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śrī: Literally means auspicious, and is used as an honorific title before names. Can also refer to Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort, since her bija mantra is Shrim.

kṛṣhṇa: An avatar, or incarnation, of Vishnu, the preserver of the universe. He is the supreme being, the Atman, the inner soul, and is known for His radiant beauty, playful qualities, and transcendent flute playing.

govinda: A name for the youthful Krishna. Literally, the lord of the cows ("go").

hare: Variously interpreted. Can mean "hare" as the vocative form of Hari, a name of Vishnu (of whom Krishna is an avatar or incarnation); also sometimes "hare" is interpreted as a name of Radha.

murāre: Murari is a name for Krishna as the killer of the demon Mura.

he: Pronounced "Hey," similar to "Hey" in english, for addressing someone.

nātha: Another of Sanskrit's many ways to say "Lord."

nārāyaṇa: A name of Vishnu, Supreme God, as the preserver of the universe. Or, as the 'resting place for all living beings' ("nara" meaning living beings, or jivas).

vāsudeva: A name for Krishna, whose father was Vasudeva. Elongating the first "a" in sanskrit turns it into "the son of," meaning that "vāsudeva" is the "son of vasudeva."

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"Shri Krishna, dark as a rain-filled cloud, adorned with peacock feathers, wild flowers and a gunja bead necklace, graces the banks of the Yamuna River. When He applies His lips to the flute, melodious notes fill Vrindavan and enrapture the hearts of the love-smitten dairymaids, the Gopis. This Krishna, a herder of cows, the son of Yashoda, the butter-thief and the beloved of the Gopis, is the object, means and reward of these beloved chants."  ~ Shyamdas


"Shri Krishna, you're pure charisma,
Your flute playing is so intoxicating.
Singing your song down in Vrindavan,
Enchanting the Gopi's and all your devotees,
filling the hearts of all the Bhakti yogis.
In a trance you dance the divine romance
of the Rasa Lila with Radha Rani.
In the Bhagavad Gita you teach us Bhakti,
Your divine past times are so sublime,
they open the heart and reassure the mind..."  ~ MC Yogi


"The incarnation of Shri Krishna is the complete manifestation of the supreme Brahman, whose very nature is Consciousness. Hiding His real form behind the veil of His own maya, He played out many lilas or divine games. The Shrimad Bhagavata, which is a jewel among scriptures, contains an account of His supernatural powers and invokes that pure devotion which is the best way to attain Him."  ~ Swami Jayendra Sarasvati


"Krishna, whose name means 'black' or 'dark,' is worshipped across many traditions of Hinduism in a variety of different perspectives. Many Vaishnava groups recognize him as an avatar of Vishnu; other traditions consider Krishna to be the Supreme Being (svayam bhagavan) himself."  ~ wikipedia

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