Lord Krishna adored

Nanjeeyar was the disciple of Parasara Bhattar. Once during

a conversation, Nanjeeyar asked Bhattar why the Azhvars
celebrated Krishna more than they did Rama. Parasara
Bhattar replied that Rama was the son of a great King. He
was also next in the line of succession. So there would not
have been a dearth of people to praise Him. But Krishna had a humble background. He grew up in the midst of cowherds and had to tend the cattle Himself. Besides, Rama was well protected, being of a royal family. But Krishna was
surrounded by danger all the time, elaborated P.T. Seshadri
in a discourse.

Nothing could be taken for granted in the Krishna avatara, not even a blade of grass, for there was no telling where danger would suddenly sprout. In the Rama avatara, Rama faced danger only when He went to the forest, and by

then He was an adult. But Krishna faced danger from the
moment of his birth. Rama went to Lanka to fight Ravana,
because He had to. But Krishna voluntarily courted danger,
as when He went to fight with the venomous snake Kaliya.
Rama let off His enemies. If He had killed Surpanaka and
Mareecha, there would not have been so much anguish for
Him. He allowed Surpanaka to live, and she was thus able to tell Ravana about Sita’s beauty. But Krishna was thorough in destroying His enemies. And yet Krishna was
compassionate.

When Indra kept up a torrent of rain, He lifted the hill to

shelter the people and cattle. But He did not destroy Indra.
Indra had been deprived of the usual offerings and was
therefore hungry. A hungry person must be excused for his
anger, and so the Lord did not retaliate against Indra. No
wonder Krishna was adored by the Azhvars!