Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita

CC Madhya 21 Summary

CC Madhya 21.1: Offering my obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, let me describe a particle of His opulence and sweetness. He is most valuable for a fallen conditioned soul bereft of spiritual knowledge, and He is the only shelter for those who do not know the real goal of life.

CC Madhya 21.2: All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

CC Madhya 21.3: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, "All the transcendental forms of the Lord are situated in the spiritual sky. They preside over spiritual planets in that abode, but there is no counting those Vaikuntha planets.

CC Madhya 21.4: "The breadth of each Vaikuntha planet is described as eight miles multiplied by one hundred, by one thousand, by ten thousand, by one hundred thousand and by ten million. In other words, each Vaikuntha planet is expanded beyond our ability to measure.

CC Madhya 21.5: "Each Vaikuntha planet is very large, and each is made of spiritual bliss. The inhabitants are all associates of the Supreme Lord, and they have full opulence like the Lord Himself. This is how the Vaikuntha planets are all situated.

CC Madhya 21.6: "Since all the Vaikuntha planets are located in a certain corner of the spiritual sky, who can measure the spiritual sky?

CC Madhya 21.7: "The shape of the spiritual sky is compared to a lotus flower. The topmost region of that flower is called the whorl, and within that whorl is Krishna's abode. The petals of the spiritual lotus flower consist of many Vaikuntha planets.

CC Madhya 21.8: "Each Vaikuntha planet is full of spiritual bliss, complete opulence and space, and each is inhabited by incarnations. If Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva cannot estimate the length and breadth of the spiritual sky and the Vaikuntha planets, how can ordinary living entities begin to imagine them?

CC Madhya 21.9: "'O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing Your pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of these activities.'

CC Madhya 21.10: "The spiritual qualities of Krishna are also unlimited. Great personalities like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the four Kumāras cannot estimate the spiritual qualities of the Lord.

CC Madhya 21.11: "'In time, great scientists may be able to count all the atoms of the universe, all the stars and planets in the sky, and all the particles of snow, but who among them can count the unlimited transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He descends on the surface of the globe for the benefit of all living entities.'

CC Madhya 21.12: "To say nothing of Lord Brahmā, even Lord Ananta, who has thousands of heads, cannot reach the end of the Lord's transcendental qualities, even though He is continuously chanting their praises.

CC Madhya 21.13: "'If I, Lord Brahmā, and your elder brothers, the great saints and sages, cannot understand the limits of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of various energies, who else can understand them? Although constantly chanting about His transcendental qualities, the thousand-hooded Lord Śesha has not yet reached the end of the Lord's activities.'

CC Madhya 21.14: "To say nothing of Anantadeva, even Lord Krishna Himself cannot find an end to His own transcendental qualities. Indeed, He Himself is always eager to know them.

CC Madhya 21.15: "'My Lord, You are unlimited. Even the predominating deities of the higher planetary systems, including Lord Brahmā, cannot find Your limitations. Nor can You Yourself ascertain the limit of Your qualities. Like atoms in the sky, there are multi-universes with seven coverings, and these are rotating in due course of time. All the experts in Vedic understanding are searching for You by eliminating the material elements. In this way, searching and searching, they come to the conclusion that everything is complete in You. Thus You are the resort of everything. This is the conclusion of all Vedic experts.'

CC Madhya 21.16: "Apart from all argument, logic and negative or positive processes, when Lord Śrī Krishna was present as the Supreme Personality of Godhead at Vrindāvana, no one could find a limit to His potencies by studying His characteristics and activities.

CC Madhya 21.17: "At Vrindāvana, the Lord immediately created all material and spiritual planets in one moment. Indeed, all of them were created with their predominating deities.

CC Madhya 21.18: "We do not hear of such wonderful things anywhere else. Simply by one's hearing of those incidents, one's consciousness is agitated and cleansed.

CC Madhya 21.19: "According to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Krishna had unlimited calves and cowherd boys with Him. No one could count their actual number.

CC Madhya 21.20: "Each of the cowherd boys was tending calves to the extent of a koti, arbuda, śańkha and padma. That is the way of counting.

