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Lord Krishna’s (Supreme Personality of GodHead) 64 qualities

Extracted from iskcon vani, iskcon desire tree (Mumbai) websites

19th June, 2014. Gurgaon.

https://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/what-are-different-qualities-of-krishna

Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Supreme-Lords-Opulence

Q: Please explain in short what are the different qualities of Krishna ?

Ans : Mahāprabhu briefly describes various qualities of Lord Krishna to Sanātana Gosvāmī in Śrī
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter 23. These verses are also found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-
sindhu (NoD)

CC Madhya 23.70 – Krishna, the supreme hero, has the most beautiful transcendental body. This
body possesses all good features. It is radiant and very pleasing to the eyes. His body is powerful,
strong and youthful.

CC Madhya 23.71 — Krishna is the linguist of all wonderful languages. He is a truthful and very
pleasing speaker. He is expert in speaking, and He is a very wise, learned scholar and a genius.

CC Madhya 23.72 — Krishna is very expert in artistic enjoyment. He is highly cunning, expert,
grateful and firmly determined in His vows. He knows how to deal according to time, person and
country, and He sees through the scriptures and authoritative books. He is very clean and self-
controlled.

CC Madhya 23.73 — Lord Krishna is steady, His senses are controlled, and He is forgiving, grave and
calm. He is also equal to all. Moreover, He is magnanimous, religious, chivalrous and kind. He is
always respectful to respectable people.

CC Madhya 23.74 — Krishna is very simple and liberal, He is humble and bashful, and He is the
protector of the surrendered souls. He is very happy, and He is always the well-wisher of His
devotees. He is all-auspicious, and He is submissive to love.
CC Madhya 23.75 —  Krishna is very influential and famous, and He is the object of attachment for
everyone. He is the shelter of the good and the virtuous. He is attractive to the minds of women, and
He is worshiped by everyone. He is very, very rich.

CC Madhya 23.76 — Krishna is the Supreme, and He is always glorified as the Supreme Lord and
controller. Thus all the previously mentioned transcendental qualities are in Him. The fifty qualities
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead mentioned above are as deep as an ocean. In other words,
they are difficult to fully comprehend.

CC Madhya 23.77  These qualities are sometimes very minutely exhibited in living beings, but they
are fully manifested in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.’

CC Madhya 23.78 — Apart from these fifty qualities, there are five other qualities found in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead that are partially present in demigods like Śiva.

CC Madhya 23.79-81 — ‘These qualities are (1) the Lord is always situated in His original position, (2)
He is omniscient, (3) He is always fresh and youthful, (4) He is the concentrated form of eternity,
knowledge and bliss, and (5) He is the possessor of all mystic perfection. There are another five
qualities, which exist in the Vaikuṇṭha planets in Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of Lakṣmī. These qualities are
also present in Krishna, but they are not present in demigods like Lord Śiva or in other living entities.
These are (1) the Lord possesses inconceivable supreme power, (2) He generates innumerable
universes from His body, (3) He is the original source of all incarnations, (4) He bestows salvation
upon enemies He kills, and (5) He has the ability to attract exalted persons who are satisfied in
themselves. Although these qualities are present in Nārāyaṇa, the dominating Deity of the Vaikuṇṭha
planets, they are even more wonderfully present in Krishna.

CC Madhya 23.82-83 — Apart from these sixty transcendental qualities, Krishna has an additional
four transcendental qualities, which are not manifested even in the personality of Nārāyaṇa. These
are:

(1) Kṛṣṇa is like an ocean filled with waves of pastimes that evoke wonder within everyone in the
three worlds. (Lila-madhurya)

(2) In His activities of conjugal love, He is always…

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Kṛṣṇa has sixty-four important qualifications, and His devotee takes transcendental pleasure in
hearing of them.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14:

The supreme lover is Kṛṣṇa, and He is situated in Vṛndāvana, and the supreme beloved is Rādhā rāṇī.
Kṛṣṇa has sixty-four important qualifications, and His devotee takes transcendental pleasure in
hearing of them. As explained in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, the characteristics are as follows:

(1) His body is well constructed;

(2) His body has all auspicious symptoms;

(3) His body is beautiful;

(4) His body is very glorious;

(5) His body is very strong;

(6) He always looks like a boy of sixteen;

(7) He is well versed in various languages;

(8) He is truthful;

(9) He is decorated with pleasing words;

(10) He is expert in speaking;

(11) He is very learned;

(12) He is very intelligent;

(13) He is influential;

(14) He is joyful;

(15) He is cunning;

(16) He is expert;

(17) He is grateful;

(18) He is firmly convinced;

