Are Shri Krishna and MahaVishnu Different?

Question

Are MahaVishnu and Shri Krishna two beings or are They the same in different forms ?

Answer

Based on the leelas in the scriptures people deduce diverse conclusions about the personality of Shri Krishna and MahaVishnu. Some of them being

1. Shri Krishna and MahaVishnu are the same being in two different forms.
2. Shri Krishna is an incarnation of Maha Vishnu: This is substantiated by the fact that before the advent of Shri Krishna in the jail, Lord MahaVishnu appeared in front of Devaki and Vasudev. Then He became baby Krishna.
3. MahaVishnu is a descent of Shri Krishna: The scripture also asserts -

यस्यैक निःश्वसितकालमथावलम्ब्य​ जीवन्ति लोमविलजाः जगदण्ड नाथा ।विष्णुर्महान्स इह यस्य कलाविशेषो गोविंदमादि पुरुषं तमहं भजामि ॥
ब्रह्म संहिता
yasyaika niḥśvasitakālamathāvalambya​ jīvanti lōmavilajāḥ jagadaṇḍa nāthā .viṣṇurmahānsa iha yasya kalāviśēṣō gōvindamādi puruṣṁ tamahṁ bhajāmi .
brahma sṁhitā

"The governors of the uncountable brahmands emanate from a part of Shri Krishna, and they survive with the support of His single breath. What more can be said when even MahaVishnu is a revelation of just a single expertise (कला) of Shri Krishna." This assertion means that Shri Krishna is the Supreme God and all others are His descensions.

These statements naturally create confusion in minds of the seekers who wonder. Let's unravel this mystery.

According to Bhagwat Mahapuran, at the time of creation, Brahma-Supreme God reveals one of His power known as Karanarnavashayi MahaVishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु).

आद्योऽवतारः पुरुषः परस्य कालः स्वभावः सद्-असन्मनश्च ।
द्रव्यं विकारो गुण इन्द्रियाणि विराट् स्वराट् स्थास्नु चरिष्णु भूम्नः ॥
भाग २.६.४२ ॥
ādyō’vatārḥ puruṣḥ parasya kālḥ svabhāvḥ sad-asanmanaśca .
dravyṁ vikārō guṇa indriyāṇi virāṭ svarāṭ sthāsnu cariṣṇu bhūmnḥ .
bhāga 2.6.42 .

“Karanarnavashayi MahaVishnu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, panch mahaboot (the five gross elements), Maya (the material cosmic energy), the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodashayi MahaVishnu (गर्भोदशायी महाविष्णु), and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and non-moving.” Because He is the first descension, Karanarnavashayi MahaVishnu is also known as Partham Purush.

Garbhodashayi MahaVishnu is also known as Dwitiya (second) Purush. Again, Garbhodashayi MahaVishnu reveals innumerable cosmic eggs and one creator Brahma (ब्रह्मा), one Vishnu (विष्णु) and one Shankar (शंकर) in each cosmic egg (Brahmand). This Lord Vishnu is called Kshrodashayi MahaVishnu (क्षीरोदशायी महाविष्णु) or Tritya (third) Purush. He is also known as Parmatma, who dwells in the hearts of all the living beings, keeps record of the fruits of every action performed in every birth by every living being. 

Thus, it is ascertained that, MahaVishnu is the revelation of Shri Krishna’s power’s power. That’s why it is said -

विष्णुर्महान्स इह  यस्य  कलाविशेषो ॥ ब्रह्म संहिता
viṣṇurmahānsa iha  yasya  kalāviśēṣō . brahma sṁhitā

Once, the creator Lord Brahma went to visit Shri Krishna in Dwarika. Lord Brahma arrogantly  asked the palace guard to inform Shri Krishna that Brahma is wanting to meet Him. When the guard relayed the message to Shri Krishna He asked,"Which Brahma?" Brahma was stunned, yet he answered,“I am the creator and father of the 4 Kumars who are Paramhans.” The guard led Him to meet Shri Krishna. After getting right to access, Lord Brahma politely asked Shri Krishna the cause behind His query. Then Bhagavan-Shri Krishna, with His power of Yogmaya, manifested in His ultimate divine form (Virat Swaroop) endowed with innumerable Brahma (ब्रह्मा), Vishnu(विष्णु), and Shankar(शंकर​) with their respective brahmand, millions of suns, and all lok etc.

