Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
7. Wonderful Linguist
It should be no wonder that God can speak all languages; He is omnipotent. But the residents of Vrndåvana were surprised, “How wonderful it is that Krsna, who owns the hearts of all the young girls of Vrajabhümi, can nicely speak the language of Vrajabhümi with the gopîs, while in Sanskrit He speaks with the demigods, and in the language of the animals He can even speak with the cows and buffalo!
Similarly, in the language of the Kashmir Province, and with the parrots and other birds, as well as in most common languages, Krsnais so expressive!” (NOD, Chap. 21, p. 160) He argues arrogantly with the gopîs when He stops them and demands a tax on their milk as they cross Govardhana Hill. He boasts among the cowherd boys. He speaks childishly with Nanda Mahåråja and Yasodå-devî. Sometimes He speaks His heart’s love to Srîmatî Rådhårå ºî, and sometimes He covers His love when He jokes with Her. He warns the demon Kåliya, “You must immediately leave this place and go to the ocean. Don’t pollute
the waters of the Yamunå.” He speaks the Bhagavad-gîtå and other discourses when the occasion arises.
Krsna can speak in every language and to every mentality. As we surrender, He reciprocates. The best way to speak to Krsna is to approach Him as His eternal servant. Speak words of love to Him and He will be inclined to speak words of love to us. Krsna speaking is not ordinary. When Krsna speaks about bhakti or about Himself, it is auspicious for all the worlds. “The devotees will always worship such authoritative statements of Krsnabecause they are always eager to know more and more about Him. . . . that He is sac-cidånanda- vigraha—the eternal form of bliss and knowledge— that He is transcendental . . . ” (Bg. 4.4 purport) It is not exactly His expertise in language we worship, but Krsna Himself. There may be many expert linguists, but only Krsna can say, “Give up all religion and surrender to Me. I will rescue you from all sinful reactions. Don’t be afraid.” Only Krsna can say, “I am the Supreme. Come to Me. Think of Me at the time of death. I am telling you this because you are My dear friend.”
Srîla Prabhupåda once said that Krsna can speak, but He doesn’t talk with any nonsense person. He speaks with His devotees because they are carrying out His mission in this world. We are not so qualified, but we can hear Krsnatalks with His pure devotees as recorded in our paramparå çåstras.
Wonderful Linguist 23 And yes, Krsna speaks wonderfully, elegantly, humorously, gravely, sweetly, and always according to time, place, and person. He is also able to sum up the most complicated concept in an aphorism. Here are some tidbits spoken either by Krsnaor about Krsnaspeaking: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead then said: ‘O Brahmå, O depth of Vedic wisdom, be neither depressed nor anxious about the execution of creation. What you are begging from Me has already been granted before.’” (Bhåg. 3.9.29) When the Lord assumed the form of Varåha, He roared like a great mountain. The demigods were enlivened by His repeated roaring “with His uncommon voice, which echoed in all directions,” and in response they chanted Vedic hymns (Bhåg. 3.13.24–5). To the four Kumåras: “The Lord’s excellent speech was difficult to comprehend because of its momentous import and its most profound significance. The sages heard it with wide-open ears and pondered it as well. But although hearing, they could not understand what He intended to do.” (Bhåg. 3.16.14) Commenting on this verse, Srîla Prabhupåda writes, “No one can surpass the Supreme Personality of Godhead in speaking.” To Prahlåda Mahåråja, the Lord said, “It does not matter that you are in the material world. You should always, continuously, hear the instructions and messages given by Me and always be absorbed in thought of Me, for I am the Super soul existing in the core of everyone’s heart.” (Bhåg. 7.10.13) In speaking to the gopîs after having disappeared from their midst during the råsa dance, Sri krsna said, “. . . kindly excuse Me if I have done anything wrong. I cannot repay your continual love for me, even throughout the lifetimes of the demigods.” (Krsna Chap. 31, p. 267) Krsna words are never false (unless He wants to play with His devotees). His language is profound as well as ornamented, playful, and filled with love. He is all-expressive. Let us hear whenever we can from those who have conversed with Krsna and who treasure His words. Let us recall and memorize His words to Arjuna and to His other devotees, such as Vraja’s cows. Let us learn at least one of His languages and speak it in order to please Him. O Krsna, please be pleased with me. In some future birth, may I hear you speak and my heart melt with love for You. Wonderful Linguist 25
8. Truthful
An ordinary person cannot keep his vow, but Krsnanever fails. Therefore, He is called Acyuta, infallible. Sometimes in His pastimes, Krsnamay not speak so truthfully, but that is just to protect His devotees or to increase the rasa in His exchanges with them. He told King Yudhis† hira to tell a lie and say that Açvatthåmå was dead, but that was to help His devotees, the Påndaavas, to gain victory over Dronåcårya. Knowing that He had a reputation for being tricky, Krsnatold Arjuna, “O son of Kuntî, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (Bg. 9.31) Although Arjuna makes the declaration on Krana’s behalf, it is Krsnawho upholds the truth of Arjuna’s statement.Thus He is truth personified.
