Why does Krishna wear a peacock feather and carry a flute?
The peacock feather and flute mark Krishna as the cowherd of Vraja, and tradition gives them many beautiful symbolic meanings.
Answer
The Shrimad Bhagavatam describes Krishna as the cowherd of Vrindavan with a crown of peacock feathers, a garland of forest flowers and a flute. These are the marks of his simple life in Vraja, close to nature.
Tradition offers several popular explanations for the peacock feather. In one story, the peacocks dancing to Krishna's flute lovingly offered him a feather. A peacock feather holds every colour, showing that all the colours of creation are contained in the Lord. Some also see it as a symbol of purity and beauty.
About the flute, a much-loved thought is that it is hollow inside, so the Lord can fill it with his music. In the same way, when a devotee's heart is emptied of ego, the Lord fills it with his own melody. The Bhagavatam describes how the gopis, the cows, the birds and even the rivers were enchanted by the sound of his flute.
These explanations come from the devotional tradition and folk stories, and they help devotees remember the sweetness of the Lord.