Beyond Birth and Death

Krishna’s Appearance and Disappearance From a Gauḍīya Perspective

Abstract

This article explores the Gauḍīya Vaishnava understanding of Krishna’s “birth” (āvirbhāva) and “death” (tirobhāva), arguing that these are not ordinary human events but rather divine līlā, or playful acts. The tradition emphasizes Krishna's eternal, unborn nature, viewing his appearance and disappearance as similar to the rising and setting of the sun or the manifestation and disappearance of a rainbow – real but not bound by material limitations. The essay delves into the esoteric Gauḍīya perspective on Krishna’s birth, highlighting the simultaneous appearance of Krishna as the son of Yaśodā in Vrindavan and his expansion as Vāsudeva in Mathurā, which later merges. It also examines the narrative of Krishna’s disappearance, contextualizing it within the curse of Gāndhārī and Krishna’s own reasons for the Yadu dynasty’s destruction, emphasizing that even this seemingly mundane event is imbued with spiritual significance and serves a divine purpose.