CC Madhya 21.21: "All the cowherd boys had unlimited calves. Similarly, their canes, flutes, lotus flowers, horns, garments and ornaments were all unlimited. They cannot be limited by writing about them.

CC Madhya 21.22: "The cowherd boys then became four-handed Nārāyanas, predominating Deities of Vaikuntha planets. All the separate Brahmās from different universes began to offer their prayers unto the Lords.

CC Madhya 21.23: "All these transcendental bodies emanated from the body of Krishna, and within a second They all entered again into His body.

CC Madhya 21.24: "When the Lord Brahmā from this universe saw this pastime, he was astonished and struck with wonder. After offering his prayers, he gave the following conclusion.

CC Madhya 21.25: "Lord Brahmā said, 'If someone says that he knows everything about Krishna's opulence, let him think that way. But as far as I am concerned, with my body and mind I consider it in this way.

CC Madhya 21.26: "'My Lord, Your opulence is like an unlimited ocean of nectar, and it is verbally and mentally impossible for me to realize even a drop of that ocean.

CC Madhya 21.27: "'There are people who say, "I know everything about Krishna." Let them think that way. As far as I am concerned, I do not wish to speak very much about this matter. O my Lord, let me say this much. As far as Your opulences are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words.'

CC Madhya 21.28: "Let the glories of Lord Krishna be! Who could be aware of all of them? His abode, Vrindāvana, has many wonderful opulences. Just try to see them all.

CC Madhya 21.29: "According to the revelations of revealed scripture, Vrindāvana extends only sixteen krośas [thirty-two miles]. Nonetheless, all the Vaikuntha planets and innumerable universes are located in one corner of this tract.

CC Madhya 21.30: "No one can estimate the opulence of Krishna. That is unlimited. However, just as one sees the moon through the branches of a tree, I wish to give a little indication."

CC Madhya 21.31: While describing the transcendental opulences of Krishna, the ocean of opulence manifested in the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and His mind and senses were immersed in this ocean. Thus He was perplexed.

CC Madhya 21.32: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally recited the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and to relish the meaning, He began to explain it Himself.

CC Madhya 21.33: "'The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the master of the three worlds and the three principal demigods [Brahmā, Vishnu and Śiva]. No one is equal to or greater than Him. By His spiritual potency, known as svārājya-lakshmī, all His desires are fulfilled. While offering their dues and presents in worship, the predominating deities of all the planets touch the lotus feet of the Lord with their helmets. Thus they offer prayers to the Lord.'

CC Madhya 21.34: "Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is the greatest of all. No one is equal to Him, nor is anyone greater than Him.

CC Madhya 21.35: "'Krishna, known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.'

CC Madhya 21.36: "The primary predominating deities of this material creation are Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Vishnu. Nonetheless, they simply carry out the orders of Lord Krishna, who is master of them all.

CC Madhya 21.37: "[Lord Brahmā said:] 'Following the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I create, Lord Śiva destroys, and He Himself in the form of Kshīrodakaśāyī Vishnu maintains all the affairs of material nature. Thus the supreme controller of the three modes of material nature is Lord Vishnu.'

CC Madhya 21.38: "This is only a general description. Please try to understand another meaning of tryadhīśa. The three purusha incarnations of Vishnu are the original cause of the material creation.

CC Madhya 21.39: "Mahā-Vishnu, Padmanābha and Kshīrodakaśāyī Vishnu are the Supersouls of all subtle and gross existences.

CC Madhya 21.40: "Although Mahā-Vishnu, Padmanābha and Kshīrodakaśāyī Vishnu are all shelters and controllers of the entire universe, They are nonetheless but plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of Krishna. Therefore He is the original Personality of Godhead.

CC Madhya 21.41: "'The Brahmās and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the pores of Mahā-Vishnu and remain alive for the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, of whom Mahā-Vishnu is a portion of a plenary portion.'

CC Madhya 21.42: "This is the middle meaning. Now please hear the confidential meaning. Lord Krishna has three places of residence, which are well known from the revealed scriptures.

CC Madhya 21.43: "The internal abode is called Goloka Vrindāvana. It is there that Lord Krishna's personal friends, associates, father and mother live.

