Krishnas

Krishnas may refer to multiple people named Krishna, or to followers of Krishna in Hinduism. In English-language usage, the word can denote individuals with the given name Krishna or, less commonly, a group identified by devotion to Krishna.

In Hinduism, Krishna is a central figure revered in Vaishnavism as an avatar of Vishnu. He is depicted in a range of roles, from child-prodigy and divine playful form to the wise charioteer and instructor in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna’s life and teachings are recounted across texts such as the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, and regional scriptures. Worshippers honor Krishna in various forms—Bal Krishna (baby Krishna), Gopala, Govinda, and others—and celebrate festivals such as Janmashtami, which marks his birth.

The term “Hare Krishnas” commonly refers to followers of Krishna-centered devotional movements, especially Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded in 1966 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is one of the best-known organizations associated with this tradition. ISKCON emphasizes bhakti (devotional worship) to Krishna, congregational kirtan, scriptural study, temple worship, and outreach to lay readers and the broader public.

In everyday contexts, Krishnas may simply be a plural form of the given name Krishna or a surname in parts of South Asia. The term’s meaning is thus primarily contextual, linked to either individual names or to Krishna-centered religious devotion.