Krishna is the single most beloved figure in Hinduism. Such is his popularity that he is considered a supreme god in his own right even though he is only an avatar. In this book, we journey through Krishna's life--spanning his birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood--and describe many of the delightful stories associated with him. We also examine the Mahabharata War in which he plays a major non-combat role.
Krishna is the eight incarnation of Vishnu. Although the purpose of his incarnation was to end the life of the demon king Kamsa, he turned into a larger-than-life figure with his childhood pranks and adolescent romances. Starting with a miraculous birth—that has parallels to the birth of Jesus—Krishna grew up as an ordinary, but adorable child. In his youth, Krishna became the heartthrob of milkmaids and popularized the passionate romantic dance Rasa Lila, together with his childhood sweetheart Radha. The annihilation of Kamsa followed thereafter. By this time the purpose of his incarnation was accomplished, but he stayed back on Earth to play a major part in the Mahabharata War. His greatest gift to humanity—the Bhagavad Gita—was delivered at this time. Maybe he overextended his stay, because his extraordinary life came to an end in less than perfect circumstances.
The Mahabharata occupies a significant portion of this book. With a complex plot and a myriad of characters, the epic has surprisingly no role models, only many heroes. Yet, the Mahabharata has been the inspiration for countless books, songs, and Bollywood movies. Although this book is centered on Krishna, the remaining avatars of Vishnu—particularly Buddha—are also explored at length.
Swami Achuthananda is an award-winning Australian-based Indian author specialising in Hindu mythology. He is an exponent of Indian Carnatic music and researches Hindu mythology in his spare time. He has published a number of books on Hinduism and Hindu deities. Achuthananda’s books are targeted towards the general audience. Readers vouch that his narratives are concise, well-researched, and delivered with a touch of humor. His books combine mythology with social and political issues and have occasionally been controversial. When Swami is not discussing Indian mythology, he's seen talking about India's other greatest religion—cricket. Swami just published book 4 (Krishna) of the non-fiction series, The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, and is currently working on book 5 (Shiva).
Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu: plus Mahabharata Demystified by Swami Achuthananda is the next in her series of retelling of the ancient tales. This one is largely a retelling of the story of Krishna, the 8th reincarnation of Vishnu. Honestly, I’ve always loved reading stories focusing on Hinduism and Buddhism, and as ancient, famous texts, there are a ton! However, as interesting as they can be, the language is old and can leave you spending a long-time wondering what they mean, rather than the story and its significance. Swami Achuthananda’s books use modern language, and her commentaries and transitions are interesting and fresh. I highly recommend it for lovers of historical and religious texts.
“Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu” is the fourth book in The Galaxy of Hindu Gods series by Swami Achuthananda, and delves with the life of this beloved figure in Hinduism, with the Mahabharata (where he plays a major role) and with the remaining avatars of Vishnu. I found this book, as well as the whole saga, really interesting and comprehensive. I really enjoy reading and learning about other cultures and faiths, and this was not the exception. The writing is clean and lean, which makes the book understandable for the aimed readers. Hence, my goal of knowing more about Hindu mythology was accomplished! I will certainly recommend this read.
Krishna and the later Avatars of Vishnu written by Swami Achuthananda shows themes from the Hindu religion. The story begins with the birth of Krishna. Within this religion Krishna is a beloved deity with their belief system. Like many children Krishna goes through phases. This story continues to show God’s development as a child. The story lays out how God stands from a moral point of view! This story continues to describe other Gods such as Putana who is compared to a plus sized model. Later, other Gods such as the Butter thief are described. For someone who has little knowledge of Hinduism, this may be a good place to start.
Immediately, I am drawn to the cover. There are a lot of colors. Will the colors represent other things in the religion? I wonder what people think about the cover. As you open the book, the story lays out a variety of stories and themes. Interwoven in the stories are legend and information pertaining to Hinduism. I truly wonder if these stories speak truth within their practices. Are these legends true? Something that came to my mind reading this, but should I have read book one of this series? There are many series which have an array of books which build off each other. Does the first one shares the basics of Hinduism? Because I don’t have the knowledge, this would be a great book after 1, 2 and 3. I hope people are drawn to this story, and I hope people are able to learn something new!
Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu: plus Mahabharata Demystified is a book written by Swami Achuthananda, an award-winning Australian-based Indian author specializing in Hindu mythology. In this book, the readers will have the opportunity to learn more about the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, Krishna. Starting with Krishna´s birth to The Mahabharata War. A great book that educates and illustrates Hinduism. This book was amazing, not only because I believe Achuthananda's writing is flawless, but because it is filled with sentiment and passion for Hinduism. Learning about this religion was a one-way ticket for me and I will definitely be reading the rest of this series. Having the opportunity to understand and re-live Krishna's life was inspiring and exciting. The author made sure that he was telling a story but also educating, and that is very clear in the writing. Highly recommended.
“Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu: plus Mahabharata” is such a compelling and intriguing book. It will let you dive into the religion of Hinduism and understand the background of this very rich culture full of mesmerizing and gripping backgrounds and stories. If you are an open-minded person, who likes to explore the world and learn as much as possible of everything and everyone that inhabits this earth, then this is the right book for you! It will make you so much more aware of your surroundings and lead you to contemplate life differently. As Krishna is one of the most important and beloved figures in Hinduism, this book will open doors to a whole little universe. I loved it so much, I can’t even express it in words. Especially because I didn’t know much about Hinduism before, this was very eye-opening and I didn’t need to pay thousands of dollars to travel to another part of the world in order to learn and enrich my knowledge.
I have always felt a fascination for the different religions and the traditions and myths associated with them. I remember that I had a time during my adolescence when I devoured books about Hinduism and its gods and goddesses. Then, I turned to other interests and haven’t read anything else for a long time. By chance, I got to know this wonderful book, Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu: plus Mahabharata Demystified and my passion resurfaced strong and anew. With an engaging and compelling writing style, the book relates the life of Krishna, the single most beloved figure in Hinduism, as the author, Swami Achutananda, explains. Krishna is the 8th incarnation of Vishnu and his purpose was to defeat king Kamsa, he did so much more during his life. From his miraculous birth to the end of his life, the narrative wanders through this extraordinary character’s life describing events and places with a great ability and knowledge on the subject. I liked this book a lot!
A compelling novel “Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu '' is the fourth one in the series named “The Galaxy of Hindu Gods”. This time Swami Achuthananda has penned an action-packed novel with lots of surprises. Krishna incarnates again to destroy a demon that is haunting his place. He strives to achieve this but, in the meantime, he has other problems to solve. His goal becomes a bit complicated. Will he achieve it? Well, it's quite a complicated plot to follow but it's really interesting. It's well-written and has a variety of stories and topics such as incarnations and gods that make the reading more enjoyable. I was glued to the pages when I started this novel because the author's writing style is really good. I recommend it without a doubt.
Swami Achuthananda is the author of The Galaxy of Hindu Gods series and Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu is the fourth book. This title gives us a good preview of how amazing it is. It travels through the life of Krishna, covering his birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood. It also examines the Mahabharata War in which he plays a major non-combat role. I recently became interested in Hinduism and after reading this book, I'm even more interested. I have to say that I need to read it again because it is complex and has a lot of characters and information. In my opinion, it isn't a book for starting a journey into Hinduism but I definitely recommend it for people who are searching to learn much more.
I loved the book “Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu: Plus Mahabharata Demystified” from the cover to the very end.
The book, which was written by author Swami Achuthananda, is not only attractive because of the colours on its cover page, but also because of the beautiful story it tells. I also found this book educational, because I learned a lot about Hindu Gods.
Because of the details provided, I could see the author is knowledgeable about the topic. This is his fourth book, and the first I read, and it is easy to see that he is a specialist on Hindu Mythology.
I cannot wait to read the other books of the series! I give this one five stars and I recommend it to everyone who wants to learn about this culture!
For readers with an interest in Hindusim, Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu is a perfect recommendation. Though it's book four in The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, I think it reads well as a standalone and serves the purpose the author intended well. The reading is a bit more in-depth than I was expecting, though I'm not sure what I was expecting with terminology and Hinduism information, it was an insightful read that seemed to teach me a lot in the short amount of time it took to read. The explanations provided on the traditions and culture that the Hindu people share is well-detailed and portrayed as well. I would definitely recommend this one to any reader who is interested in Hindu culture.
I have very much enjoyed reading this book because of these Hindu gods and goddesses. I have always been fascinated with FolkLores of different countries. I see how they can be the same or different from other lores in other countries. With the number of characters and setting introduced in the book it might get a little confusing at first but I think I have heard those names before in other stories or movies. Indian mythology is colorful and unique in its own way but written in a more modern way helps us connect to the stories and also the illustrations helped a lot. I would definitely include this to my collection of lores/ mythologies around the world. A good reading literature for teens and adults alike.