(19) He knows how to deal with different circumstances;

(20) He is always conversant with scriptural injunctions;

(21) He is clean;

(22) He is controlled by His devotees;

(23) He is steady;

(24) He is self-controlled;

(25) He is forgiving;

(26) He is grave;

(27) He is speculative;
 (28) He is fair in His dealings;

(29) He is magnanimous;

(30) He is religious;

(31) He is a great hero;

(32) He is merciful;

(33) He is respectful;

(34) He is competent;

(35) He is gentle;

(36) He is modest;

(37) He is the protector of the souls surrendered unto Him;

(38) He is the deliverer;

(39) He is the friend of the devotees;

(40) He is submissive to love;

(41) He is all-auspicious;

(42) He is most powerful;

(43) He is famous;

(44) He is devoted to all living entities;

(45) He is worshipable by everyone;

(46) He is very attractive to all women;

(47) He is partial to His devotees;

(48) He is full of all opulence;

(49) He is the supreme controller;

(50) He possesses all honor.

These fifty qualities or characteristics are fragmentally present in every living entity. When they are
completely spiritually free and situated in their original condition, all these qualities can be
perceived in human life in minute quantity. In Kṛṣṇa, however, they exist in totality. There are five
other transcendental qualities :(mentioned below) which can be seen in Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord,
and partially in Lord Śiva also, but they are not visible in ordinary living entities. These characteristics
are as follows:

(1) He is always situated in His original condition;

(2) He is omniscient;
 (3) He is evergreen or always fresh;

(4) He is eternally blissful;

(5) He is conversant and is the master of all perfection.

Besides these five transcendental characteristics, there are five others which can be seen in the
spiritual sky, especially in the Vaikuṇṭha planets where Nārāyaṇa is the predominating Deity. These
are:

(1) He has inconceivable qualities;

(2) He is able to sustain innumerable universes;

(3) He is the seed of all incarnations;

(4) He grants the highest perfection to those enemies whom He kills;

(5) He is the most attractive of self-realized persons.

The above-mentioned qualities and characteristics, which total sixty in number, are visible up to the
platform of Nārāyaṇa. However, Kṛṣṇa has four special qualities, which are:

(1) He is able to manifest wonderful pastimes;

(2) He is expert at transcendental flute playing;

(3) He is surrounded by loving devotees;

(4) He possesses unparalleled personal beauty.

Thus Kṛṣṇa has sixty-four transcendental qualities.

Nectar of Devotion

It is to be understood that the aggregate number of qualities of Kṛṣṇa is sixty-four. Śrīla Rūpa
Gosvāmī has attempted to give evidences from various scriptures about all sixty-four qualities
present in the person of the Supreme Lord.

Nectar of Devotion 21:

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, after consulting various scriptures, has enumerated the transcendental qualities
of the Lord as follows:

(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) fluent;

(11) highly learned;

(12) highly intelligent;

(13) a genius;

(14) artistic;

(15) extremely clever;

(16) expert;

(17) grateful;

(18) firmly determined;

(19) an expert judge of time and circumstances;

(20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures;

(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) the protector of surrendered souls;

(38) happy;

(39) the 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.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all these fifty transcendental qualities in fullness as deep
as the ocean. In other words, the extent of His qualities is inconceivable.

As parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, the individual living entities can also possess all of these
qualities in minute quantities, provided they become pure devotees of the Lord. In other words, all
of the above transcendental qualities can be present in the devotees in minute quantity, whereas
the qualities in fullness are always present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Besides these, there are other transcendental qualities which are described by Lord Śiva to Pārvatī in
the Padma Purāṇa, and in the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with a conversation
between the deity of the earth and the King of religion, Yamarāja. It is said therein, "Persons who are
desirous of becoming great personalities must be decorated with the following qualities:
truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, perseverance, renunciation, peacefulness, simplicity, control of the
senses, equilibrium of the mind, austerity, equality, forbearance, placidity, learning, knowledge,
detachment, opulence, chivalry, influence, strength, memory, independence, tactfulness, luster,
patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, gentility, mannerliness, determination, perfection in all
knowled ge, proper execution, possession of all objects of enjoyment, gravity, steadiness,
faithfulness, fame, respectfulness and lack of false egotism." Persons who are desiring to become
great souls cannot be without any of the above qualities, so we can know for certain that these
qualities are found in Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme soul.

Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord Kṛṣṇa possesses five more, which are
sometimes partially manifested in the persons of Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva. These transcendental
qualities are as follows:

(51) changeless;

(52) all-cognizant;

(53) ever fresh;

(54) sac-cid-ānanda (possessing an eternal blissful body);

(55) possessing all mystic perfections.

