Bhagavan Sri Krishna's Beauty

Bhagavan Sri Krishna's beauty is described in numerous prayers, poems, and portions of the Vedic literature. So we could provide many verses that describe this aspect of Krishna . An example of this is found when Lord Brahma relates Bhagavan Krishna's form in the many verses of his Brahma-samhita . He also explains the beauty of Sri Krishna in his prayers that he directly offered to the Bhagavan in Srimad Bhagavatam. He says " Bhagavan Krishna's body is dark blue like a new cloud. His garments are like brilliant lightning, and the beauty of Krishna 's face is enhanced by His earrings and the peacock feather , He wears on His head. He stands beautifully while wearing garlands made from the forest flowers, carrying a herding stick, a buffalo horn, and a flute". (Bhag.10.14. 1) .

Krishna 's personal form is so attractive that it is considered the reservoir of all beauty. In fact, all beautiful things emanate from Him. His form is so attractive that it directs one's attention away from all other objects. Those same objects then seem devoid of attractiveness after seeing Bhagavan Krishna. Thus, He attracts the minds of all people. His words also captivated the minds of all who remembered them. Even seeing His footsteps, people were attracted. Thus, Sri Krishna spreads His glories which are sung everywhere throughout the universe in the most sublime and essential Vedic verses. Bhagavan Krishna says , "By hearing and chanting about His glorious pastimes, the conditioned souls within this world could cross the ocean of ignorance". (Bhag.11.1.7) .

The attractive nature of Bhagavan is further described in the Caitanya-caritamrit a (Madhya-lila, 17.139-140): "The transcendental qualities of Sri Krishna are completely blissful and relishable. Consequently Bhagavan Krishna's qualities attract even the minds of self-realized persons from the bliss of self-realization. Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krishna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krishna because He has such transcendentally attractive features."

Many of the Rishis of Vrindavana who had personally realized the attractive features of Sri Krishna wrote many books about the transcendental personality of Bhagavan. One of the greatest of these saints was Rupa Gosvami (1489-1564 A.D.) who wrote a list of Krishna 's characteristics in his book, Bhakti rasamrita-sindhu. This list describes 64 different qualities of Bhagavan that are mentioned in the Vedic literature. This again confirms that Bhagavan is not merely an impersonal force, but a person who interacts in every way with the creation and the living entities that are within the creation that manifests from Him.

The list includes Bhagavan's following qualities:

1) beautiful features of the entire body;

2) marked with all auspicious characteristics;

3) extremely pleasing;

4) effulgent;

5) strong;

6) ever youthful;

7) wonderful linguist;

8) truthful;

9) talks pleasingly;

10) 10) fluent;

11) highly learned;

12) highly intelligent;

13) Genius;

14) artistic;

15) extremely clever;

16) expert;

17) grateful;

18) firmly determined;

19) Expert judge of time and circumstances;

20) sees and speaks on the authority of the scriptures-- the Veda;

21) pure;

22) self-controlled;

23) steadfast;

24) forbearing;

25) forgiving;

26) grave;

27) self-satisfied;

28) possessing equilibrium;

29) magnanimous;

30) religious;

31) heroic;

32) compassionate;

33) respectful;

34) gentle;

35) liberal;

36) shy;

37) protector of surrendered souls;

38) happy;

39) well-wisher of devotees;

40) controlled by love;

41) all-auspicious;

42) most powerful;

43) all-famous;

44) popular;

45) partial to devotees;

46) very attractive to all women;

47) all-worshipable;

48) all-opulent;

49) all-honorable;

50) the Supreme controller.

A few of these fifty qualities, however, may also be found in varying degrees in some of the jivas or common living entities in this universe. But they are found in Bhagavan Krishna to an unlimited degree. But besides these (50) qualities, there are five more which may also be manifested at times in the forms of Lord Brahma and Shiva. These are:

51) changeless;

52) all-cognizant;

53) ever-fresh;

54) sat-cid-ananda- vigraha-- possessing a transcendental form of eternity, full of knowledge and absolute bliss;

55) possessing all mystic perfection.

Beyond the above mentioned qualities, which may be seen in other forms of Divinity such as the Devas, Bhagavan Krishna has the following exceptional qualities which are also manifested in the form of Narayana or Vishnu, His form as the Bhagavan of Vaikuntha. These are :

56) inconceivable potency;

57) Uncountable universes are generated from His body;

58) Original source of all incarnations;

59) Giver of salvation to the enemies He kills;

60) Attractor of liberated souls.

Besides the above-mentioned traits, Bhagavan Krishna has four more qualities that are found only in Him, and not even in His forms of Vishnu, not to mention any of the Devas. These are:

61) Performer of wonderful pastimes (especially his childhood pastimes);

62) Surrounded by devotees endowed with unsurpassed love of Godhead;

63) Attractor of all living entities in all universes through the expert playing of His flute;

64) Possessor of unexcelled beauty without rival.

All of these qualities are those of someone who has a highly developed form and personality.

Obviously, there is no more elevated truth or higher bliss than the personal form of the Supreme. As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says : "O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no truth superior to Me." (Bg.7.7)

Many great transcendental scholars have accepted this fact, including Sri Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vallabhacharya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Baladeva, as well as Lord Brahma, who, after performing many austerities for spiritual purification, became perfectly self-realized and, getting a glimpse of the Bhagavan's spiritual nature, composed the Brahma-samhita many thousands of years ago and described what were his confidential realizations. One such verse is the following: "Sri Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin and He is the prime cause of all causes." (Brahma-samhita 5.1)

Please chant :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!