stumble upon the information. Not the inquisitive mind looking to go beyond what they already know about religion.

“Take someone who has no idea. They have never even considered Hinduism, Vedic literature, the traditions of India, or whatever you want to call it. How would you explain Krishna to them? How would you get them to take an interest?”

1. A concept with which everyone is already familiar

Krishna is synonymous with God. Not “your” God or “my” God. There can only be one. It is a position confidently established and confirmed through scientific principles. Vedic culture, which is a tradition that describes God to the best of man’s ability to understand, includes a verse from a work called the Bhagavata Purana.

The Supreme Lord there explains that He was around before anything. This is not a matter of faith. We know that there is a beginning to everything. The tree in the backyard has been standing for years, before we were born. Yet we know that a tree doesn’t appear magically, on its own. There has to be the birth process, here started with a seed.

सर्व-योनिषु कौन्तेय
मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद् योनिर्
अहं बीज-प्रदः पिता

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

Krishna is like the original seed of the creation. He provides the energy necessary for life as we know it to emerge. At the same time, He is prior to the time of the origin. This is generally described as infinity, and it is a concept impossible to fully grasp.

2. His original sound is preserved

Unlike what may be presented in other popular traditions of spirituality, the words of Krishna are preserved. The exact same sound vibrations uttered thousands of years ago are available to the interested parties today. It will remain that way into the future, as there is potency to that sound. It is known as shabda-brahman, or the way to connect with the Absolute Truth without a physical meeting.

The benefit is that speculation can be removed. We don’t have to rely on what someone else explains about God. We don’t have to believe the cheater who speculates that there is no ultimate authority and that every person is equally as Divine as everyone else. There is equality at the spiritual level, and at the same time there is a source of the innumerable spiritual beings.

The teacher is needed to explain the concepts appropriate to the time and circumstance, but the foundation is always the original sound. Works like Ramayana, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata Purana and others not only describe God, but they contain His direct words. What a wonderful benefit for mankind! They need not be in the dark. They have the best-friend to everyone available to them. He arrives as quickly as a mantra can be spoken: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

3. A befitting name for God

The name Krishna means “all-attractive.” It is entirely befitting of the original person. He is not old and mean. He can be so if the situation warrants, but in truth He is always without anxiety. That is why His spiritual abode is known as Vaikuntha. He is always playing, with nothing to do. He is in ananda, and there is no pressing engagement such as waking up to travel to the office.

In temples there are always decorations which actually increase in beauty due to being associated with Krishna. There is sweetness, madhurya, in the relationship, which is the way the interactions should be. No person should be scared into submission. The material world already presents enough dangers. No one should worship with the thought of possible retribution in mind.

As occurred in the conversation documented in the Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna or one of His representatives presents the teachings as they are. The choice is then up to the recipient. They can follow or they can ignore. As much further clarification as necessary is allowed. Bring every doubt to the table. Do not accept blindly. When you finally understand that Krishna is the entire universe and more, that He is everyone’s greatest well-wisher, then eternal happiness awaits.

In Closing:

Of Shri Krishna never heard,

Familiar with Vedas not a word.

How presenting teachings would,

So that properly understood?

Idea that with concepts already knowing,

And then some more clarity showing.

Connecting with that original sound,

Which to present passing down.