Kṛṣṇa also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in the body of Nārāyaṇa, and they are
listed as follows.

(56) He has inconceivable potency.

(57) Uncountable universes generate from His body.

(58) He is the original source of all incarnations.

(59) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills.

(60) He is the attractor of liberated souls. All these transcendental qualities are manifest
wonderfully in the personal feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, Kṛṣṇa has four more, which are not manifest even in the
Nārāyaṇa form of Godhead, what to speak of the demigods or living entities. They are as follows.

(61) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood pastimes).

(62) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead.

(63) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute.

(64) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the creation.
Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that the aggregate
number of qualities of Kṛṣṇa is sixty-four. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has attempted to give evidences from
various scriptures about all sixty-four qualities present in the person of the Supreme Lord.

Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṁsa, has sixty-four transcendental qualities, and all of the ever-liberated
souls who accompany the Lord have the first fifty-five of the qualities.

Nectar of Devotion 25:

It is described that Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṁsa, 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. Such devotees are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in any of five
transcendental mellows—namely neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parenthood and conjugal love.
These relationships with the Lord are eternal, and therefore nitya-siddha devotees do not have to
strive to attain the perfectional stage by executing regulative devotional principles. They are
eternally qualified to serve Kṛṣṇa. …

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The Supreme Personality of Godhead / Krishna has all these fifty transcendental qualities in
fullness as deep as the ocean. In other words, the extent of His qualities is inconceivable.

(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) Fluent
(11) Highly learned
(12) Highly intelligent
(13) Genius
(14) Artistic
(15) Extremely clever
(16) Expert
(17) Grateful
(18) Firmly determined
(19) An expert judge of time and circumstances
(20) Sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures
(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) The protector of surrendered souls
(38) Happy
(39) The 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-worship able
(48) all-opulent
(49) all-honourable
(50) The supreme controller.

Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord Krishna possesses five more, which
are sometimes partially manifested in Lord Brahma or Lord Shiva. These transcendental
qualities are as follows:

(51) Changeless
(52) all-cognizant
(53) Ever fresh
(54) sac-cid-ananda (possessing an eternal blissful body)
(55) Possessing all mystic perfections.

Krishna also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in the body of Narayana /
Vishnu, and they are listed as follows:

(56) He has inconceivable potency.

(57) Uncountable universes generate from His body.
(58) He is the original source of all incarnations.
(59) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills.
(60) He is the attractor of liberated souls.
Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, Krishna has four more, which are not manifested
even in the Vishnu / Narayana form of Godhead, what to speak of the demigods or living
entities. They are as follows:

(61) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood

pastimes).
(62) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead.
(63) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute.
(64) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the creation.

The Absolute Truth is anandamaya (desiring to increase His joy), hence from His original form
He expands and becomes many. These emanations from the Supreme Person are of two
categories: full expansions and partially manifested expansions. The Lord's various full and
partial expansions and the Lord Himself simultaneously co-exist, only appearing to manifest
under the influence of time. These expansions of the Supreme Being are known as Vishnu-
tattva, and they are also Supreme Absolute Truth. While non-different from the Lord, the
Vishnu-tattvas all accept their own role as Godhead in the mood of Servitor to the "original"
Supreme Being. This relationship is the foundation of Vedic monotheism, which encompasses
the inconceivable, absolute personal nature of the original Godhead.

The Supreme Being possesses two other expansive qualities known as Shiva-tattva and jiva-
tattva. Together with Vishnu-tattva, these three qualities are representative of the Absolute
Person's internal, external and marginal energies. The Lord has expanded Himself as Lord
Shiva and Lord Brahma, and we, the living entities, are also expansions. Like us, Lord Brahma
is also jiva-tattva. Lord Siva is between Vishnu-tattva and jiva-tattva. And Lord Visnu is
Vishnu-tattva. Vishnu-tattva, via media, and jiva-tattva - they are all expansions of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Therefore we can summarize as

Lord Krishna. 64 qualities or 100%
Vishnu Tattva. 60 qualities or ~93%
Shiva Tattva. 54 qualities or ~84%
Jiva Tattva. 50 qualities or ~78%

This is the reason why Krishna is called Param Purushottam, Purnavatar or Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Reference from (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.29):

Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have carefully analyzed the summum bonum Krsna
to have sixty-four principal attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only
some percentages of these attributes. But Sri Krsna is the possessor of the attributes cent
percent.

And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakasa, tad-ekatma up to the categories of the
avataras who are all visnu-tattva, possess up to ninety-three percent of these transcendental
attributes.

