Lord Krishna is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead as confirmed by the Vedas. Although His forms are purely spiritual, He can nevertheless expand Himself into many worshipable Deity forms to receive the devotional service of His devotees.
Click here to hear Srila Prabhupada and devotees chanting the Pancha-Tattva Mantra and Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra This requires that you have Real Audio.
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai are the Deity forms of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu, the most merciful incarnations of Krishna and Balarama for this present age, Kali Yuga. They appeared in the 15th century in what is now known as Bengal to deliver the fallen conditioned souls. They accomplished this by distributing the chanting of the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare// to all persons regardless of caste, creed, or other bodily identifications. Because they were giving the most practical means of devotional service to even unqualified persons, they are known as the most merciful incarnations of Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama.
Lord Kalachandji ("the beautiful moon-faced one") is the oldest Deity of Lord Krishna to be found in the Western world. Originally He was worshipped with great opulence and devotion 500 years ago. When Moghal armies invaded India, Kalachandji's devotees, fearing for His safety, were forced to hide Him from the plunderers. With grief in their hearts, they prayed for the day when He could once again be worshipped properly.
Centuries later, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada visited the sacred city of Jaipur (200 miles southwest of New Delhi). There, in a museum, he came upon the beautiful Deity of Krishna being used to hold open a door! Srila Prabhupada, having rediscovered Kalachandji, arranged to have Him brought to America and installed as the presiding Deity of the Dallas Hare Krishna temple.
Govinda means "one who gives pleasure to the cows and the senses."
Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra are the most ecstatic forms of Krishna, Balarama, and their sister Subhadra. These forms reflect Their ecstatic remembrance on the transcendental pastimes of Lord Krishna playing as a simple cowherd boy in Vrndavana.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare