References:
1. Rig Veda 1.164.31
apasyam gopam anipadyamana ma ca para ca pathibhis carantam
sa sadhricih sa visucir vasana avatirvati bhuvanesv antah
“I saw a Gopala (Gopa). He never falls from his position; sometimes he is near, and
sometimes far, wandering on various paths. He is a friend, decorated with a variety
of clothes. He comes again and again to the material world.”
//The above verse describe Krishna, the foremost of all the Gopas (cowherd men). It
also describes Krishna as Avatari Purusha and ultimately as Supreme Lord.
2.Narayana Upanishada:
brahmanyo devki putra
“The son of Devki i.e. Sri Krishna is Supreme Brahman.
3.The name “Krishna” is mentioned in Rig Veda 1.116.23 , 8.74.3,4 etc.
4.Chandogya Upanishada 3.17:
taddhaitadghor āṅgirasaḥ kṛṣṇāya
devakīputrāyoktvovācāpipāsa eva sa babhūva
so’ntavelāyāmetattrayaṃ pratipadyetākṣitamasyacyutamasi
prāṇasam̐śitamasīti tatraite dve ṛcau bhavataḥ ॥
“Ghora Angihasa rishi advised his disciple that he should invoke Bhagavan Sri
Krishna, the Son of Devakidevi with repeating this triad knowing as if the death is
sitting upon his shoulder, “Thou art the Indestructible; Thou art the Unchangeable,
Thou art the very Substratum that enlivens the entire universe.”
Purport :- Unfortunately some commentators blasphemously mean that Ghora Angirasa
advised Sri Krishna, the Son of Devaki. But the Vaishnava commentators enlighten us
with an impartial and true import that Ghora Angirasa advised his disciple to
invoke Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the Divine Child of Devaki with such Panegyrics which
are Sri Krishna’s essential Characteristics.
(translation and Purport from Twelve essential Upanishadas)
5.Rigveda 1.22.18 Krishna is mentioned as “Vishnorgopa” Meaning: Vishnu is Gopala
(Sri Krishna).
6.Chandogya Upanishada 8.13.1, The Name “Shyam” is mentioned:
shyamac chavalam prapadye shavalac chyamam prapadye
7.Taittiriya Upanishad (2.7.1) it is said:
raso vai sah
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of transcendental mellows.”
//Lord Krishna’s one name is “Rasikashekhara”
8.Gopala Tapani Upanishada of Atharva veda:
om namah sac-cid-ananda-rupaya krishnayaklista-karine
namo vedanta-vedyaya gurave buddhi-saksine
Om namah. I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Krsna, whose form is eternal and
full of knowledge and bliss, who is the rescuer from distress, who is understood by
Vedanta, who is the supreme spiritual master, and who is the witness in everyone’s
heart.
9.Lord Krishna’s abode in the Rig Veda 1.154.6
ta vam vastuny usmasi gamadhyai
yatra gavo bhuri-srnga ayasah
atraha tad urugayasya krsnah
paramam padam avabhati bhuri
“We wish to go to Your [Radha’s and Krsna’s] beautiful houses, about which cows
with large, excellent horns are wandering. Yet distinctly shining on this earth is
that supreme abode of Yours that showers joy on all, O Urugaya [Krsna, who is much
praised].”
All the References are taken from Jaiva Dharma book by Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharya
Bhaktivinoda Thakura and from Srimad Bhagavatam commentary by Gaudiya Vaishnava
Acharya Srila Prabhupada.
Yes Sri Krishna is mentioned in Vedas. There is no difference between Sri Vishnu or
any of his avataras like Sri Krishna. Vedas mention Lord Narayana/Sri Vishnu as the
supreme god.
Rig Veda 1.22.20
तद विष्णोः परमं पदं सदा पश्यन्ति सूरयः |
दिवीव चक्षुराततम ||
Saintly people always behold the supreme abode of Sri Vishnu by virtue of their
divine vision.
As the above verse indicates Saintly people always have Vaikunta as their
destination
Rig Veda 1.22.21
तद विप्रासो विपन्यवो जाग्र्वांसः समिन्धते |
विष्णोर्यत परमं पदम ||
They always sing the holy sublime glories of Sri Vishnu's supreme abode.
This verse tells us that sages always sing glories of Sri Vishnu’s supreme abode
Vaikunta
Rig Veda 10.113.12 :
Sri Vishnu is glorified because of who and what He intrinsically is. Indra, on the
other hand, is only glorious circumstantially.
Indologists claim of Indra being the supreme god mentioned in the Vedas bites the
dust with this verse, it is Sri Vishnu who is glorified as he is supreme soul
situated in all souls, he is the paramatma the ultimate shelter and Indra is
glorious circumstantially at some circumstances
Rig Veda 1.156.2 :
Vishnu is the most ancient of all, yet also the most recent. Nothing and no one
creates Vishnu, yet Vishnu creates everyone and everything.