Lord Siva, who is neither avatara nor avesa nor in between them, possesses almost eighty-four
percent of the attributes.
But the jivas, or the individual living beings in different statuses of life, possess up to the limit
of seventy-eight percent of the attributes. In the conditioned state of material existence, the
living being possesses these attributes in very minute quantity, varying in terms of the pious
life of the living being. The most perfect of living beings is Brahma, the supreme administrator
of one universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent of the attributes in full.

All other demigods have the same attributes in less quantity, whereas human beings possess
the attributes in very minute quantity. The standard of perfection for a human being is to
develop the attributes up to seventy-eight percent in full.

The living being can never possess attributes like Siva, Visnu or Lord Krsna. A living being
can become godly by developing the seventy-eight-percent transcendental attributes in
fullness, but he can never become a God like Siva, Visnu or Krsna. He can become a Brahma
in due course.

The godly living beings who are all residents of the planets in the spiritual sky are eternal
associates of God in different spiritual planets called Hari-dhama and Mahesa-dhama.

The abode of Lord Krsna above all spiritual planets is called Krsnaloka or Goloka Vrndavana,
and the perfected living being, by developing seventy-eight percent of the above attributes in
fullness, can enter the planet of Krsna loka after leaving the present material body.

***

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The Ecstasy of the Lord and His Devotees