CC Madhya 21.44: "Vrindāvana is the storehouse of Krishna's mercy and the sweet opulences of conjugal love. That is where the spiritual energy, working as a maidservant, exhibits the rāsa dance, the quintessence of all pastimes.

CC Madhya 21.45: "'Vrindāvana-dhāma is very soft due to the mercy of the Supreme Lord, and it is especially opulent due to conjugal love. The transcendental glories of the son of Mahārāja Nanda are exhibited here. Under the circumstances, not the least anxiety is awakened within us.'

CC Madhya 21.46: "Below the Vrindāvana planet is the spiritual sky, which is known as Vishnuloka. In Vishnuloka there are innumerable Vaikuntha planets controlled by Nārāyana and innumerable other expansions of Krishna.

CC Madhya 21.47: "The spiritual sky, which is full in all six opulences, is the intermediate residence of Lord Krishna. It is there that an unlimited number of forms of Krishna enjoy Their pastimes.

CC Madhya 21.48: "Innumerable Vaikuntha planets, which are just like different rooms of a treasure-house, are all there, filled with all opulences. Those unlimited planets house the Lord's eternal associates, who are also enriched with the six opulences.

CC Madhya 21.49: "'Below the planet named Goloka Vrindāvana are the planets known as Devī-dhāma, Maheśa-dhāma and Hari-dhāma. These are opulent in different ways. They are managed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the original Lord. I offer my obeisances unto Him.'

CC Madhya 21.50: "'Between the spiritual and the material world is a body of water known as the river Virajā. This water is generated from the bodily perspiration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vedāńga. Thus the river flows.'

CC Madhya 21.51: "'Beyond the river Virajā is the spiritual nature, which is indestructible, eternal, inexhaustible and unlimited. It is the supreme abode, consisting of three fourths of the Lord's opulences. It is known as paravyoma, the spiritual sky.'

CC Madhya 21.52: "On the other side of the river Virajā is the external abode, which is full of unlimited universes, each containing unlimited atmospheres.

CC Madhya 21.53: "The abode of the external energy is called Devī-dhāma, and its inhabitants are the conditioned souls. It is there that the material energy, Durgā, resides with many opulent maidservants.

CC Madhya 21.54: "Krishna is the supreme proprietor of all dhāmas, including Goloka-dhāma, Vaikuntha-dhāma and Devī-dhāma. The paravyoma and Goloka-dhāma are beyond Devī-dhāma, this material world.

CC Madhya 21.55: "The spiritual world is considered to be three fourths of the energy and opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas this material world is only one fourth of that energy. That is our understanding.

CC Madhya 21.56: "'Because it consists of three fourths of the Lord's energy, the spiritual world is called tri-pād-bhūta. Being a manifestation of one fourth of the Lord's energy, the material world is called eka-pāda.'

CC Madhya 21.57: "The three-fourths part of Lord Krishna's energy is beyond our speaking power. Let us therefore hear elaborately about the remaining one fourth of His energy.

CC Madhya 21.58: "Actually it is very difficult to ascertain the number of universes. Every universe has its separate Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, who are known as permanent governors. Therefore there is also no counting them.

CC Madhya 21.59: "Once, when Krishna was ruling Dvārakā, Lord Brahmā came to see Him, and the doorman immediately informed Lord Krishna of Brahmā's arrival.

CC Madhya 21.60: "When Krishna was so informed, He immediately asked the doorman, 'Which Brahmā? What is his name?' The doorman therefore returned and questioned Lord Brahmā.

CC Madhya 21.61: "When the doorman asked, 'Which Brahmā?' Lord Brahmā was surprised. He told the doorman, 'Please go inform Lord Krishna that I am the four-headed Brahmā who is the father of the four Kumāras.'

CC Madhya 21.62: "The doorman then informed Lord Krishna of Lord Brahmā's description, and Lord Krishna gave him permission to enter. The doorman escorted Lord Brahmā in, and as soon as Brahmā saw Lord Krishna, he offered obeisances at His lotus feet.

