Where is lord Krishna according to Jain scriptures
According to Jain scriptures and traditional Jain kathā:
- In Jainism, Krishna is regarded as a Vāsudeva, one of the 63 Śalākā Puruṣas (illustrious great souls), not as a Tirthankara or God.
- Jain universal‑history texts (like Trishashthi Shalaka Purusha Charitra type granths) describe that because Krishna took part in a lot of hiṁsā (violence) – battles, killings connected with the Mahābhārata war, etc. – he accumulated pāpa karma.
- As a result, after his death he is reborn in Naraka (a hell realm) to suffer the fruits of those violent karmas.
Very important points in Jain view:
- This hell-birth is not eternal.
- Different Jain traditions (Digambar and Śvetāmbara) may differ in narrative details (which hell, exact story sequence), but the basic idea is the same:
- Jain dharma does not worship Krishna; the path is centered on the 24 Tirthankaras and on stopping new karma and shedding old karma through right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.