Attracted by Kṛṣṇa - The All-Attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead
The very name "Kṛṣṇa" defines the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord: He who is all-attractive. Throughout the Vedic literatures, the power of Kṛṣṇa's beauty, qualities, and pastimes is shown to captivate everyone, from the simple animals of Vṛndāvana to the most exalted, liberated sages. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while conditioned souls suffer due to their unnatural attraction to temporary material bodies, the perfection of life is easily achieved simply by transferring that natural propensity back to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Meaning of the All-Attractive
The Supreme Lord is not a formless void; He is the reservoir of all beauty, wealth, and pleasure. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because Kṛṣṇa possesses all transcendental opulences in full, He naturally attracts the minds and hearts of every living entity in the universe.
- When we speak of "Krsna," means God. God has got many thousands of name, but this one name is chief. Krsna means "the all-attractive." Krsna attracts everyone. Or one who attracts everyone, He is God.
- He (Krsna) can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute. He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the creation.
- Every living entity can be attracted by the beautiful qualities of Krsna.
- The qualities of Krsna captivate and attract everything, living and nonliving. Even birds, animals and trees are attracted to Krsna's qualities.
The Perfection of Vṛndāvana
In the spiritual realm of Goloka Vṛndāvana, the attraction to Kṛṣṇa is absolute and unhindered by material illusion. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the gopīs, the cowherd boys, and even the natural elements are completely captivated by the Lord's transcendental features and the vibration of His flute.
- The typical examples of such attraction are found in Vrndavana, where everything and everyone is attracted by Krsna.
- Attracted by Krsna, this is the natural situation of everything in Vrndavana.
- The flowers and fruits in the gardens are attracted, the waves of the Yamuna are attracted, and the land, sky, trees, plants, animals and all other living beings are attracted by Krsna. This is the natural situation of everything in Vrndavana.
- All the gopis were by nature very much attracted to Krsna's beauty, and when they heard the vibration of His flute, they became apparently lustful to satisfy the senses of Krsna.
Curing the Disease of Material Attraction
Conditioned life is characterized by a misplaced attraction to temporary material bodies, particularly the opposite sex. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the process of bhakti-yoga naturally cures this disease by offering a superior, spiritual attraction that makes material pleasures seem insignificant.
- The bhakti process purifies the living entity of all unnatural attractions. When one is purified he is attracted by Krsna and begins to serve Krsna instead of serving maya. This is his natural position.
- The sum and substance of material life is attraction for the opposite sex. The sum and substance of spiritual life is attraction to Krishna.
- When one is attracted by the transcendental beauty of Radha and Krsna, he is no longer attracted by material feminine beauty. That is the special significance of Radha-Krsna worship.
- Yamunacarya says, Since I have become attracted by the beauty of Radha and Krsna, when there is attraction for a woman or a memory of sex life with a woman, I at once spit on it, and my face turns in disgust.
Attracting the Liberated Souls
The ultimate proof that Kṛṣṇa's attractiveness is not a material phenomenon is its effect on the fully liberated. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that even the great impersonalists who have conquered all material desires are helplessly drawn to the personal features and pastimes of the Lord.
- In the atmarama verse of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said that those who are already situated on the platform of self-realization are attracted by the transcendental qualities of Krsna. This means that Krsna's qualities are not material but pure and transcendental.
- In this atmarama verse it is stated that even those who are completely liberated from material contamination are attracted by the transcendental qualities of Lord Krsna.
- Even a liberated soul merged in the impersonal Brahman effulgence is attracted to the pastimes of Krsna. He thus installs a Deity and renders the Lord service.
- The four Kumaras and Sukadeva Gosvami were liberated from the beginning, yet in their later life they became attracted to the pastimes of Krsna and became devotees.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is perfectly named Śrī Kṛṣṇa, for He is the absolute, all-attractive center of both the material and spiritual creations. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully illustrates that every living entity has a dormant, natural propensity to be attracted to the Lord's supreme beauty, opulence, and pastimes. While this propensity is currently covered by the illusory energy (māyā), causing the conditioned soul to chase after the fading phantasmagoria of material bodies and degraded sex life, the simple process of bhakti-yoga reverses this tragedy. By hearing about Kṛṣṇa and chanting His holy names, the heart is cleansed and the soul's natural attraction is reawakened. The supreme, transcendental nature of this attraction is undeniably proven by the great ātmārāmas—the liberated sages who abandon the impersonal Brahman effulgence just to taste the nectar of the Lord's personal service. Ultimately, when a soul becomes fully attracted by Kṛṣṇa, they cross beyond the ocean of birth and death, returning to the eternal realm of Vṛndāvana where everything and everyone is joyfully and perfectly captivated by the Supreme Lord.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Attracted by Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.