Indologists claim Sri Vishnu as the the younger brother of Indra, but the younger
brother refers to his Vamana avatara where he was Upendra or younger to Indra. This
verse clearly says Sri Vishnu is the paramatma, nothing and no one creates Sri
Vishnu, he is unborn and he creates everyone and everything and he is the supersoul
situated in every soul
The Narayana Suktam of the Yajurveda states:
Patim viswasyaatma-eesvara(gu)m saasvatagum sivamachyutam | Naaraayanam mahaagneyam
viswaatmaanam paraayanam |
Naaraayana param Brahma tatvam naaraayanah paraha | Naaraayana paroe jyotihi aatmaa
Naaaraayanaha paraha | naaraayana paroe dhyaata dhyaaanam Naaraayanaha paraha |
Narayana is the Lord of the universe. This master is the ruler of himself. He is
the eternally auspicious one and he is constant and unchanging. This Narayana is
the highest thing to be known. He is the inner-psyche of all. He is the supreme
object and the highest goal of attainment.
Narayana is the supreme Brahman. Narayana is the supreme Reality. Narayana is the
supreme Light. Narayana is the supreme Self. Narayana is the most excellent
meditate and meditation.
This verse is self explanatory where Shriman Narayana is said as the master of the
universe, eternal, always auspicious, constant and unchanging. Narayana is the
highest thing to be known. He is the supreme object and highest goal of attainment
and the verse says Narayana as para brahman the supreme reality, do I need to
explain more for indologists like Max Muller who misinterpreted Vedas, Narayana is
another name for Sri Vishnu
yacca kiñcijjagatsarvaṁ dṛśyate śrūyate'pi vā,
antarbahiśca tatsarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ.
Whatever all this universe is, seen or heard of—pervading all this, from inside and
outside alike, stands supreme the Eternal Divine Being Narayana
As this verse explains whatever this universe is seen or heard or whatever pervades
is from Narayana
anantamavyayaṁ kavigï samudre'ntaṁ viśvaśambhuvam,
padmakośapratīkāśagï hṛdayaṁ cāpyadhomukham.
He is the Limitless, Imperishable, Omniscient, residing in the ocean of the heart,
the Cause of the happiness of the universe, the Supreme End of all striving,
(manifesting Himself) in the ether of the heart which is comparable to an inverted
bud of the lotus flower.
This verse mentions the qualities of Sri Vishnu as paramatma like limitless,
imperishable, Omniscient, residing in the ocean of the heart
ṛtagï satyaṁ paraṁ brahma puruṣaṁ kṛṣṇapiṅgalam,
ūrdhvaretaṁ virūpākśaṁ viśvarūpāya vai namo namaḥ.
Prostrations again and again to the Omni-formed Being, the Truth, the Law, the
Supreme Absolute, the Purusha of blue-decked yellow hue, the Centralised-force
Power, the All-seeing One.
Again the verse describes Sri Vishnu quallities as paramatma like the supreme
absolute, the purusha, the all-seeing one and Narayana Suktam ends with
ōm nārāyaṇāya vidmahe vāsudevāya dhīmahi,
tanno viṣṇuḥ pracodayāt.
We commune ourselves with Narayana, and meditate on Vaasudeva; May that Vishnu
direct us to the final goal
This verse says by meditating on Narayana leads to salvation or final moksha.
Katha Upanishads :-
विज्ञानसारथिर्यस्तु मनः प्रग्रहवान्नरः ।
सोऽध्वनः पारमाप्नोति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥ ९॥
When a man’s mind is his reins,
intellect, his charioteer;
He reaches the end of the road,
That highest step of Sri Vishnu.
This verse is mentioned in different way but it actually implies when a man has a
controlled mind he reaches the highest step of Sri Vishnu which is Vaikunta
Sri Krishna is the avatara of Sri Vishnu, avatara in Sanskrit means descending to
earth, hence Sri Krishna is identified as supreme god in Vedas in other words Sri
Krishna is the avatara purusha and there is no difference between Sri Vishnu and
Sri Krishna and there are verses mentioning Sri Krishna as the avatara of Sri
Vishnu and hence the supreme god.
Rig Veda 1.164.31
apasyam gopam anipadyamana ma ca para ca pathibhis carantam
sa sadhricih sa visucir vasana avatirvati bhuvanesv antah
“I saw a Gopala (Gopa). He never falls from his position; sometimes he is near, and
sometimes far, wandering on various paths. He is a friend, decorated with a variety
of clothes. He comes again and again to the material world.”
The above verse says Sri Krishna as the foremost or leader of gopas and avatara of
Sri Vishnu and descends to the earth whenever evil rises like he himself said it in
the Bhagavad Gita
Narayana Upanishad
brahmanyo devki putro brahmanyo madhusudanom.
“The son of Devaki Sri Krishna is Supreme Brahman.
The Verse says son of Devaki is para brahman, the son of Devaki is Sri Krishna note
the verse where it says Madhusudhana meaning killer of the demon Madhu and it was
Sri Vishnu who killed the demon Madhu and Sri Krishna as an avatara of Sri Vishnu
is mentioned as para brahman meaning Sri Krishna is Sri Vishnu himself.