CC Madhya 21.63: "After being worshiped by Lord Brahmā, Lord Krishna also honored him with suitable words. Then Lord Krishna asked him, 'Why have you come here?'

CC Madhya 21.64: "Being questioned, Lord Brahmā immediately replied, 'Later I shall tell You why I have come. First of all there is a doubt in my mind which I wish You would kindly dissipate.

CC Madhya 21.65: "'Why did you inquire which Brahmā had come to see You? What is the purpose of such an inquiry? Is there any other Brahmā besides me within this universe?'

CC Madhya 21.66: "Upon hearing this, Śrī Krishna smiled and immediately meditated. Unlimited Brahmās arrived instantly.

CC Madhya 21.67: "These Brahmās had different numbers of heads. Some had ten heads, some twenty, some a hundred, some a thousand, some ten thousand, some a hundred thousand, some ten million and others a hundred million. No one can count the number of faces they had.

CC Madhya 21.68: "There also arrived many Lord Śivas with various heads numbering one hundred thousand and ten million. Many Indras also arrived, and they had hundreds of thousands of eyes all over their bodies.

CC Madhya 21.69: "When the four-headed Brahmā of this universe saw all these opulences of Krishna, he became very much bewildered and considered himself a rabbit among many elephants.

CC Madhya 21.70: "All the Brahmās who came to see Krishna offered their respects at His lotus feet, and when they did this, their helmets touched His lotus feet.

CC Madhya 21.71: "No one can estimate the inconceivable potency of Krishna. All the Brahmās who were there were resting in the one body of Krishna.

CC Madhya 21.72: "When all the helmets struck together at Krishna's lotus feet, there was a tumultuous sound. It appeared that the helmets themselves were offering prayers unto Krishna's lotus feet.

CC Madhya 21.73: "With folded hands, all the Brahmās and Śivas began to offer prayers unto Lord Krishna, saying, 'O Lord, You have shown me a great favor. I have been able to see Your lotus feet.'

CC Madhya 21.74: "All of them then said, 'It is my great fortune, Lord, that You have called me, thinking of me as Your servant. Now let me know what Your order is so that I may carry it on my heads.'

CC Madhya 21.75: "Lord Krishna replied, 'Since I wanted to see all of you together, I have called all of you here.

CC Madhya 21.76: "'All of you should be happy. Is there any fear from the demons?'"They replied, 'By Your mercy, we are victorious everywhere.

CC Madhya 21.77: "'Whatever burden was upon the earth You have taken away by descending to that planet.'

CC Madhya 21.78: "This is the proof of Dvārakā's opulence: all the Brahmās thought, 'Krishna is now staying in my jurisdiction.'

CC Madhya 21.79: "Thus the opulence of Dvārakā was perceived by each and every one of them. Although they were all assembled together, no one could see anyone but himself.

CC Madhya 21.80: "Lord Krishna then bade farewell to all the Brahmās there, and after offering their obeisances, they all returned to their respective homes.

CC Madhya 21.81: "After observing all these opulences, the four-headed Brahmā of this universe was astonished. He again came before the lotus feet of Krishna and offered Him obeisances.

CC Madhya 21.82: "Brahmā then said, 'Whatever I formerly decided about my knowledge I have just now had personally verified.

CC Madhya 21.83: "'There are people who say, "I know everything about Krishna." Let them think in that way. As far as I am concerned, I do not wish to speak very much about this matter. O my Lord, let me say this much. As far as Your opulences are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words.'

CC Madhya 21.84: "Krishna said, 'Your particular universe has a diameter of four billion miles; therefore it is the smallest of all the universes. Consequently you have only four heads.

CC Madhya 21.85: "'Some of the universes are one billion yojanas in diameter, some one trillion, some ten trillion and some one hundred trillion yojanas. Thus they are almost unlimited in area.

CC Madhya 21.86: "'According to the size of the universe, there are so many heads on the body of Brahmā. In this way I maintain innumerable universes [brahmāndas].

CC Madhya 21.87: "'No one can measure the length and breadth of the one fourth of My energy manifested in the material world. Who then can measure the three fourths that is manifested in the spiritual world?'