The symptoms of highly developed devotional service, which are exhibited by the pure
devotees, are sometimes imitated by those who are not actually pure devotees. This is
described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Without devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, one may have
some motive in exhibiting such symptoms, but it should be known that the symptoms are not
actual. Sometimes those who are not conversant with the science of devotional service are
captivated by the exhibition of ecstatic symptoms, but those who are in knowledge of the
science of devotional service do not accept such symptoms as the all in all. These symptoms
only mark the beginning of devotional service. That is accepted by learned devotees.
According to the various divisions and gradations of devotees, permanent devotional
situations can be divided into five categories: (1) peacefulness, (2) service to Kṛṣṇa, (3)
friendship with Kṛṣṇa, (4) parental affection toward Kṛṣṇa, and (5) conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa.
Each division has its own different taste and relish, and a devotee situated in a particular
division is happy in that position. Characteristic symptoms exhibited by a pure devotee are
generally laughing and crying; when emotions are favorable, a pure devotee laughs, and
when emotions are not favorable, he cries.
Situated above these two emotions is permanent love, which is called sthāyibhāva. In other
words, attachment to Kṛṣṇa is permanent. That permanent loving attitude is sometimes mixed
with different kinds of taste, called vibhāva, anubhāva and vyabhicārī. Vibhāva is a particular
taste for attachment to Kṛṣṇa, and it can be divided into two further categories-ālambana and
uddīpana. In the Agni Purāṇa and other authoritative scriptures, that which increases one's
love of Kṛṣṇa is said to be vibhāva, and when Kṛṣṇa is the objective, vibhāva is increased as
ālambana. Uddīpana is induced by Kṛṣṇa's transcendental qualities, His activities, His
beautiful smiling face and the aroma of His body, the sound of His flute, the sound of His
conchshell, the marks on the bottoms of His feet, His dwelling place and His paraphernalia of
devotional service (such as tulasī leaves, devotees, ceremonial performances and Ekādaśī).
Anubhāva occurs when feelings and emotions within oneself are exhibited. In the attitude of
anubhāva, one dances and sometimes falls down, sometimes sings loudly, shows convulsions,
yawns, and sometimes breathes very heavily-all without concern for circumstances.
The external features exhibited on the bodies of devotees are called udbhāsvara. The
vyabhicārī symptoms are thirty-three in number, and they primarily involve words uttered by
the devotee and different bodily features. These different bodily features-such as dancing
trembling and laughing-when mixed with the vyabhicārī symptoms are called sañcārī. When
bhāva, anubhāva and vyabhicārī symptoms are combined, they make the devotee dive into
the ocean of immortality. That ocean is called the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, the ocean of the
pure nectar of devotional service, and one who is merged in that ocean is always rapt in
transcendental pleasure on the waves and sounds of that ocean. The particular rasas (flavors
or tastes) of the devotees who merge into that ocean of bhakti-rasāmṛta are known as
neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parenthood and conjugal love. Conjugal love is very
prominent, and it is symptomized by the devotee's decorating his body to attract Kṛṣṇa. The
flavor of servitorship increases to include affection, anger, fraternity and attachment. The
flavor of friendship increases to include affection, anger, fraternity, attachment and devotion,
and in parenthood the attachment increases to include affection, anger, fraternity, attachment,
and devotion. There are also special flavors experienced in friendship with the Supreme Lord,
and these are manifested by friends such as Subala, whose devotion increases up to the point
of bhāva. The different rasas are also divided into two kinds of ecstasy, called yoga and
viyoga, or meeting and separation. In friendship and parenthood, the feelings of meeting and
separation are various.
The situations known as rūḍha and adhirūḍha are possible in the conjugal love relationship.
Conjugal love exhibited by the queens at Dvārakā is called rūḍha, and conjugal love
exhibited at Vṛndāvana by the damsels of Vraja is called adhirūḍha. The highest perfection of
adhirūḍha affection in conjugal love involve meeting (mādana) and separation (mohana). In
the ecstasy of mādana, meeting, there is kissing, and in the ecstasy of mohana, separation,
there is udghūrṇā and citrajalpa. As far as citrajalpa is concerned, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
there is a portion known as Bhramara-gītā in which various kinds of citra jalpa are
mentioned. Udghūrṇā is a symptom of separation, and there is also a symptom called
transcendental insanity. In that transcendental insanity one thinks that he himself has become
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In such an ecstasy, he imitates the symptoms of Kṛṣṇa
in different ways.
There are two kinds of dresses worn in that relationship of conjugal love, and they are called
sambhoga and vipralambha. On the sambhoga platform, the dresses are unlimited, and on the
vipralambha they are four in number. The ecstasy exhibited before the lover and beloved
meet, the ecstasy experienced between them after meeting, the state of mind experienced by
not meeting, and the state of mind experienced after meeting fearing separation are called
vipralambha. That vipralambha serves as a nourishing element for future meetings. When the
lover and beloved meet all of a sudden and embrace one another, they feel an ecstasy of
happiness, and the state of mind they experience in that ecstasy is called sambhoga.
According to the situation, sambhoga ecstasy is also known by four names: (1) saṅkṣipta, (2)
saṅkīrṇa, (3) sampanna, (4) samṛddhimān. Such symptoms are also visible during dreams.
The mental state experienced before meeting is called pūrvarāga. The obstacles which
sometimes impede the meeting between lover and beloved are called māna, or anger. When
the lover and beloved are separated, the mental state experienced is called pravāsa. Feelings
of separation which are present under certain conditions even when the lovers meet are called
love anxieties (prema-vaicittya). Such love anxieties are exhibited in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
(10.90.15) by the princesses who kept awake nights and watched Kṛṣṇa sleep. They were
afraid of being separated from Kṛṣṇa, and they always talked amongst themselves about how
they had been affected by Kṛṣṇa's beautiful eyes and His smile.
The supreme lover is Kṛṣṇa, and He is situated in Vṛndāvana, and the supreme beloved is
Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa has sixty-four important qualifications, and His devotee takes
transcendental pleasure in hearing of them. As explained in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, the
characteristics are as follows: (1) His body is well constructed; (2) His body has all
auspicious symptoms; (3) His body is beautiful; (4) His body is very glorious; (5) His body is
very strong; (6) He always looks like a boy of sixteen; (7) He is well versed in various
languages; (8) He is truthful; (9) He is decorated with pleasing words; (10) He is expert in
speaking; (11) He is very learned; (12) He is very intelligent; (13) He is influential; (14) He is
joyful; (15) He is cunning; (16) He is expert; (17) He is grateful; (18) He is firmly convinced;
(19) He knows how to deal with different circumstances; (20) He is always conversant with
scriptural injunctions; (21) He is clean; (22) He is controlled by His devotees; (23) He is
