That Is Kṛṣṇa - The Science of the Absolute
To understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to realize that nothing exists independent of Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that Kṛṣṇa is the absolute reality, the source of all material and spiritual manifestations. Whether through His personal form, His diverse energies, or His presence in the heart of every living being, Kṛṣṇa is the all-attractive center of existence.
Kṛṣṇa as the Essence of All Perception
For those who cannot yet see Kṛṣṇa directly, the Lord provides instructions in the Bhagavad-gītā on how to perceive Him through the world around us. From the basic elements of nature to the refined qualities of the human intellect, every remarkable phenomenon is a glimpse of Kṛṣṇa’s infinite potency.
- For ordinary person who cannot appreciate Krsna, Krsna is giving instruction that "When you drink water, the taste which quench your thirst and you feel relief, that is Krsna." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya.
- If I say that heat is the energy of Krsna, you cannot deny it, because it is not your energy. In your body there is some certain amount of heat. Similarly, heat is someone's energy. And who is that person? That is Krsna.
- Buddhir buddhimatam asmi tejas tejasvinam aham. One who is very influential, that influence is Krsna. That influence, that particular influence of a particular man, that is also Krsna.
- Krsna is air. Krsna is fire. Krsna is earth. Krsna is water. Krsna is sky. Krsna is everything. Even the small, very, very minute particle, atom - that is also Krsna. So if we always remember like that, our Krsna consciousness will be very, very strong.
The Supreme Controller and Original Person
Kṛṣṇa is defined as the Supreme Person (isvara), the ultimate controller who is never controlled by anyone else. While modern science and philosophy search for the cause of all causes, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the final conclusion of all research is Kṛṣṇa, the ancient yet ever-youthful person who maintains the entire cosmic manifestation.
- Krsna means He is controller, but nobody is there to control Him. That is Krsna; that is God. This is the science of understanding. God means He is controller of everything, but He has no controller.
- The cat is person. Dog is person, and the insect is person. The trees are person. Everyone is person. And there is another person. That is God, Krsna. That one person is maintaining all these varieties of millions and trillions of persons.
- This Purana-purusa, Krsna, He's the oldest. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca (Bs. 5.33). That is Krsna. You'll never see Krsna's picture as old man. No.
- We living entities, we are affected by the material modes of nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. But Krsna is not affected. That is Krsna.
The Inconceivable Potency of the Absolute
The nature of the Absolute is such that He can perform activities that are impossible for any conditioned soul. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself into infinite forms without losing His original identity, He can eat with His eyes, and He can change matter into spirit at will. This inconceivable potency is what distinguishes Kṛṣṇa as the true Godhead.
- Krsna is so full that even Krsna expands million times, still, He's the same thing, Krsna. That is Krsna. Krsna is person. And even He expands, Krsna, in many ways. This is the fine philosophy.
- If you say, "Why Krsna is eating by the eyes?" yes, that is Krsna. That is Krsna. If you offer something, Krsna, simply by seeing, He is eating. That is Krsna. And again if you say, "If He is eating, why the plate is full?" that is Krsna.
- How Krsna is almighty, all-powerful? He can change matter into spirit, spirit into matter. That is Krsna.
- Krsna, by His causeless mercy, has come before us in the form of stone so that we can see Him. Because we cannot see beyond stone. We cannot see beyond wood. And wood and stone is also not beyond Krsna. That is also Krsna.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda summarizes that Kṛṣṇa is the "vāstava-vastu"—the real reality. Whether He is stealing butter as a child, lifting Govardhana Hill, or instructing Arjuna on the battlefield, every aspect of Kṛṣṇa is absolutely good and transcendental. By learning to see Kṛṣṇa in everything and everything in Kṛṣṇa, the living entity achieves the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and finds the eternal happiness that is the soul's natural inheritance.
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 That Is Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.