Why is the complexion of Krsna in deity form sometimes white and sometimes black?

September 1, 2003

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Subala · September 4, 2003

same reason Krishna is golden - if Murty made from bronze or Gold... marble is white and other metals may be black.

One thing one should understand - including people who say we worship idols.

Devotees know what form of Krishna made with marble - is a stone and if you drop it it will break.

But on other hand devotees know - that even though murty can appear is many different forms (including made of sand on a bank of the river) it is as good as God Himself.

if you have any doubts about that let me ask you

1. Who made this sand, marble, metals? you did? no it was made by God.

2. how come murty/deity made from sand not as beautiful as it made from marble - does it mean it is krishna?

yes in similar way so it will be easy to understand for you - imagine post office mail boxes.

In front of your house you have a mail box issued by (US postal service like in my case) but if you make your own mail box and start droppping mail in it - they won;t go anywhere, why? They were not issued by Government (aka Post office)

Same way there is many dolls and statues of Krishna but if same statue is installed and worshipped as Krishna - Krishna will manifest Himself in it and "accept your mail".

yasodanandana · September 4, 2003

"Same way there is many dolls and statues of Krishna but if same statue is installed and worshipped as Krishna - Krishna will manifest Himself in it and "accept your mail""

a statue or doll of krsna is krsna also when he is not installed... because if in this world name and image are different from the real self, this dualism is not present in the spiritual environment... so the name of krsna is krsna, and the image of krsna (sculpted or painted following the vedic descriptions) is krsna too

installation means mainly that we take a precise duty to serve sri murti according pancharatrika rules.. but most of devotees in their homes have altars with images of krsna and panchatattva and gaura nitai statues not officially installed.... but no one can surely say that they are not worshipping krishna bhagavan

please do not take my message as a criticism, i try only to add something...

September 5, 2003

because being god and all powerful and supreme, he can appear in any color. if you like krishna in a perticular color, then worship his moorti in that color.

jai sri krishna! -madhav