In the holy trinity of hinduism, Vishnu is the Operator, the O in GOD. Let us see some of their description from scriptures. Raam, Krishn are 2 of his main avatars.
Raam
Valmiki Ramayan
dundubhi svana nirghoShaH snigdha varNaH prataapavaan |
samaH sama vibhakta ango varNam
shyaamam samaashritaH || 5-35-16
snigdhavarNah = He has a shining skin;
shyaamam varNam = a dark-brown complexion.
trivaliivaa.nstryavanatashchaturvyaN^gastrishiirShavaan |
chatuShkalashchaturlekhashchatuShkiShkushchatuHsamaH
|| 5-35-18
trishiirSavaan
= He is endowed with three spirals in the hair of his head;
catuSh kalaH catuH lekhaH catuSh kiShkuH catuH samaH |
caturdasha sama dvandvaH catuH daShTaH
catuH gatiH || 5-35-19
paN^chasnigdhaH
= He has five glossy limbs (viz. the hair; eyes; teeth; skin and soles);
During his exile his hair is described as जटामण्डल & elsewhere as जटामुकुट.
matted locks arranged in a crown after leaving Ayodhya.
Adhyatma Ramayana
नीलोत्पलदलश्यामः पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः ।
जलजारुणनेत्रान्तः स्फुरत्कुण्डलमुण्डितः ॥ १६ ॥
नीलोत्पल-दल-श्यामः (Nīlotpala-dala-śyāmaḥ): Dark-complexioned (Śyāmaḥ) like the petal (dala) of a blue lotus (nīlotpala).
Ramcharitmanas
श्याम गौर सुंदर दोउ भाई ...
"The two brothers were beautiful: Rama dark-complexioned and Lakshmana fair."
नील जलद तनु श्याम...
"His body is dark like a blue rain cloud."
Some other mentions from agni and padma purana.
श्यामः - Dark-complexioned.
नीलमेघनिभः - Like a dark blue rain cloud.
इन्दीवरश्यामः - Dark like the blue lotus.
मेघश्यामः- Like a dark rainy cloud
Krishn
Bhagavat purana
10.3.9
सान्द्रपयोदसौभगम् "His beauty resembled a dense rain cloud."
श्यामं हिरण्यपरिधिं वनमाल्यबर्ह-
धातुप्रवालनटवेषमनुव्रतांसम्
"Dark-complexioned (śyāma), clad in yellow garments, adorned with forest garlands and a peacock feather."
कुन्तलैर्भ्रमरैर्जुष्टम् 10.29.40 "His curling locks (kuntala) resembled swarms of bees."
Vishnu purana calls him श्यामम् & नीलमेघनिभम् and mahabharat calls him श्यामः
Vishnu
Vishnu sahasranama calls him मेघश्यामः ("Dark like a rain cloud.")
Vishnu purana addresses him as नीलमेघनिभम् ("Resembling a dark blue rain cloud.") & श्यामम् (Dark-complexioned.)
Bhagavata purana says प्रावृडम्बुदवत् श्यामम् "Dark like a monsoon cloud" and सान्द्रपयोदसौभगम् "Beautiful like a dense rain cloud."
Mahabharata, narayana sukta mentions him as नीलतोयदमध्यस्था (Blue-cloud imagery.) श्यामः (Dark.), मेघवर्णः (Cloud-coloured.)
His hair is described as नीलकुन्तल - "Dark/black curling locks." स्निग्ध - glossy. स्निग्धकुन्तल - Glossy curly hair.
So all our hindu scriptures describe him as dark blue skinned, glossy shiny curly haired magnetic man but today hindus after 1000 years of conquest, colonization from fair skin obcessed, fair skin supremacists, find krishn, raam, vishnu as ugly and they made him fair skinned with straight hair. Just how the white christians turned an egyptian brown skinned, curly (hair like wool) haired, brown eyed jew into a blonde, blue eyed european. On the other hand, Shiv is described as white skinned like a camphor.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
Suggests diet to a pregnant woman if she were to desire a son who will master 1 Veda, 2 Veda, 3 Veda or all 4.
| Desired child | Complexion | Learning | Food |
|---|
| Verse 6.4.14 | Fair (śukla) | One Veda | Rice cooked in milk + ghee |
| Verse 6.4.15 | Tawny/Brown (kapila, piṅgala) | Two Vedas | Rice cooked in curds + ghee |
| Verse 6.4.16 | Dark (śyāma), red-eyed | Three Vedas | Rice cooked in water + ghee |
| Verse 6.4.17 | — | Learned daughter | Rice with sesame + ghee |
| Verse 6.4.18 | No complexion specified | Master of all the Vedas | Rice cooked with bull's meat + ghee |
Bhagavad Gita 15.15 - Krishn says "By all the Vedas, I alone am to be known. I am the author of Vedānta, and I alone am the knower of the Vedas.".
Vishnu sahasranama addresses vishnu as
वेदः (Vedaḥ) — He is the Veda itself.
वेदविद् (Vedavid) — Knower of the Vedas.
वेदाङ्गः (Vedāṅgaḥ) — The limbs of the Vedas.
वेदवित् (Vedavit) — Knower of the Vedas.
वेद्यः (Vedyaḥ) — He who is to be known through the Vedas.
Krish+Vishnu being addressed with names in association with vedas
Vedaḥ (वेदः) — The Veda itself.
Vedyaḥ (वेद्यः) — He who is to be known by the Vedas.
Vedavit (वेदवित्) — Knower of the Vedas.
Vedāntakṛt (वेदान्तकृत्) — Maker/author of Vedānta.
Vedāṅga (वेदाङ्ग) — The limbs of the Vedas.
Vedātman (वेदात्मा) — Whose very nature is the Vedas (found in Purāṇic and stotra traditions).
Nigamātmā (निगमात्मा) — Embodiment of the Nigamas (Vedas), especially in later devotional literature.
So, as per scriptures the dark skin is associated with vedas, darker the skin, higher the chances of them mastering divine/vedic knowledge.
So krishn/Vishnu/Raam were at least dark skinned, not fair, not brown but dark and curly hair. Purush sukta is dedicated to vishnu, meaning he is The purush aka male or the 1st purush aka Adi Purush. Modern science confirms that most of our human ancestry can be traced back to africa and africa even today has the highest genetic diversity amongst all people. The only people who meet or nearest to the description of krishn/vishnu/raam skin, curly hair, eyes are 'nilotic' people of africa, not to mention but nil or neel in sanskrit means blue. The blue characters of the famous movie franchise series Avatar are actually based off of these people.
It is unfortunate that today most devotees of krishn/raam/vishnu either portray them as blue or white and not dark or dark-blue
Many early migrants of india to other places like senegal, trinidad too share such traits.