Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c8.177

c8.177

Nobody will deny the existence of several "holy seers" bearing the name of Kṛiṣhṇa who were quite distinct from Vāsudeva of the Vṛiṣhṇi race. Such were Kṛiṣhṇa, the father of Viśvakāya,² Kṛiṣhṇa Āṅgirasa,³ Kṛiṣhṇa Hārita⁴ and Kaṇha, the mighty seer mentioned in the *Ambaṭṭha sutta*.⁵ But it is impossible to accept the statement that Kṛiṣhṇa whom epic tradition identifies with Vāsudeva was originally an altogether different individual. On the contrary all available evidence, Hindu, Buddhist and Greek, points to the correctness of the identity; and we agree with Keith when he says that "the separation of Vāsudeva and Kṛṣṇa as two entities it is impossible to justify."⁶