CC Madhya 21.88: "'"Beyond the river Virajā is the spiritual nature, which is indestructible, eternal, inexhaustible and unlimited. It is the supreme abode, consisting of three fourths of the Lord's opulences. It is known as paravyoma, the spiritual sky."'

CC Madhya 21.89: "In this way Lord Krishna bade farewell to the four-headed Brahmā of this universe. We may thus understand that no one can calculate the extent of Krishna's energies.

CC Madhya 21.90: "There is a very deep meaning in the word 'try-adhīśvara,' which indicates that Krishna possesses three different lokas, or natures.

CC Madhya 21.91: "The three lokas are Gokula (Goloka), Mathurā and Dvārakā. Krishna lives eternally in these three places.

CC Madhya 21.92: "These three places are full of internal potencies, and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is their sole proprietor.

CC Madhya 21.93-94: "As previously mentioned, the jewels on the helmets of all the predominating deities of all the universes and Vaikuntha planets touched the throne and the lotus feet of the Lord when those deities all offered obeisances.

CC Madhya 21.95: "When the gems on the helmets of all the predominating deities collided before the throne and the Lord's lotus feet, there was a jingling sound, which seemed like prayers offered by the helmets at Krishna's lotus feet.

CC Madhya 21.96: "Krishna is thus situated eternally in His spiritual potency, and the opulence of that spiritual potency is called shad-aiśvarya, indicating six kinds of opulences.

CC Madhya 21.97: "Because He possesses the spiritual potencies, which fulfill all His desires, Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the Vedic version.

CC Madhya 21.98: "The unlimited potencies of Krishna are just like an ocean of nectar. Since one cannot bathe within that ocean, I have only touched a drop of it."

CC Madhya 21.99: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was describing the opulences and spiritual potencies of Krishna in this way, there was an awakening of love of Krishna within Him. His mind became immersed in the sweetness of conjugal love, and He quoted the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

CC Madhya 21.100: "'To exhibit the strength of His own spiritual potency, Lord Krishna manifested a form just suitable for His pastimes in the material world. This form was wonderful even for Him and was the supreme abode of the wealth of good fortune. Its limbs were so beautiful that they increased the beauty of the ornaments worn on different parts of His body.'

CC Madhya 21.101: "Lord Krishna has many pastimes, of which His pastimes as a human being are the best. His form as a human being is the supreme transcendental form. In this form He is a cowherd boy. He carries a flute in His hand, and His youth is new. He is also an expert dancer. All this is just suitable for His pastimes as a human being.

CC Madhya 21.102: "My dear Sanātana, the sweet, attractive transcendental form of Krishna is so nice. Just try to understand it. Even a fractional understanding of Krishna's beauty can merge all three worlds in the ocean of love. He attracts all living entities within the three worlds.

CC Madhya 21.103: "The transcendental form of Krishna is shown to the world by Lord Krishna's internal, spiritual energy, which is a transformation of pure goodness. This jewellike form is the most confidential treasure of the devotees. This form is manifested from Krishna's eternal pastimes.

CC Madhya 21.104: "The wonderful form of Krishna in His personal feature is so great that it attracts even Krishna to taste His own association. Indeed, Krishna becomes very eager to taste it. Total beauty, knowledge, wealth, strength, fame and renunciation are the six opulences of Krishna. He is eternally situated in His opulences.

CC Madhya 21.105: "Ornaments caress that body, but the transcendental body of Krishna is so beautiful that it beautifies the ornaments He wears. Therefore Krishna's body is said to be the ornament of ornaments. Enhancing the wonderful beauty of Krishna is His three-curved style of standing. Above all these beautiful features, Krishna's eyes dance and move obliquely, acting like arrows to pierce the minds of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and the gopīs. When the arrow succeeds in hitting its target, their minds become agitated.

CC Madhya 21.106: "The beauty of Krishna's body is so attractive that it attracts not only the demigods and other living entities within this material world but the personalities of the spiritual sky as well, including the Nārāyanas, who are expansions of Krishna's personality. The minds of the Nārāyanas are thus attracted by the beauty of Krishna's body. In addition, the goddesses of fortune [Lakshmīs], who are the wives of the Nārāyanas and are the women described in the Vedas as most chaste, are also attracted by the wonderful beauty of Krishna.