Gopala Tapani Upanishada of Atharva Veda:
om namah sac-cid-ananda-rupaya krishnayaklista-karine
namo vedanta-vedyaya gurave buddhi-saksine
Om namah. I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Krsna, whose form is eternal and
full of knowledge and bliss, who is the rescuer from distress, who is understood by
Vedanta, who is the supreme spiritual master, and who is the witness in everyone’s
heart.
All the avataras of Sri Vishnu is eternal and Sri Krishna as an avatara of Sri
Vishnu is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss and further goes on explaining
qualities of Sri Krishna as Paramatma
Sri Krishna’s abode in the Rigveda
ta vam vastuny usmasi gamadhyai
yatra gavo bhuri-srnga ayasah
atraha tad urugayasya vrsnah
paramam padam avabhati bhuri
“We wish to go to Your [Vrsna’s(Sri Krishna's)] beautiful houses, about which cows
with large, excellent horns are wandering. Yet distinctly shining on this earth is
that supreme abode of Yours that showers joy on all, O Urugaya [Vrsna(Lord
Krishna), who is much praised].
Note - Vrsna refers to Sri Krishna as he is the descendant of Vrsni clan.
As Sri Krishna is the avatara of Sri Vishnu he is mentioned as descendent of
Vrishni clan. As an avatara of Sri Vishnu his abode showers joy on everyone and he
is praised as para brahman or paramatma hence again prooving the fact that Sri
Krishna is Sri Vishnu himself.
Does this mean other gods like Rudra, Indra, Agni, Vayu are inferior? the answer is
no because Vedas praise Rudra as other part of Narayana hence in other words Vedas
praise him as paramatma too and other gods like Indra, Vayu, Agni are parts and
parcel of Narayana/Sri Vishnu
Rig Veda 1.164.46
“इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑ णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथो॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णो ग॒रुत्मा॑न् ।
एकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥४६॥
They called him Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni and he is heavenly Garuda, who has
beautiful wings. The truth is one, but the sages (or learned ones) call it by many
names or describe him in many ways; they called him Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan.
if we look at this verse carefully Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Garuda, Yama are
parts and parcel of Narayana hence worthy of worship
sarvo vai rudrastasmai rudraya namo astu |” (Taittiriya Aranyaka 10:24:1 of
Yajurveda)“All this is verily Rudra. To Rudra we offer our salutations.”
“vishvam bhutam bhuvanam citram bahudha jatam jayamanam cayat sarvo hyesha
rudrastasmai rudraya namo astu |” (Taittiriya Aranyaka 10:24:1 of Yajurveda)
“The whole universe, the created beings and whatever there is manifoldly and
profusely created in the past and in the present in the form of the world, all that
is indeed this Rudra. Salutations be to Rudra who is such”.
Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pushtti-Vardhanam
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan
Mrityor-Mukshiya Maa-Amritaat || Rig Veda (7.59.12)
I bow down to that three-eyed Mahadeva, who is full of sweet fragrance, who
nourishes the human beings. May He free me from the bondage of Samsara and death,
just as a ripe cucumber fruit is separated from the creeper. May I be fixed in
Immortality
Now this verses can be interpreted in three ways :
Vedas mention in Purusha suktam as god is one and formless and Sri Vishnu/ Narayana
and Shiva as the two sides of Parabrahman.
Sri Vishnu/Narayana is the parabrahman or the God and Shiva is the other part of
the divine eternal Narayana and all other gods and goddess are parts and parcels of
Narayana.
Shiva is the parabrahman and Sri Vishnu/Narayana is the other side of Shiva and all
other gods and goddess are parts and parcels of Shiva
This are three main interpretations, however there are more interpretations like
followers of Ramanuja interpret Narayana as parabrahman and other gods and goddess
as jivatmas, followers of Ramanuja interpret the verses glorifying Shiva to the
Narayana who is antaratmin or the soul present in Rudra and followers of
Shankaracharya interpret God as formless. Personally I would interpret verses like
followers of Ramanuja meaning Narayana is the parabrahman and verses glorifying
Shiva to Narayana who is antaratmin or soul present in Rudra. Sri Krishna is Sri
Vishnu/Narayana himself hence parabrahman.
Chandogya Upanishada 3.17:
taddhaitadghor āṅgirasaḥ kṛṣṇāya
devakīputrāyoktvovācāpipāsa eva sa babhūva
so’ntavelāyāmetattrayaṃ pratipadyetākṣitamasyacyutamasi
prāṇasam̐śitamasīti tatraite dve ṛcau bhavataḥ ॥
“Ghora Angihasa rishi advised his disciple that he should invoke Bhagavan Sri
Krishna, the Son of Devakidevi with repeating this triad knowing as if the death is
sitting upon his shoulder, “Thou art the Indestructible; Thou art the Unchangeable,
Thou art the very Substratum that enlivens the entire universe.”
