Describing Kṛṣṇa's Qualities - The Ecstasy of Glorification
The Absolute Truth is the supreme possessor of all attractive features. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when we understand Kṛṣṇa's actual position—free from all material contamination yet full of unlimited spiritual attributes—our natural response is to joyfully engage our voices in describing His transcendental qualities.
The Transcendental Attributes
A common fallacy among empiric philosophers is that the Absolute Truth must be completely devoid of qualities. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that while Kṛṣṇa is free from mundane material traits, the scriptures meticulously describe Him as possessing an unlimited variety of pure, spiritual attributes.
- The Upanisads describe in different ways the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord. The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord, is called nirguna. That does not mean He has no qualities.
- It is described that Krsna, the enemy of Kamsa, has sixty-four transcendental qualities, and all of the ever-liberated souls who accompany the Lord have the first fifty-five of the qualities, without any doubt.
- The authentic scriptures describe the transcendental activities, features, form and qualities of Krsna, and Krsna explains Himself in the Bhagavad-gita, the most authentic scripture in the world.
- There are other transcendental qualities of Krsna which are described by Siva to Parvati in the Padma Purana and in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, in connection with a conversation between the demigod of the earth and the King of religion, Yamaraj.
The Descriptions by Great Sages
The great authorities of Vedic wisdom do not waste their time discussing mundane subjects. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that exalted devotees and sages have dedicated their monumental literary works specifically to describing the magnanimous and inconceivable qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam, great devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami have specifically described Lord Krsna's holy name, form and qualities.
- Your friend the great sage Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa has already described the transcendental qualities of the Lord in his great work the Mahabharat.
- Garga Muni convinced Nanda Maharaja that Narayana Himself had become his son (in the form of Krsna). In various ways he described the transcendental qualities of his son. After giving this information, Garga Muni returned to his home.
- Uddhava describes Krsna's qualities, "Although He is just like an ocean of wisdom, still He sometimes consults me. He is so great and magnanimous, yet He is engaged in His different activities just like an ordinary person."
The Symptom of Ecstatic Love
Glorifying the Lord is not an artificial imposition; it is the spontaneous symptom of a purified heart. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that when a devotee reaches the platform of advanced spiritual love (bhāva), their greatest attachment becomes eagerly describing the Lord's attributes.
- Rupa Gosvami describes the characteristics of a person who has actually developed his ecstatic love for Krsna. The characteristics are as follows: (8) He is always eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
- At this stage of bhava, a devotee has awakened the tendency to chant and describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord. He has attachment for this process.
- Just as the women of Mathura ecstatically described the fortune of the gopis of Vrndavana and the transcendental qualities of Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu described the different mellows of Krsna and became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.
- The following nine symptoms manifest in one's behavior, a taste for chanting the holy name of the Lord, attachment to descriptions of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and affection for those places where the Lord resides.
Engaging the Senses in Glorification
True Kṛṣṇa consciousness means practical engagement. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that the simplest and most effective way to attain spiritual perfection is to actively use our power of speech to continuously describe the name, fame, and qualities of the Supreme Lord.
- King Ambarisa first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Krsna; then, one after another, he engaged his words in describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
- Let us talk about Bhagavad-gita, let us talk about Srimad-Bhagavatam or any book which is describing the transcendental name, fame, glory, quality, pastime of Lord Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness.
- After describing the different opulences of Krsna, Srila Rupa Gosvami tries to further describe the transcendental beauties and qualities of the Lord as decorated, enjoying, pleasing, dependable, steady and predominating.
- Lord Krsna's forgiving quality is described in the Mahabharata in connection with His forbidding the killing of Sisupala.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda brilliantly clarifies the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by explaining that Kṛṣṇa is only nirguṇa in the sense that He is utterly devoid of material qualities. In spiritual reality, He is the boundless reservoir of sixty-four primary transcendental attributes. The great sages and pure devotees—from Vyāsadeva and Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Garga Muni and Uddhava—have dedicated the vast body of Vedic literature to documenting and describing these majestic qualities. As a sincere soul advances on the path of bhakti and approaches the platform of ecstatic love (bhāva), the artificial need for mundane conversation naturally vanishes. Instead, the devotee develops an intense, insatiable eagerness to continuously describe and glorify the Lord's attributes. By following the perfect example of King Ambarīṣa, who engaged his words entirely in describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord, any person can transcend the illusion of the material modes and successfully anchor their consciousness in the eternal, blissful reality of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
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 Describing Krsna's Qualities. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.