CC Madhya 21.107: "Favoring the gopīs, Krishna rides on the chariots of their minds, and just to receive loving service from them, He attracts their minds like Cupid. Therefore He is also called Madana-mohana, the attractor of Cupid. Cupid has five arrows, representing form, taste, smell, sound and touch. Krishna is the owner of these five arrows, and with His Cupid-like beauty He conquers the minds of the gopīs, though they are very proud of their superexcellent beauty. Becoming a new Cupid, Krishna attracts their minds and engages in the rāsa dance.

CC Madhya 21.108: "When Lord Krishna wanders in the forest of Vrindāvana with His friends on an equal level, there are innumerable cows grazing. This is another of the Lord's blissful enjoyments. When He plays on His flute, all living entities — including trees, plants, animals and human beings — tremble and are saturated with jubilation. Tears flow constantly from their eyes.

CC Madhya 21.109: "Krishna wears a pearl necklace that appears like a chain of white ducks around His neck. The peacock feather in His hair appears like a rainbow, and His yellow garments appear like lightning in the sky. Krishna appears like a newly risen cloud, and the gopīs appear like newly grown grains in the field. Constant rains of nectarean pastimes fall upon these newly grown grains, and it seems that the gopīs are receiving beams of life from Krishna, exactly as grains receive life from the rains.

CC Madhya 21.110: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is full in all six opulences, including His attractive beauty, which engages Him in conjugal love with the gopīs. Such sweetness is the quintessence of His qualities. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, has described these pastimes of Krishna throughout Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hearing the descriptions, the devotees become mad with love of God."

CC Madhya 21.111: Just as the women of Mathurā ecstatically described the fortune of the gopīs of Vrindāvana and the transcendental qualities of Krishna, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu described the different mellows of Krishna and became overwhelmed with ecstatic love. Grasping the hand of Sanātana Gosvāmī, He recited the following verse.

CC Madhya 21.112: "'What austerities must the gopīs have performed? With their eyes they always drink the nectar of the form of Lord Krishna, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and unique.'

CC Madhya 21.113: "The bodily beauty of Śrī Krishna is like a wave in the ocean of eternal youth. In that great ocean is the whirlpool of the awakening of ecstatic love. The vibration of Krishna's flute is like a whirlwind, and the flickering minds of the gopīs are like straws and dry leaves. After they fall down in the whirlwind, they never rise again but remain eternally at the lotus feet of Krishna.

CC Madhya 21.114: "O My dear friend, what severe austerities have the gopīs performed to drink His transcendental beauty and sweetness through their eyes in complete fulfillment? Thus they glorify their births, bodies and minds.

CC Madhya 21.115: "The sweetness of Krishna's beauty enjoyed by the gopīs is unparalleled. Nothing is equal to or greater than such ecstatic sweetness. Even the predominating Deities of the Vaikuntha planets, the Nārāyanas, do not possess such sweetness. Indeed, none of the incarnations of Krishna up to Nārāyana possess such transcendental beauty.

CC Madhya 21.116: "The vivid evidence in this regard is that the dearest consort of Nārāyana, the goddess of fortune, who is worshiped by all chaste women, gave up everything in her desire to enjoy Krishna, being captivated by His unparalleled sweetness. Thus she took a great vow and underwent severe austerities.

CC Madhya 21.117: "The quintessence of Krishna's sweet bodily luster is so perfect that there is no perfection above it. He is the immutable mine of all transcendental qualities. In His other manifestations and personal expansions, there is only a partial exhibition of such qualities. We understand all His personal expansions in this way.

CC Madhya 21.118: "Both the gopīs and Krishna are complete. The gopīs' ecstatic love is like a mirror that becomes newer and newer at every moment and reflects Krishna's bodily luster and sweetness. Thus competition increases. Since neither give up, their pastimes become newer and newer, and both sides constantly increase.

