The first book to cover Krishna's entire life, from his childhood pranks to his final powerful acts in the Mahabharata war • Draws from the Bhagavad Purana, the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, and India's sacred oral tradition • Shows how the stories of Krishna's life are expressed with such simplicity and humor that they enable anyone--man, woman, or child--to see the wisdom of his teachings • Provides a valuable meditative tool that allows the lessons of these stories to illuminate from within Krishna, one of the most beloved characters of the Hindu pantheon, has been portrayed in many lights: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, an exemplary ruler, and the Supreme Being. In The Complete Life of Krishna, Vanamali, a leading Krishna expert from a long line of prominent Krishna devotees, provides the first book in English or Sanskrit to cover the complete range of the avatar's life. Drawing from the Bhagavad Purana, the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, and India's sacred oral tradition, Vanamali shares stories from Krishna's birth in a dungeon and early days as a merry trickster in Vrindavana, through his time as divine ruler at Dwaraka, to his final powerful acts as the hero Arjuna's charioteer and guru in the Kurukshetra war. She explains how Krishna became a mahayogi, the greatest of all yogis, and attained complete mastery over himself and nature. By integrating the hero-child with the mahayogi, the playful lover with the divine ruler, Vanamali shows how the stories of Krishna's life are expressed with such simplicity and humor that they enable anyone--man, woman, or child--to see the wisdom of his teachings. This complete biography of the man who was also a god provides a valuable meditative tool allowing Krishna's lessons to illuminate from within.

Foreword by Swami Krishnananda Preface: The Historical Krishna Introduction: Krishna the Supreme Incarnation Part One Bala-Lila--The Play of the Child 1 The Advent 2 The Birth of the Unborn 3 The Divine Infant 4 The Butter Thief 5 Bondage of the Boundless 6 Brahma Bemused 7 The Enchanting Flute 8 Krishna Lifts the Mountain 9 The Divine Lover 10 The Lord of Vraja Part Two Raja-Lila--The Royal Game 11 The Prophecy Fulfilled 12 Uddhava at Gokula 13 Lord of Dwaraka 14 Abduction of Rukmini 15 The Cursed Gem 16 The Pandavas 17 The Divine Husband 18 The Sons of Krishna 19 The Divine Ruler 20 The Rajasuya Sacrifice Part Three Uttama-Lila--The Game Supreme 21 The Gambling Match 22 The Exile 23 The Lord as Ambassador 24 Declaration of War 25 Srimad Bhagavad Gita 26 The Mahabharata War 27 The End of the War 28 The Advice of Bhishma 29 The Story of Sudama 30 Dharma Rules Supreme 31 The Curse of the Sages 32 Advice to Uddhava 33 The Death of the Deathless Epilogue: Lila--The Cosmic Play Appendix One. Alphabetical List of Mantras Appendix Two. List of Characters Glossary of Sanskrit Terms Index