Seeing this Lord Brahma realized his fallacious ego. Brahma realized that Shri Krishna supports all the brahmands and Brahma is the creator of the smallest brahmand. With that Brahma fell at Shri Krishna’s lotus feet and worshiped Him with these words.

क्वाहं त्मोमहदहं खचराग्निवार्भू संवेष्टितांडघटसप्तवितस्तिकायः ।क्वेदृग्विधाऽविगणिताण्डपराणुचर्या वाताध्वरोम विवरस्य च ते महित्वम्। भा १०.१४.११
kvāhṁ tmōmahadahṁ khacarāgnivārbhū sṁvēṣṭitāṇḍaghaṭasaptavitastikāyḥ .kvēdr̥gvidhā’vigaṇitāṇḍaparāṇucaryā vātādhvarōma vivarasya ca tē mahitvam. bhā 10.14.11

"In the sunlight streaming through a tiny hole one can see countless tiny particles of dust. Similarly, innumerable Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar with their respective universes are hanging from each pore of Your body. Your Glory is ineffable." |

Conclusion

There are two kinds of descensions of Shri Krishna i.e. Yugavatar (युगावतार) Krishna and Swayam (Himself) Shri Krishna.

Yugavatar Shri Krishna descends once in every Dwapar Yuga. Whereas, Swayam Shri Krishna descends once in every kalpa (a single day of Lord Brahma).

Yugavatar and MahaVishnu are the avatars whereas Swayam Shri Krishna (स्वयं श्री कृष्ण​) is called Avatari or the source for all Avatars (descensions). Avatari and all His Avatars (source of descensions) possess unlimited divine bliss and have the same powers. But Swayam Shri Krishna alone is the ultimate governor of all the divine powers whereas the Avatars are not the Supreme controller of those powers. In other words, Lord Krishna bestows all His powers to the Avatars and can He can take it back any time.

As Goswami Tulasi Das Ji says -

हरहिं हरिता विधिहिं विधिता, शिवहिं शिवता जो द​ई ।
harahiṁ haritā vidhihiṁ vidhitā, śivahiṁ śivatā jō da​ī .

“The One who gives the power to Vishnu to maintain, to Brahma to create and Shiva to destroy”.

नाहं न यूयं यद‍ृतां गतिं विदु- र्न वामदेव: किमुतापरे सुरा: । 
तन्मायया मोहितबुद्धयस्त्विदं विनिर्मितं चात्मसमं विचक्ष्महे ॥ भा २.६.३७ ॥
nāhṁ na yūyṁ yada‍r̥tāṁ gatiṁ vidu- rna vāmadēva: kimutāparē surā: . 
tanmāyayā mōhitabuddhayastvidṁ vinirmitṁ cātmasamṁ vicakṣmahē . bhā 2.6.37 .

“Since neither Lord Śiva nor you nor I could ascertain the limits of the glories of Shri Krishna, how can other demigods know it? And because all of us are bewildered by the illusory, external energy of the Supreme Lord, we can see only this manifested cosmos according to our individual ability.”

All these testimonies prove, there is One Supreme God and all other avatars are the manifestation of His power or His power’s power's power aka descensions of Tritiya Purush.

Shri Krishna Himself descends after one kalpa. Shri Krishna, who descended 5000 years ago as the son of Yashoda and Nand, was Swayam Shri Krishna. Every time He descends His sole aim is to impart divine love to the deserving souls. During His descension other actions - like killing demons, helping in Mahabharata - are performed by Yugavatar through the divine form of Swayam Shri Krishna.

You might wonder if Shri Krishna, who descended 5000 years ago, was not a descension of Lord Vishnu then why did He first appear as Vishnu in front of Devaki and Vasudev?

Why Did Krishna Reveal Vishnu Form if He’s Supreme?

Shri Krishna is Almighty Brahma-Supreme God. He can reveal Himself in any form at any time. He showed His divine form to Devaki to assure them “I am God. I have come in this form to show you that I'm fulfilling my boon and satisfy your desire of being My mother”. After appearing on the earth, as per the desire of both Devaki and Yashoda, he would hid His divinity and acted like an ordinary human child. Moreover, He had to put forth some important ideals for human beings to follow.

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