steady; (24) He is self-controlled; (25) He is forgiving; (26) He is grave; (27) He is
speculative; (28) He is fair in His dealings; (29) He is magnanimous; (30) He is religious;
(31) He is a great hero; (32) He is merciful; (33) He is respectful; (34) He is competent; (35)
He is gentle; (36) He is modest; (37) He is the protector of the souls surrendered unto Him;
(38) He is the deliverer; (39) He is the friend of the devotees; (40) He is submissive to love;
(41) He is all-auspicious; (42) He is most powerful; (43) He is famous; (44) He is devoted to
all living entities; (45) He is worshipable by everyone; (46) He is very attractive to all
women; (47) He is partial to His devotees; (48) He is full of all opulence; (49) He is the
supreme controller; (50) He possesses all honor.
These fifty qualities or characteristics are fragmentally present in every living entity. When
they are completely spiritually free and situated in their original condition, all these qualities
can be perceived in human life in minute quantity. In Kṛṣṇa, however, they exist in totality.
There are five other transcendental qualities (mentioned below) which can be seen in Viṣṇu,
the Supreme Lord, and partially in Lord Śiva also, but they are not visible in ordinary living
entities. These characteristics are as follows: (1) He is always situated in His original
condition; (2) He is omniscient; (3) He is evergreen or always fresh; (4) He is eternally
blissful; (5) He is conversant and is the master of all perfection. Besides these five
transcendental characteristics, there are five others which can be seen in the spiritual sky,
especially in the Vaikuṇṭha planets where Nārāyaṇa is the predominating Deity. These are:
(1) He has inconceivable qualities; (2) He is able to sustain innumerable universes; (3) He is
the seed of all incarnations; (4) He grants the highest perfection to those enemies whom He
kills; (5) He is the most attractive of self-realized persons.
The above-mentioned qualities and characteristics, which total sixty in number, are visible up
to the platform of Nārāyaṇa. However, Kṛṣṇa has four special qualities, which are: (1) He is
able to manifest wonderful pastimes; (2) He is expert at transcendental flute playing; (3) He
is surrounded by loving devotees; (4) He possesses unparalleled personal beauty.
Thus Kṛṣṇa has sixty-four transcendental qualities. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has twenty-five
transcendental qualities, but She can control even Kṛṣṇa by them. Her transcendental qualities
are as follows: (1) She is sweetness personified; (2) She is a fresh young girl; (3) Her eyes are
always moving; (4) She is always brightly smiling; (5) She possesses all auspicious marks on
Her body; (6) She can agitate Kṛṣṇa by the flavor of Her person; (7) She is expert in the art of
singing; (8) She can speak very nicely and sweetly; (9) She is expert in presenting feminine
attractions; (10) She is modest and gentle; (11) She is always very merciful; (12) She is
transcendentally cunning; (13) She knows how to dress nicely; (14) She is always shy; (15)
She is always respectful; (16) She is always patient; (17) She is very grave; (18) She is
enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa; (19) She is always situated on the highest devotional platform; (20) She is
the abode of love of the residents of Gokula; (21) She can give shelter to all kinds of
devotees; (22) She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors; (23) She is always
obliged by the dealings of Her associates, (24) She is the greatest amongst Kṛṣṇa's girl
friends; (25) She always keeps Kṛṣṇa under Her control.
Thus Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī are both transcendentally qualified, and both of Them attract one
another. Yet in that transcendental attraction, Rādhārāṇī is greater than Kṛṣṇa, for the
attractiveness of Rādhārāṇī is the transcendental taste in conjugal love. Similarly, there are
transcendental tastes in servitude, friendship and other relationships with Kṛṣṇa. These can be
described with reference to the context of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu.
Persons who have been thoroughly cleansed by devotional service and are always joyful,
being situated in elevated consciousness, who are very much attached to the stud ies of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, who are always cheerful in the association of devotees, who have
accepted the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa as the ultimate shelter of their lives, and who are pleased to
perform all details of devotional service, have in their pure hearts the transcendental ecstasy
of attachment. When that ecstatic state of being is enriched with love of Kṛṣṇa and the
transcendental experience, one gradually attains to the mature oneness of spiritual life. Such
spiritual life is not possible for those who are not situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and
devotional service. This fact is further corroborated in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu wherein it
is said: "It is very difficult for the nondevotee to understand the taste of devotional service.
Only one who has completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and whose life is
merged in the ocean of devotional service can understand this transcendental pleasure."
Lord Caitanya thus explained briefly the transcendental situation and spiritual enjoyment of
life, and He taught that the first stage of perfection is to become a religious man in the
ordinary sense, as known in the material world. The second stage of perfection is to become
materially rich. The third stage of material perfection is the attainment of complete sense
enjoyment, and in the fourth stage there is knowledge of liberation. Above this platform are
those on the fifth stage who are already liberated and who are established in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness or devotional service to the Lord. In the highest perfection of devotional
service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one experiences the taste of the ecstasy of spiritual relish.
The Lord then told Sanātana Gosvāmī that He had previously taught his younger brother,
Rūpa Gosvāmī, at Prayāga (Allahabad). The Lord assured Sanātana Gosvāmī that He had
empowered Rūpa Gosvāmī to spread the knowledge He had given him. The Lord then
similarly ordered Sanātana Gosvāmī to write books on the transcendental loving service of
the Lord, and He authorized him to excavate the different sites of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes in the
district of Mathurā. Sanātana Gosvāmī was also advised to construct temples in Vṛndāvana
and to write books on the principles of Vaiṣṇavism, as authorized by Lord Caitanya Himself.
Sanātana Gosvāmī executed all these desires of the Lord-he constructed the temple of
Madana-mohana at Vṛndāvana, and he wrote books on the principles of devotional service,
such as Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. Lord Caitanya further taught Sanātana Gosvāmī how one can live
in the material world while being in a complete relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and He also taught
him that there is no necessity for dry renunciation. The purport of these instructions is that in
the present age there are many persons who accept the renounced order of life but who are
not spiritually advanced. Lord Caitanya did not approve of one's accepting sannyāsa without
having perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually it is found that there are many
so-called sannyāsīs whose actions are below those of ordinary men but who pass themselves
off as being in the renounced order of life. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not accept such
hypocrisy. He taught Sanātana Gosvāmī to write elaborately on the subject of devotional
service in his different books.
The perfectional stage of spiritual life which one can experience even while being in the
