________________
379421 Yra 15-16
55
strangely resembles the India of our own time, with the same values and ideals."12
The Mahabharat portraits Krishna in four main images. (1) the Scholar of Vedas, (2) renowned Politician as well as diplomat, (3) an outstanding Hero of the battle field, (4) outstanding Philosopher and teacher of religion.
"वेद वेदांग विज्ञानं बलं चाप्यधिकं तथा!
zuri alan fent sentita farge:anmarça!!''13 i.e. "Ved vedang vigyanam balam chapyadhikam tatha.
Nranam Lokehiko-anyosti vishishtha keshavadrate.' · All these images have been popular amongst the poets later on, too.
The main source of the story of Krishna is definitely the Mahabharat and its supplement called "Harivansh Puran'. A well known scholar of Krishna-Katha Dr. Sarojini Kulshrestha writes in this regard- ""Very detailed description of Sri Krishna has been made in Mahabharat and Harivansh, a supplement of it. Harivansha depicts the early life of Krishna where as in Mahabharat, later half of the life of Krishna is depicted. The whole of Krishna's story is available in "Bhagavat Puran'."14
The Bhagavat Sect accepts Krishna as "Purna-avtar' i.e. total incarnation of Vishnu- "Ta aitohol: : burg 4017 Folej i.e. "Ete Chanshkalah Punsha Krishantu Bhagwan Swayam', where as all other, including Rama, are called "Ansha-avatar' i.e. partial incarnation of Vishnu's. Thus, the story of Krishna has been very widely accepted and depicted in literature in almost all the Indian languages by the poets from time to time. Tradition of Krishna-Katha in Indian Literature
Undoubtedly, the origin of Indian Krishna-Katha-tradition is the great epic of Ved-Vyasa's "Mahabharat' and its supplement, called ""Harivansha Puran'. Besides, "Mahabharat', this tradition goes a long way with other "Puranas' like Bhagwata-Purana; Padma Purana; Vishnu Purana; Brahma Purana; Devi Bhagwata; Agni Purana and
