Krishna

Compilations regarding[edit]

Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster and Related Subjects at https://bahai-library.com/compilation_buddha_krishna_zoroaster

Cause of illumination of world of humanity[edit]

"Blessed souls whether Moses, Jesus, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, or Muhammad were the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity. How can we deny such irrefutable proof? How can we be blind to such light?"

('Abdu'l-Bahá from a Tablet - translated from the Persian, in Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster and Related Subjects, no. 1)

His message is of love[edit]

"The Message of Krishna is the message of love. All God's prophets have brought the message of love...."

("Paris Talks: Addresses given by `Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912", 11th ed. (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979), p. 35; also in Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster and Related Subjects, no. 7)

Bahá'u'lláh was the reincarnation of Krishna and the "Most Great Spirit," the "Tenth Avatar," the "Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna" referred to in the Bhagavad-Gita[edit]

"...He [Bahá'u'lláh] was...to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna...

"...To Him the Bhagavad-Gita of the Hindus had referred as the "Most Great Spirit," the "Tenth Avatar," the "Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna.""

(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1987), pp. 94-95)

Prophets of nine religions include Krishna[edit]

"The nine religions to which you have referred include both the Bábí and the Bahá'í Dispensations, Bahá'u'lláh being the ninth Prophet in the series. The other Prophets included are Zoroaster, Krishna, Moses, the Christ, Muhammad, Buddha, the Prophet of the Sabaeans Whose name is unrecorded, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh..."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer - 13 July 1938, at https://bahai-library.com/compilation_buddha_krishna_zoroaster#14 )

While we can confidently state Krishna as a Manifestation of God, we should be cautious not to assert the historical accuracy of specific stories related about Him[edit]

"It can, therefore, be confidently stated that the teachings of the Faith name Krishna as a Manifestation of God. In light, however, of the other statements of the Guardian, in which he stresses the paucity of our information about the beginnings of Hinduism, we should be cautious not to assert the historical accuracy of specific stories related about Krishna. A similar case where allegorical statements and legends surround the figure of a known Manifestation of God is that of Adam."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at https://bahai-library.com/uhj_krishna_qayyum-asma )

Scriptures[edit]

Cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Krishna[edit]

"We cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Buddha and Krishna, so we certainly cannot draw any conclusions about virgin births mentioned in them. There is no reference to this subject in our teachings, so the Guardian cannot pronounce an opinion.

(November 25, 1950, to an individual believer, taken from a compilation of extracts from letters written on behalf of the Guardian on these and related subjects, enclosed with a letter to an individual believer on November 30, 1980 from the Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, no. 1696)

Cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Krishna; some matters regarding Hinduism may be left for students of history and religion to resolve and clarify[edit]

"Concerning Hindu prophecies of the coming of Bahá'u'lláh and the relationship of the Hindu and Bahá'í Faiths, nothing authentic and specific is available at the World Centre, apart from the Guardian's statement in God Passes By that 'To Him the Bhagavad-Gita of the Hindus had referred as the "Most Great Spirit," the "Tenth Avatar", the "Immaculate Manifestation of the Krishna"', (p. 95); and a brief reference to Bahá'u'lláh as 'to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna . . .' (p. 94). Bahá'í teachings on progressive revelation do, of course, bear on the relationship of these Faiths. In a letter written on behalf of the beloved Guardian it is also written that 'We cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Buddha and Krishna . . . ' (November 25, 1950); and in reply to a question as to whether Brahma is 'to be considered as referring to absolute diety' and Krishna 'as the Prophet of the Hindu Religion', his secretary wrote '. . . such matters, as no reference occurs to them in the Teachings, are left for students of history and religion to resolve and clarify.' (April 14, 1941)"

(From a letter dated September 1, 1977 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

Generally recognized scriptures of the older religions may be used by the National Spiritual Assembly in choosing excerpts for readings in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár[edit]

"We have your letter of 21 January, 1974 asking about 'authentic editions of the Buddhist and Hindu Scriptures' to be used as readings in the House of Worship.

"In a letter to an individual believer written on behalf of the beloved Guardian on 25 November, 1950 it is stated, 'We cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Buddha and Krishna...'..."

"When the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States asked a similar question about readings for use in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar we said: "Your Assembly is free to use its discretion in choosing excerpts from the generally recognized scriptures of the older religions.' (13th March, 1964.)"

(From a letter dated January 30, 1974 written by the Universal House of Justice to the National Assembly of Australia; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

The Guardian might have referred to the Bhagavad-Gita as representative of all Hindu Scripture[edit]

". . . we are requested to inform you that the House of Justice does not know the exact context of the references quoted by Shoghi Effendi (in 'God Passes By') from the Bhagavad-Gita, but it you have been unable to locate them in the book of that name it may be because the beloved Guardian was using the name of the book to stand for the entire Hindu Scripture, as it is common to refer to the entire Old Testament as the Torah, to the New Testament as the Gospel, or the Báb's Revelation as the Bayán."

(From a letter dated July 12, 1976 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

Bhagavad-Gita is agreed upon as a great religious classic; special wisdom of Guardian led to his authoritative applying to Bahá'u'lláh of the referenced titles[edit]

"Concerning your comment that '...a contradiction appears to exist between the words of the beloved Guardian and the statements of scholars concerning his reference to the Tenth Avatar in the Bhagavad-Gita...', it is essential to recognize that there is also wide disagreement among scholars about the authorship of the scriptures of the Hindu religion; and considerable difference of opinion exists between them as to the time the Bhagavad-Gita was written. Nevertheless, they do seem to agree that this poem contained in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, is a great religious classic, and acknowledge its influence on the religious thought and life of Hinduism in its many branches.

"However, Shoghi Effendi has pointed out more than once that not all the scriptures of the divinely-revealed religions of the past can be relied upon as being the words of their respective Founders. For example, in a letter dated November 25, 1950 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, there is this statement: 'We cannot be sure of the authenticity of the scriptures of Buddha and Krishna...'. Yet, exercising his special wisdom as Guardian, in God Passes By he applies to Bahá'u'lláh the several titles to which you refer in your letter. As Bahá'ís, we obviously accept as authoritative whatever he has enunciated in such matters."

(From a letter dated August 17, 1971 written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

Note[edit]

The single reference to the Bhagavad Gita in God Passes By is "To Him the Bhagavad-Gita of the Hindus had referred as the "Most Great Spirit," the "Tenth Avatar," the "Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna."" (God Passes By, p. 95)

Relationship between Abraham and Krishna[edit]

"Abraham and Krishna are two separate individuals, with no connection that we know of.