material world is described in the Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā as follows: "One who is
not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a
proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always
satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and
intelligence are in agreement with Me-he is very dear to Me. He for whom no one is put into
difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very
dear to Me. A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure,
expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very
dear to Me. One who grasps neither pleasure or grief who neither laments nor desires, and
who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things, is very dear to Me. One who is equal
to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness
and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and
satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and
engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me. He who follows this imperishable path of
devotional service and who completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme
goal, is very, very dear to Me." (Bg. 12.13-20)
Even if one is not situated in such a transcendental position, if he simply approves of such a
transcendental life, he also becomes very dear to Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.2.5) it is
stated that a devotee should always remain dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Lord and
that as far as his material necessities are concerned, he should be satisfied with whatever is
obtained without endeavor. In this regard, Śukadeva Gosvāmī advised that a devotee should
never approach a materialistic person for any kind of help. As far as one's bodily necessities
are concerned, one can pick up torn clothing out of the street, can take fruits offered by trees,
can drink water which flows from rivers, and can live in a cave constructed by nature herself.
Even if one is unable to do all these things, he should nonetheless completely depend on the
Supreme Lord, understanding that the Supreme Lord provides everyone with food and
shelter. One should understand that the Lord will never fail to care for His devotees who are
fully surrendered unto Him. In any case, the devotee is always protected, and therefore he
should not be at all anxious for his maintenance.
Sanātana Gosvāmī thus inquired into all phases of devotional service, and Lord Caitanya
taught him most confidentially from authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The
Lord referred also to the Vedic literature known as Harivaṁśa, which gives information about
the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa. This information was disclosed by Indra when he offered
his prayers after being defeated upon challenging the potency of Kṛṣṇa. In the Harivaṁśa it is
stated that although birds and airplanes can fly, they cannot reach the higher planetary
systems. The higher planetary systems begin with the sun planet, which is situated in the
middle of the universe. Beyond the sun there are other planetary systems where persons who
are elevated by great austerities and penances are situated. The entire material universe is
called Devīdhāma, and above it there is Śivadhāma, where Lord Śiva and his wife Pārvatī
eternally reside. Above that planetary system is the spiritual sky where innumerable spiritual
planets, known as Vaikuṇṭhas, are situated. Above these Vaikuṇṭha planets there is Kṛṣṇa's
planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. The word goloka means "planet of the cows." Because
Kṛṣṇa is very fond of cows, His abode is known as Goloka. Goloka Vṛndāvana is larger than
all the material and spiritual planets put together. In the prayer contained in the Harivaṁśa,
Indra admitted that he could not understand the situation of Goloka even by asking Brahmā.
Those who are devotees of the Nārāyaṇa expansion of Kṛṣṇa attain the Vaikuṇṭha planets, but
it is very difficult to reach Goloka Vṛndāvana. Indeed, that planet can be reached only by
persons who are devotees of Lord Caitanya or Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It was Indra who admitted to
Lord Kṛṣṇa: "You have descended from that Goloka planet in the spiritual world, and the
disturbance which I have created was all due to my foolishness." Therefore Indra begged
Lord Kṛṣṇa to excuse him.
The last phase of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as mausala-
līlā. This includes the mystery of Kṛṣṇa's disappearance from this material world. In that
pastime the Lord played the part of being killed by a hunter. There are many improper
explanations of the last portion of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes (such as descriptions of the
incarnation of Kṛṣṇa's hair), but Lord Caitanya properly described these pastimes and gave
them the right interpretation. As far as the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa's hair is concerned, there is
mention in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, and the Mahābhārata. It is stated there
that the Lord snatched a gray hair and a black hair from His head and that these two hairs
entered into the wombs of two queens of the Yadu dynasty, namely Rohiṇī and Devakī. It is
also stated that Lord Kṛṣṇa descends to the material world in order to vanquish all the
demons, but some say that Kṛṣṇa is the incarnation of Viṣṇu who lies in the ocean of milk
within this universe. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta and his commentator,
Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, have discussed these points fully and have established the exact
truth. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī also discussed these points in the Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha.
When Lord Caitanya finished His instructions to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana, being
empowered and enlightened, was so transcendentally pleased that he at once fell at the feet of
Lord Caitanya and said: "I am born of a very low family, and I have always associated with
lowly people; therefore I am the lowest of sinners. Yet You are so kind that You have taught
me lessons which are not even understood by Lord Brahmā, the greatest being in this
universe. By Your grace I have appreciated the conclusions which You have taught me, but I
am so low that I cannot even touch a drop of the ocean of Your instructions. Thus if You
want me, who am nothing but a lame man, to dance, then please give me Your benediction by
placing Your feet on my head."
Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī prayed for the Lord's confirmation that His teachings would actually
evolve in his heart by His grace. Otherwise Sanātana knew that there was no possibility of his
being able to describe the Lord's teachings. The purport of this is that the ācāryas (spiritual
masters) are authorized by higher authorities. Instruction alone cannot make one an expert.
Unless one is blessed by the spiritual master, or the ācārya, such teachings cannot become
fully manifest. Therefore one should seek the mercy of the spiritual master so that the
instructions of the spiritual master can develop within oneself. After receiving the prayers of
Sanātana Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya placed His feet on the head of Sanātana and gave him His
benedictions so that all His instructions would develop fully.
Thus the Lord described the ultimate stage of love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya said that such
a description cannot be given very elaborately but that He had informed him as far as
possible. The conclusion is that anyone who attentively hears these discourses and
instructions of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī very soon attains to Kṛṣṇa consciousness
and engages in devotional service to the Lord.

