Within the broad stream of Vaiṣṇava thought, Kṛṣṇa is understood in two complementary ways: as one of the principal incarnations of Viṣṇu, and, in more theologically developed traditions, as Svayam Bhagavān, the original Supreme Person from whom all other divine descents emanate. In the classical Daśāvatāra lists, Kṛṣṇa is counted as the eighth major incarnation of Viṣṇu, alongside forms such as Matsya (fish), Kūrma (tortoise), Varāha (boar), Narasiṃha (man-lion), Vāmana (dwarf), Paraśurāma (warrior-sage), Rāma (prince of Ayodhyā), Buddha (in some traditions), and Kalki (the future avatāra who restores righteousness). From this perspective, Kṛṣṇa is one among several great manifestations through which Viṣṇu upholds cosmic order and dharma across different ages.

In traditions that place Kṛṣṇa at the theological center, however, a different picture emerges: Kṛṣṇa is regarded as the source of all these avatāras rather than merely one of them. Here, the many forms and descents of the Divine are seen as expansions or emanations of Kṛṣṇa’s own being, flowing through Viṣṇu and manifesting as the various avatāras named in the Purāṇic narratives. The Daśāvatāra themselves can thus be contemplated as expressions of Kṛṣṇa’s will and compassion, each tailored to a particular cosmic crisis or spiritual need, while still rooted in a single, all-encompassing divinity.

Alongside these theological vistas, devotional life often focuses on Kṛṣṇa’s own distinct forms and līlās as if they were separate manifestations. Devotees speak of Bala Kṛṣṇa, the enchanting divine child; Govinda or Gopāla, the cowherd boy of Vṛndāvana; Muralīdhara, the flute-playing youth; Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, the supreme divine couple; Pārthasārathi, the charioteer and teacher of the Bhagavad Gītā; and Dvārkādhiśa, the sovereign of Dvārakā. These are not different beings, but different modes in which the same Kṛṣṇa reveals himself in relationship to devotees, each form highlighting a particular mood of love, guidance, or majesty.

A more systematic theological language speaks of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions as the fourfold vyūha: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa (identified with Balarāma), Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. These forms are understood as ordered manifestations of the same divine reality, associated with different aspects of cosmic governance and spiritual function, yet never truly separate from Kṛṣṇa himself. Taken together, the Daśāvatāra, the vyūha expansions, and the many līlā-forms present a tapestry in which one supreme consciousness appears in diverse ways, allowing seekers to approach the same Kṛṣṇa through the form and mood that most deeply resonates with their own heart.