CC Madhya 21.119: "The transcendental mellows generated from the dealings between the gopīs and Krishna cannot be tasted by means of fruitive activity, yogic austerities, speculative knowledge, regulative devotional service, mantra-yoga or meditation. This sweetness can be tasted only through the spontaneous love of liberated persons who chant the holy names with great ecstatic love.

CC Madhya 21.120: "Such ecstatic transactions between Krishna and the gopīs are possible only in Vrindāvana, which is full of the opulences of transcendental love. The form of Krishna is the original source of all transcendental qualities. It is like a mine of gems. The opulences belonging to all the personal expansions of Krishna are to be understood to be bestowed by Krishna; therefore Krishna is the original source and shelter of everyone.

CC Madhya 21.121: "Beauty, humility, mercy, merit, patience and expert intelligence are all manifested in Krishna. But besides these, Krishna has other qualities like good behavior, mildness and magnanimity. He also performs welfare activities for the whole world. All these qualities are not visible in expansions like Nārāyana.

CC Madhya 21.122: "After seeing Krishna, various people criticize the blinking of their eyes. In Vrindāvana especially, all the gopīs criticize Lord Brahmā because of this defect in the eyes." Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recited some verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and explained them vividly, thus enjoying the taste of transcendental sweetness with great happiness.

CC Madhya 21.123: "'All men and women were accustomed to enjoying the beauty of the shining face of Lord Krishna, as well as His shark-shaped earrings swinging on His ears. His beautiful features, His cheeks and His playful smiles all combined to form a constant festival for the eyes, and the blinking of the eyes became obstacles that impeded one from seeing that beauty. For this reason, men and women became very angry at the creator [Lord Brahmā].'

CC Madhya 21.124: "'O Krishna, when You go to the forest during the day and we do not see Your sweet face, which is surrounded by beautiful curly hair, half a second becomes as long as an entire age for us. And we consider the creator, who has put eyelids on the eyes we use for seeing You, to be simply a fool.'

CC Madhya 21.125: "Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is identical with the Vedic hymn known as the Kāma-gāyatrī, which is composed of twenty-four and a half syllables. Those syllables are compared to moons that arise in Krishna. Thus all three worlds are filled with desire.

CC Madhya 21.126: "The face of Krishna is the king of all moons, and the body of Krishna is the throne. Thus the king governs a society of moons.

CC Madhya 21.127: "Krishna has two cheeks that shine like glowing gems. Both are considered full moons. His forehead is considered a half moon, and the spot of sandalwood there is considered a full moon.

CC Madhya 21.128: "His fingernails are many full moons, and they dance on the flute in His hands. Their song is the melody of that flute. His toenails are also many full moons, and they dance on the ground. Their song is the jingling of His ankle bells.

CC Madhya 21.129: "Krishna's face is the enjoyer king. That full-moon face makes His shark-shaped earrings and lotus eyes dance. His eyebrows are like bows, and His eyes are like arrows. His ears are fixed on the string of that bow, and when His eyes spread to His ears, He pierces the hearts of the gopīs.

CC Madhya 21.130: "The dancing features of His face surpass all other full moons and expand the marketplace of full moons. Although priceless, the nectar of Krishna's face is distributed to everyone. Some purchase the moonrays of His sweet smiles, and others purchase the nectar of His lips. Thus He pleases everyone.

CC Madhya 21.131: "Krishna has two reddish, widely spread eyes. These are ministers of the king, and they subdue the pride of Cupid, who also has beautiful eyes. That face of Govinda, which is full of happiness, is the home of the pastimes of beauty, and it is very pleasing to everyone's eyes.

CC Madhya 21.132: "If by devotional service one gets the results of pious activities and sees Lord Krishna's face, what can he relish with only two eyes? His greed and thirst increase twofold by seeing the nectarean face of Krishna. Due to his inability to sufficiently drink that nectar, he becomes very unhappy and criticizes the creator for not having given more than two eyes.

CC Madhya 21.133: "When the onlooker of Krishna's face becomes dissatisfied in this way, he thinks, 'Why didn't the creator give me thousands and millions of eyes? Why has he given me only two? Even these two eyes are disturbed by blinking, which keeps me from continuously seeing Krishna's face.' Thus one accuses the creator of being dry and tasteless due to engaging in severe austerities. 'The creator is only a dry manufacturer. He does not know how to create and set things in their proper places.

