river in southern India, rising in Maharashtra (Mahārāshtra) state in the Western Ghats range near the town of Mahabaleshwar, not far from India's west coast. It flows east to Wai and then in a generally southeasterly direction past Sangli to the border of Karnataka (Karnātaka) state. There the river turns east and flows in an irregular course across Karnataka and into Andhra Pradesh state. It veers southeast and then northeast, flows east to its delta head at Vijayawada (Vijayawāda), and from there flows into the Bay of Bengal (Bengal, Bay of) after a course of about 800 miles (1,290 km).

The Krishna has a large and very fertile delta continuous with that of the Godavari River, to the northeast. Although it is not navigable, the Krishna provides water for irrigation; a weir at Vijayawada controls the flow of water into a system of canals in the delta. Because it is fed by seasonal monsoon rains, the river's flow undergoes great fluctuation during the year, limiting its usefulness for irrigation. The two largest tributaries are the Bhima (north) and the Tungabhadra (south). The latter has a dam at Hospet, completed in 1957, forming a reservoir and supplying hydroelectric power.