(Image: Krishna Source: Wikipedia)
Krishna as a character has kinda been floating in orbit around both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I know that he is an important deity in the Hindu pantheon, and I had heard about him before I took the course, but I know nothing about his origin story, or motivations. I enjoy reading about mythology, so this story appeals to me a lot.
As with the Mahabharat, the story doesn't start with the main character, but it presents a genealogy of sorts. I think Vishnu forming Balarama and Krishna through his two hairs is a pretty novel origin. I find it interesting that the demons have families– I know that they're supposed to be evil, but it adds layers to their characters, and it makes it easier to empathize with them.
Krishna's birth reminds me a little of the story of Zeus– how Cronos tried to eat his children to keep power, but his cruelty resulted in his demise. The idea of brother seems to be a common theme in all the Indian epics. Although one brother is the primary focus of the story, his strongest follower tends to be his brother. This theme contrasts a lot of western stories where the brother is often a primary antagonist of the story (Richard III etc).
There are a lot of pastoral influences in Krishna's story, which sets him apart from Rama's. I wonder why so many heroic figures start out as shepherds or lowly workers? Maybe its to demonstrate that greatness is not always intrinsically linked with royalty.
Battling a serpent seems to be a rite of passage for all Indian Epic protagonists! The number eight has a lot of relevance in Krishna's story (eighth child, eight wives). It might be something to look into.
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