“Krishna and the Later Avatars of Vishnu” is a brilliant piece of work with an interesting content and an amazing cover; the colors, the shapes and the drawings are just sublime and it was the first thing that caught my attention to purchase this title! I liked this book very much and I feel even more anxious to know a bit more about Hinduism. I’m not going to lie; some parts were a little hard to follow since I don’t know much about religions around the globe. However, what I did take from this is enormous and very positive. It’s a very engaging and easy to follow read that everyone should enjoy at least once in their lives.
This is a wonderful book to read if you want to internalize more about Hinduism. It revolves around the incarnation of Vishnu, Krishna. In Hinduism, Krishna represents the highest wisdom, the supreme being and the true self. This is a great work with a narration that brings out the best of the author. In addition, the characters were well-developed. From the beginning, I knew this would be a book I would not be able to put down. This is a very entertaining narrative that will have you reading from beginning to end. It is an absolute must read, especially if you are into this genre of books. Excellent to read on holidays, as in my case.
This is the fourth book in a series and it is as good as the previous ones. It delves into Krishna’s life. Krishna is the most beloved figure in Hinduism and we readers get to delve into his life, starting from his birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood and the many adventures and stories around him. The thrilling, enchanting, and fascinating world of mythology is unfolded here and it is mingled with fiction, something I found really interesting and original. The narrative is catchy and it never gets dull or monotonous. I have really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read more entries from author Achuthananda. Big applause!
‘Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will’ - Gandhi
Author Swami Achuthananda loves India passionately but lives in Australia. He is a born Hindu, lived more than two decades in India, and is an exponent of Indian Classical (Carnatic) music and a former student of K.J. Jesudas, India's award-winning playback singer. He appreciates Indian classical music as well as western songs.
Quite simply stated this is a reference book about Hindu gods and goddesses – the fourth volume of Swami’s THE GALAXY OF HINUDU GODS. Prior to entering this ‘compleat’ discussion of Krishna et al, the author shares: ‘No deity in the Hindu pantheon is as multi-talented as Krishna. For many, Krishna is an adorable child, a divine lover, a romantic dancer, an outstanding flute player, and so on…Although his childhood pranks and amazing feats of strength made Krishna endearing to his devotees, it was the spiritual advice of the highest order given in the Bhagavad Gita that defined his legacy.’ This book informs about the birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood of Krishna with stories and commentary that inform, enlighten and entertain – and provides a skilled reference volume about Krishna, the Mahabharata, and the evolution of the concept of karma.
Swami is both an expert on Hindu culture and a marvelous story weaver. This book embraces history, is peppered with fine illustrations, and references and tongue in cheek sidebars about the most lovable of Hindu gods. It is a delight and immensely entertaining as well as more than likely the finest resource of the galaxy of the Hindu gods! Highly Recommended.
Merged review:
‘Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will’ - Gandhi
Author Swami Achuthananda loves India passionately but lives in Australia. He is a born Hindu, lived more than two decades in India, and is an exponent of Indian Classical (Carnatic) music and a former student of K.J. Jesudas, India's award-winning playback singer. He appreciates Indian classical music as well as western songs.
Quite simply stated this is a reference book about Hindu gods and goddesses – the fourth volume of Swami’s THE GALAXY OF HINUDU GODS. Prior to entering this ‘compleat’ discussion of Krishna et al, the author shares: ‘No deity in the Hindu pantheon is as multi-talented as Krishna. For many, Krishna is an adorable child, a divine lover, a romantic dancer, an outstanding flute player, and so on…Although his childhood pranks and amazing feats of strength made Krishna endearing to his devotees, it was the spiritual advice of the highest order given in the Bhagavad Gita that defined his legacy.’ This book informs about the birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood of Krishna with stories and commentary that inform, enlighten and entertain – and provides a skilled reference volume about Krishna, the Mahabharata, and the evolution of the concept of karma.
Swami is both an expert on Hindu culture and a marvelous story weaver. This book embraces history, is peppered with fine illustrations, and references and tongue in cheek sidebars about the most lovable of Hindu gods. It is a delight and immensely entertaining as well as more than likely the finest resource of the galaxy of the Hindu gods! Highly Recommended.
As a professor of World Religions History and Philosophy of Religion, I was delighted to read this book. It is not a dense and complex book, however, it brings fresh insights about Krishna and a brief description of the Mahabharata and some later avatars. Even though it is the fourth volume I started from here due to my interest in Krishna, nevertheless, I am eager to read the other volumes as well.