Janmashtami special - The Krishna key

I was regaling my daughter with the story of Krishna on the occasion of 'Janmashtami' today.

Though He enjoys God status (avatar of Vishnu), the things that come to mind when we think of Krishna are a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and as the universal supreme being. A song keeps playing in my mind - "O Krishna, you are the greatest musician, of this world!" He is also known for His practical wisdom(Bhagwad Gita), political savvy and natural charisma. The last quality is what endeared Him to his disciples so much that He is seldom thought of on the same formidable lines as other Gods. The word Krishna means "dark" or "all attractive".

Some lesser known facts about Krishna-

• He is a pan-Hindu god, but is particularly revered in some locations such as Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Jagannatha in Odisha, Mayapur in West Bengal, Dwarka and Junagadh in Gujarat, Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Udupi in Karnataka, Nathdwara in Rajasthan and Guruvayur in Kerala.
• Krishna related literature has inspired numerous performance arts such as Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Manipuri dance.
• In the event of 'Ras leela', Krishna danced with the Gopis, and it was such that each Gopi thought that she was dancing with Krishna alone.
• Krishna granted Eklavya a boon after he sacrificed his thumb to Dronacharya. He was granted another incarnation as Dhrishtadyumna, who stepped out of the yajna fire, to kill Dronacharya.
• Pandavas were related to Krishna from his mother’s side. Their mother, Kunti, was the sister of Vasudev, the father of Krishna. 
• He brought back the son of his guru, Sandipani, who was dead. Therefore, he paid his Gurudakshina to Sage Sandipani.
• He is part of the Jain religion. He is represented as one of the Triads, named Vasudeva.
• It’s believed that Krishna was a “Manifestation of God”, or one of the prophets who has revealed the “Word of God” to people on Earth. Therefore, it’s said that he shares a powerful image with Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Muhammad and Jesus.
• The medieval era arts of Vietnam and Cambodia feature Krishna. The earliest surviving sculptures and reliefs are from the 6th and 7th century, and these include Vaishnavism iconography.
• Across the various theologies and philosophies, the common theme presents Krishna as the essence and symbol of divine love, with human life and love as a reflection of the divine.