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64 Qualities of Lord Krishna

Shrila Rupa Gosvami, after consulting various scriptures, has enumerated the transcendental
qualities of the Lord Shri Krishna as follows:

(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) fluent;
(11) highly learned;
(12) highly intelligent;
(13) a genius;
(14) artistic;
(15) extremely clever;
(16) expert;
(17) grateful;
(18) firmly determined;
(19) an expert judge of time and circumstances;
(20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures;
(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) the protector of surrendered souls;
(38) happy;
(39) the 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.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all these fifty transcendental qualities in fullness as
deep as the ocean. In other words, the extent of His qualities is inconceivable.

As parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, the individual living entities can also possess all of
these qualities in minute quantities, provided they become pure devotees of the Lord. In other
words, all of the above transcendental qualities can be present in the devotees in minute
quantity, whereas the qualities in fullness are always present in the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.

Besides these, there are other transcendental qualities which are described by Lord Siva to
Parvati in the Padma Purana, and in the First Canto of Shrimad-Bhagavatam in connection
with a conversation between the deity of the earth and the King of religion, Yamaraja. It is
said therein, "Persons who who are desirous of becoming great personalities must be
decorated with the following qualities:

truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, perseverance, renunciation, peacefulness, simplicity, control

of the senses, equilibrium of the mind, austerity, equality, forbearance, placidity, learning,
knowledge, detachment, opulence, chivalry, influence, strength, memory, independence,
tactfulness, luster, patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, gentility, mannerliness,
determination, perfection in all knowledge, proper execution, possession of all objects of
enjoyment, gravity, steadiness, faithfulness, fame, respectfulness and lack of false egotism."

Persons who are desiring to become great souls cannot be without any of the above qualities,
so we can know for certain that these qualities are found in Lord Krishna, the supreme soul.

Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord Krishna possesses five more, which
are sometimes partially manifested in the persons of Lord Brahma or Lord Siva.

These transcendental qualities are as follows:

(51) changeless;
(52) all-cognizant;
(53) ever fresh;
(54) sac-cid-ananda (possessing an eternal blissful body);
(55) possessing all mystic perfections.

Krishna also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in the body of Narayana, and
they are listed as follows:

(56) He has inconceivable potency.

(57) Uncountable universes generate from His body.
(58) He is the original source of all incarnations.
(59) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills.
(60) He is the attractor of liberated souls.

All these transcendental qualities are manifest wonderfully in the personal feature of Lord
Krishna.

Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, Krishna has four more, which are not manifest
even in the Narayana form of Godhead, what to speak of the demigods or living entities:

(61) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood

pastimes).
(62) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead.
(63) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute.
(64) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the
creation.

Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of Krishna, it is to be understood that the
aggregate number of qualities of Krishna is sixty-four. Shrila Rupa Gosvami has attempted to
give evidences from various scriptures about all sixty-four qualities present in the person of
the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna.

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