HINDUISM: The blue boy of Vrindavan

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“Why is your God, Ram or Krishna depicted as deep blue in colour? Isn’t that unnatural?” This is a common question asked. The answer is: “Yes, it is unnatural. When you depict a being that does not come under the laws of nature like you and me but who governs the laws of nature, he is beyond nature.”

Hinduism often speaks in the language of mysticism. The riddle demands a solution.

A serious student will not rest till he finds the answer. So do not accept blindly, but do not also reject blindly. The blue boy of Vrindavan is also clothed in yellow. Ramchandra is darkish blue and also clothed in yellow. The delineation has meanings that are highly suggestive in their import philosophically.

Anything that is infinite, anything that is beyond your ken and anything that is vast and immeasurable, always appears blue to our fleshy eyes. Examples can be found in the ocean and the sky, which show an illusive blue colour. He is also clothed in yellow.

Yellow is the colour of the earth. So the infinite taking on the shape and hues of nature is depicted as “clothed in yellow”.

The avatars in Hinduism are the God principal taking on an earthly form at will. So when the infinite plays through the finite and expresses through an earthly form it is depicted as dressed in earth (yellow).

When the Supreme limitless power limits itself unto earthly shapes to play out a role for human understanding, he is depicted as a beautiful, charming blue boy dressed in yellow. The word avatar means the descent, the coming down from heights. So when the higher chooses to come down to the lower to play out a role among us mortals, it is the wonder called avatar.

The spirit supreme clothed in matter. Prarthna Saran, President, Delhi Chinmaya Mission