From the very beginning, the Bhagavad Gita makes clear that Krishna is a god of war.  Our first picture of Krishna places him at the head of an army, in a chariot, and blowing a battle trumpet.[1]  Arjuna beseeches Krishna as a god of war, asking him, "Guide my chariot, immortal Krishna, and position it between the two armies."[2]  Krishna immediately heeds his disciples' request, driving his chariot into the fray.[3]  Then Arjuna has a moment of doubt.  He says,

I don't see anything good coming from killing my own brethren in battle… how does their death accomplish anything for us?... What sort of evil spirit has possessed us to kill our own people in battle for the sake of an earthly kingdom?[4] 

Krishna responds,

Strong people don't feel remorse like that, Arjuna.  It wins you neither heaven nor earth.[5] 

Krishna then explains that warfare is morally permissible, because the people you kill in war will just get reincarnated anyway, so,

Start the battle, great warrior… for this war opens the gates of heaven.  Blessed are the warriors who fight this war, but if you don't fight, if you forsake your obligation and your honor, then you will fall into sin…[6]  I came here to kill these people… so get up, win the victory, and vanquish your foe…[7]  

Clearly, Krishna is a god of war.  Indeed, he was a Hindu jihadist! 

     Theologians like Gandhi later reinterpreted Krishna's words into a message of non-violence, but if you read the Gita for what it actually says, it is anything but non-violent.  Gandhi's pacifist tendencies actually did not come from Hinduism at all, but from his Jainist upbringing.  Jainism is a different religion.  Interestingly, its symbol is the swastika.  In such manner the gods devise ways to mock humanity through the centuries, for they gave the swastika as a symbol for non-violence, then gave the violent Nazi movement the same symbol.

     Before Krishna, the Hindus worshipped a different system of deities, chief of whom was a violent god named Indra.  Indra was believed to have slain the primordial monster and created the world from its blood and guts, much the same way the Babylonian god Marduk allegedly did as recorded in Enuma Elish.  He is called "conquering Indra,"[8] "strong jaws,"[9] "thunder-armed,"[10] "celebrated warrior,"[11] "all conquering,"[12] "the plunderer in the battles of warriors," and he is invoked "to conquer all our enemies in battle,"[13] and to make us wealthy by "bringing the plunder" to us, and he rides war horses "daring to grab the booty."[14]  It is said of Indra, "Choked by your hand, your enemies were slain, and they lie stabbed and gory in the abyss of death."[15]  He is also said to be "angry in spirit,"[16] and armies "cannot win without his help."[17]  Indra is also repeatedly associated with the consumption of a narcotic herb called Soma that brings "wild delight" and helps him kill the dragon.[18]  Indra is said to lead an army of 159,000.  He has overthrown the regimes of 20 kings, destroyed 99 castles, razed 7 forts, butchered 99 cloud demons, and he has killed Ahi, Rauhina, Vyamsa, Dasas, and the Dasyus.[19]

          Two other Vedic gods, Varuna and Agni, are also gods of war.  Called "Lord of the warrior's strength," Varuna is associated with chariots.[20]  Of Agni, it is said he "kills many in war by the hands of few,"[21] and, "he butchers demons like an axe,"[22] and puts on "a suit of armor for war."[23]