CC Madhya 21.134: "'The creator says, "Let those who will see Krishna's beautiful face have two eyes." Just see the lack of consideration exhibited by this person posing as a creator. If the creator took my advice, he would give millions of eyes to the person who intends to see Śrī Krishna's face. If the creator will accept this advice, then I would say that he is competent in his work.'

CC Madhya 21.135: "The transcendental form of Lord Śrī Krishna is compared to an ocean. A particularly extraordinary vision is the moon above that ocean — Śrī Krishna's face — and an even more extraordinary vision is His smile, which is sweeter than sweet and is like shining beams of moonlight." While speaking of these things with Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to remember one thing after another. Moving His hands in ecstasy, He recited a verse.

CC Madhya 21.136: "'O my Lord, the transcendental body of Krishna is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter than His body. But His soft smile, which has the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still.'

CC Madhya 21.137: "My dear Sanātana, the sweetness of Krishna's personality is just like an ocean of ambrosia. Although My mind is now afflicted by convulsive diseases and I wish to drink that entire ocean, the repressive physician does not allow Me to drink even one drop.

CC Madhya 21.138: "Krishna's body is a city of attractive features, and it is sweeter than sweet. His face, which is like the moon, is sweeter still. And the supremely sweet gentle smile on that moonlike face is like rays of moonshine.

CC Madhya 21.139: "The beauty of Krishna's smile is the sweetest feature of all. His smile is like a full moon that spreads its rays throughout the three worlds — Goloka Vrindāvana, the spiritual sky of the Vaikunthas, and Devī-dhāma, the material world. Thus Krishna's shining beauty spreads in all ten directions.

CC Madhya 21.140: "His slight smiling and fragrant illumination are compared to camphor, which enters the sweetness of His lips. That sweetness is transformed and enters into space as vibrations from the holes of His flute.

CC Madhya 21.141: "The sound of Krishna's flute spreads in the four directions. Even though Krishna vibrates His flute within this universe, its sound pierces the universal covering and goes to the spiritual sky. Thus the vibration enters the ears of all inhabitants. It especially enters Goloka Vrindāvana-dhāma and attracts the minds of the young damsels of Vrajabhūmi, bringing them forcibly to where Krishna is present.

CC Madhya 21.142: "The vibration of Krishna's flute is very aggressive, and it breaks the vows of all chaste women. Indeed, its vibration takes them forcibly from the laps of their husbands. The vibration of His flute attracts even the goddesses of fortune in the Vaikuntha planets, to say nothing of the poor damsels of Vrindāvana.

CC Madhya 21.143: "The vibration of His flute slackens the knots of their underwear even in front of their husbands. Thus the gopīs are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Krishna. In this way all social etiquette, shame and fear are vanquished. The vibration of His flute causes all women to dance.

CC Madhya 21.144: "The vibration of His flute is just like a bird that creates a nest within the ears of the gopīs and always remains prominent there, not allowing any other sound to enter their ears. Indeed, the gopīs cannot hear anything else, nor are they able to concentrate on anything else, not even to give a suitable reply. Such are the effects of the vibration of Lord Krishna's flute."

CC Madhya 21.145: Resuming His external consciousness, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Sanātana Gosvāmī, "I have not spoken of what I intended. Lord Krishna is very merciful to you because by bewildering My mind He has revealed His personal opulence and sweetness. He has caused you to hear all these things from Me for your understanding.

CC Madhya 21.146: "Since I have become a madman, I am saying one thing instead of another. This is because I am being carried away by the waves of the nectarean ocean of Lord Krishna's transcendental sweetness."

CC Madhya 21.147: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then remained silent for a moment. Finally, adjusting things within His mind, He again spoke to Sanātana Gosvāmī.

CC Madhya 21.148: If anyone gets an opportunity to hear about the sweetness of Krishna in this chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmrita, he will certainly be eligible to float in the transcendentally blissful ocean of love of God.

CC Madhya 21.149: Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishnadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmrita, following in their footsteps.

Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness