Krishna-tattva: Beauty over power as the highest conception of Godhead

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

The 7th Jewel:

KṚṢṆA-TATTVA

७.२६

ईश्वरः परमः कृष्णः सच्-चिद्-आनन्द- विग्रहः

अनादिर् आदिर् गोविन्दः सर्व-कारण-कारणम्

7.26

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda- vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam 

Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He

has a transcendental form of eternal bliss and knowledge. He is the origin of all

and the cause of all causes. 

(Brahmā-saṁhitā 5.1)

৭.২৭

পরম ঈশ্ৱর কৃষ্ণ স্ৱযং ভগৱান্ সর্ৱ-অৱতারী, সর্ৱ-কারণ-প্রধান অনন্ত ৱৈকুণ্ঠ, 

আর অনন্ত অৱতার অনন্ত ব্রহ্মাণ্ড ইহাও, সবার আধার সচ্-চিদ্-আনন্দ-তনু, 

ৱ্রজেন্দ্র-নন্দন সর্ৱৈশ্ৱর্য, সর্ৱশক্তি সর্ৱরস-পূর্ণ

7.27

parama īśvara kṛṣṇa svayaṁ bhagavān sarva-avatārī, sarva-kāraṇa-pradhāna ananta vaikuṇṭha, āra ananta avatāra ananta brahmāṇḍa ihāo, sabāra ādhāra sac-cid-ānanda-tanu, vrajendra-nandana sarvaiśvarya, sarvaśakti sarvarasa-pūrṇa

The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa, the original

Bhagavān. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the fountainhead of all incarnations and the cause of

material creation. He is the source of the innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets as

well as innumerable incarnations. In the material world there are innumerable

universes, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme resting place for all of them. The

transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. He is the

son of Nanda Mahārāja. He is full of all opulences and potencies, as well as all spiritual mellows.

 (Cc. Madhya 8.134-136) 

The Definition of "Bhagavān"

७.२८

ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्यस्य यशसः श्रियः 

ज्ञान-वैराग्ययश् चैव सण् णां भग इतीगणा

7.28

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ 

jñāna-vairāgyayaś caiva saṇ ṇāṁ bhaga itīgaṇā 

One who is complete in the six opulences of wealth, power, fame, beauty,

knowledge, and renunciation is known as Bhagavān. 

(Viṣṇu-Purāṇa 6.5.74)

৭.২৯

যাঙ্র ভগৱত্তা হৈতে অন্যের ভগৱত্তা

ঽস্ৱযং-ভগৱান্ঽ-শব্দের তাহাতেই সত্তা

7.29

yāṅra bhagavattā haite anyera bhagavattā

'svayaṁ-bhagavān'-śabdera tāhātei sattā 

Only that Lord who is the source of all other divinities is eligible to be

designated as svayam bhagavān.

 (Cc. Ādi 2.88) 

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Master, the Supreme Enjoyer,
and the Independent Lord

৭.৩০

আনের কি কথা, বলদেৱ মহাশয যাঙ্র ভাৱ শুদ্ধ-সখ্য-ৱাৎসল্যাদি-ময তেঙ্হো আপনাকে করেন দাস-ভাৱনা কৃষ্ণ-দাস-ভাৱ ৱিনু আছে কোন জনা সহস্র-ৱদনে যেঙ্হো শেষ-সঙ্কর্ষণ দশ দেহ ধরিঽ করে কৃষ্ণের সেৱন অনন্ত ব্রহ্মাণ্ডে রুদ্র সদাশিৱের অংশ গুণাৱতার তেঙ্হো, সর্ৱ-দেৱ-অৱতংস তেঙ্হো করেন কৃষ্ণের দাস্য-প্রত্যাশ নিরন্তর কহে শিৱ, ঽমুঞি কৃষ্ণ-দাসঽ কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমে উন্মত্ত, ৱিহ্ৱল দিগম্বর কৃষ্ণ-গুণ-লীলা গায, নাচে নিরন্তর

পিতা-মাতা-গুরু-সখা-ভাৱ ক্নেএ নয কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমের স্ৱ-ভাৱে দাস্য-ভাৱ সে করয এক কৃষ্ণ সর্ৱ-সেৱ্য, জগত্-ঈশ্ৱর আর যত সব, তাঙ্র সেৱকানুচর সেই কৃষ্ণ অৱতীর্ণ চৈতন্য-ঈশ্ৱর অতএৱ আর সব, তাঙ্হার কিঙ্কর

কেহ মানে, কেহ না মানে, সব তাঙ্র দাস যে না মানে, তার হয সেই পাপে নাশ

7.30

ānera ki kathā, baladeva mahāśaya yāṅra bhāva śuddha-sakhya-vātsalyādi-maya teṅho āpanāke karena dāsa-bhāvanā kṛṣṇa-dāsa-bhāva vinu āche kona janā sahasra-vadane yeṅho śeṣa-saṅkarṣaṇa daśa deha dhari' kare kṛṣṇera sevana ananta brahmāṇḍe rudra sadāśivera aṁśa guṇāvatāra teṅho, sarva-deva-avataṁsa teṅho karena kṛṣṇera dāsya-pratyāśa nirantara kahe śiva, 'muñi kṛṣṇa-dāsa' kṛṣṇa-preme unmatta, vihvala digambara kṛṣṇa-guṇa-līlā gāya, nāce nirantara

pitā-mātā-guru-sakhā-bhāva knee naya kṛṣṇa-premera sva-bhāve dāsya-bhāva se karaya eka kṛṣṇa sarva-sevya, jagat-īśvara āra yata saba, tāṅra sevakānucara sei kṛṣṇa avatīrṇa caitanya-īśvara ataeva āra saba, tāṅhāra kiṅkara

keha māne, keha nā māne, saba tāṅra dāsa ye nā māne, tāra haya sei pāpe nāśa

Not to speak of others, even Lord Baladeva is full of emotion like pure

friendship and paternal love towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He also considers Himself a

servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, who is there who does not consider himself a

servant of Kṛṣṇa. The thousand-mouthed Śeṣa Himself serves Kṛṣṇa by  assuming ten forms. Rudra, who is an expansion of Sadāśiva, and who appears in unlimited universes is also a guṇa-avatāra and is the crown jewel of all the

demigods in the endless universes, but he also desires only to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

He always says, "I am Kṛṣṇa dāsa, a servant of Kṛṣṇa." He becomes overwhelmed and dances naked while continuously singing about Kṛṣṇa's qualities and pastimes. All different transcendental emotions that are directed

towards Kṛṣṇa, be they those of father, mother, guru, or friend, are imbued with the sentiments of service towards the Lord. That is the nature of kṛṣṇa-prema.  Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the only lord and master of the universe, is worthy of being served

by everyone. Everyone is merely a servant of His servants. That same Śrī Kṛṣṇa

has now descended as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone therefore is also a servant of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Some accept Him, whereas others do not, but in any case, everyone is His servant. One

who does not accept Him, however, will be ruined by his sinful activities. 

(Cc. Ādi 6.76-85)

Kṛṣṇa is the Cause of all Causes

७.३१

तेनैव हेतु-भुतले वयं जाता महेश्वरि 

कारणं सर्व-भूतानां स एकः परमेश्वरः

7.31

tenaiva hetu-bhutale vayaṁ jātā maheśvari

 kāraṇaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ sa ekaḥ parameśvaraḥ

 [Śiva said to Parvatī] O Maheśvarī, controller of the world, we have taken birth

as instruments to serve the will of the Supreme Person. He alone is the Parameśvara, the Supreme Controller, the master of everyone, and the ultimate

cause of all living beings.

 (Skanda Purāṇa) 

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Shelter of Everything

७.३२

दशमे दशमं लक्ष्यम्- आश्रिताश्रय-विग्रहम् 

श्री कृष्णख्यं परं धाम जगद्-धाम नमामि-तत्

7.32

daśame daśamaṁ lakṣyam- āśritāśraya-vigraham 

śrī kṛṣṇakhyaṁ paraṁ dhāma jagad-dhāma namāmi-tat

The tenth canto of Śrīmad-bhāgavatam describes the ten items which is the

shelter of all the sheltered beings. His is called Lord Kṛṣṇa and is the ultimate

shelter of both the material and spiritual worlds. I offer my humble obeisances

unto Him. 

(Bhāg. 10.1.1. Bhāvārtha-Dīpikā) 

Kṛṣṇa is the Original Person

৭.৩৩

অৱতার সব পুরুষের কলা, অংশ স্ৱযং-ভগৱান্ কৃষ্ণ সর্ৱ-অৱতংস কৃষ্ণ এক সর্ৱাশ্রয, কৃষ্ণ সর্ৱ-ধাম

কৃষ্ণের শরীরে সর্ৱ-ৱিশ্ৱের ৱিশ্রাম স্ৱযং ভগৱান্ কৃষ্ণ, কৃষ্ণ সর্ৱাশ্রয পরম ঈশ্ৱর কৃষ্ণ সর্ৱ-শাস্ত্রে কয

7.33

avatāra saba puruṣera kalā, aṁśa svayaṁ-bhagavān 

kṛṣṇa sarva-avataṁsa kṛṣṇa eka sarvāśraya, kṛṣṇa sarva-dhāma

kṛṣṇera śarīre sarva-viśvera viśrāma svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa, 

kṛṣṇa sarvāśraya parama īśvara kṛṣṇa sarva-śāstre kaya

All the incarnations of Godhead are plenary portions or parts of the plenary

portions of the puruṣāvatāras, but the primeval Lord is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the fountainhead of all incarnations. He is the shelter and abode of everything all the universes rest in His body. Thus Śrī

Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord, the source of all other expansions. This is proclaimed in all the revealed scriptures. 

(Cc. Ādi. 2.70,94,106)

On the Basis of Rasa, Kṛṣṇa is Superior to
Nārāyaṇa

৭.৩৪

সিদ্ধান্ত-তস্-ত্ৱ-ভেদে ঽপি শ্রীশ-কৃষ্ণ- স্ৱরূপযোঃ

রসেনোত্-কৃষ্যতে কৃষ্ণ- রূপমেষা রসস্থিতিঃ

7.34

siddhānta-tas-tva-bhede 'pi śrīśa-kṛṣṇa- svarūpayoḥ

rasenot-kṛṣyate kṛṣṇa- rūpameṣā rasasthitiḥ 

Although Nārāyaṇa and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are one and the same, on the basis of the

fact that Śrī Kṛṣṇa exhibits the super excellence of conjugal mellow, He is

considered superior. In Him alone do all rasas find their final and absolute

expression.

 (Bhakti-Rasāmṛta Sindhu, Pūrva- vibhāga, 2.59)

Nārāyaṇa is the Opulent-Pastime Expansion of
Kṛṣṇa

७.३५

नारायणस् त्वं न हि सर्व-देहिनाम् आत्मास्य् अधीशाखिल-लोक-साक्षी

 नारायणो योगं नर-भू-जलायनात् तच् चापि सत्यं न तवैव माया

7.35

nārāyaṇas tvaṁ na hi sarva-dehinām ātmāsy adhīśākhila-loka-sākṣī 

nārāyaṇo 'ogaṁ nara-bhū-jalāyanāt tac cāpi satyaṁ na tavaiva māyā

O Lord of lords, You are the seer of all creation. You are indeed everyone's

dearest life. Are You not, therefore, my father; Nārāyaṇa? Nārāyaṇa refers to

one whose abode is in the water born from Nara [Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu], and that Nārāyaṇa is Your plenary portion. All Your plenary portions are

transcendental. They are absolute and are not creations of maya. 

(Bhāg. 10.14.14)

7.36

hariṁtvekaṁ tattvaṁ viddhi-śiva-sūreśa- praṇamitaḥ yadevedaṁ brahma prakṛtirahitaṁ tattanumahaḥ parātmā tasyāṁśo jagadanugato viśvajanakaḥ sa vai radhā-kānto nava-jalada-kāntiścidudayaḥ 

Brahmā, Śiva, and Indra offer their obeisances to Śrī Hari as the only Supreme Truth. The undifferentiated Brahman effulgence is simply the emanation from

His holy body. The creator, maintainer, and Supersoul of the material universe are only expansions from Him. That Lord whose complexion is the color of a rain cloud, who sports in transcendental pastimes in his original form as the lover of Śrī Rādhā is known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa and He is the Absolute Truth 

(Daśamūla Śikṣā)

The Demigods Recognize Kṛṣṇa as Supreme

७.३७

अथापि यत्-पाद-नखावसृष्टं जगद् विरिञ्चोपहृतार्हणाम्भः सेशं 

पुनात्य् अन्यतमो मुकुन्दात् को नाम लोके भगवत्-पदार्थः

7.37

athāpi yat-pāda-nakhāvasṛṣṭaṁ jagad viriñcopahṛtārhaṇāmbhaḥ seśaṁ 

punāty anyatamo mukundāt ko nāma loke bhagavat-padārthaḥ

Who could be worthy of the name "Supreme

Personality of Godhead" but Śrī Kṛṣṇa? Brahmā, the creator of the universe, col- lected the water emanating

from the nails of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet to give to Śiva as a worshipful welcome.

This very water, the Ganges, is purifying the whole universe including Lord

Śiva. (Bhāg. 1.18.21)