The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. . . . You are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless one is completely truthful, one cannot achieve Your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved by hypocrites. —Bhåg. 10.2.26 Sometimes Krsna breaks a lesser vow in order to protect
His ultimate vow to always protect His sincere devotees. Krsna tatted that He would not fight for either side in the battle of Kuruksetra, although He agreed to Become Arjuna’s charioteer. Bhîsmadeva forced Krsna to break His promise not to fight in order to save Arjuna. We worship Krsn promises in Bhagavad-gîtå. A devotee has undying faith that Krsnawords will always prove true. Lord Krsna promises that if one thinks of Him at the time of death, “he will attain Me without doubt.” If one knows the reason for Krsna appearance and activities in this world, he will not have to be reborn, but will attain the eternal abode of Krsna (Bg. 4.9). Krsna also promises that if one offers Him simple food—a leaf, fruit, or water—with devotion, then “I will accept it.” Based on these words and the guru’s assurance, the devotee offers all that he has to Krsna. Lord Krsn says, “Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Bg. 18.65) With faith in these words, the devotee dedicates body, mind, and words, and feels accepted by Krsna even in this lifetime. As the truth personified, Krsnaalso wants to see how
truthful we are to Him. At initiation, we promise to avoid Truthful 27 illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling, and to always chant at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna mahå-mantra a day. We promise before the guru, before the Deity, before the sacrificial fire, and before the assembled
Vaisnavas. Who but a madman would commit perjury before such witnesses? “So what I have said I will do—I must do—no matter what the cost.” Because we are tiny and måyå is strong, we may, in some extreme situation, fail to keep our vow. Lord Krsna will overlook our failure and still consider us truthful if we are sorry for our fall down and we take steps to rectify ourselves. Let us be true and always engage in fulfilling our obligations to guru and Krsna. Then we can attain an eternal place at His lotus feet. Unless we can attain the param-dhåma, we will have to continue revolving in the cycle of birth and death in this world of untruth. Surrounded as we are by falsity, it will be difficult to remain truthful even in a moral sense. Those who pass the test, however, can quit this world of lies and illusion, and in their own sat feature (svarüpasiddhi), play with Krsna and His dear most friends, who are always true in unalloyed love for the Supreme Lord.
9. Pleasing Talker,
10. Fluent
“Most important is how the man in Krsna consciousness speaks; for speech is the most important quality of any man.” (Bg. 2.54, purport) Lord Krsna says that among the Feminine qualities, He is fine speech (Bg. 10.34). He can speak perfectly on any occasion, whether to enemies, sages, juniors, or elders. Someone with a vague conception of God may think that He doesn’t speak at all, or that He utters only somber judgments in stuffy, ecclesiastical language. The Supreme Lord, however, is flexible, and capable of both strength and delicacy in speech. Srîla Rüpa Gosvåmî states, “A person who can speak sweetly even with his enemy just to pacify him is called a pleasing talker.” (NOD, Chap. 21, p. 161) Krsna spoke nicely to His enemy, Kåliya, after subduing him: “My dear King of the snakes, although I have given you so much pain, please do not be dissatisfied with Me.” Lord Krsna also spoke pleasing words when He gave a firm but gentle reminder to Brahmå that he had made a Pleasing Talker, Fluent 29 mistake in granting boons to Hiraºyakaçipu. “The Personality of Godhead replied: ‘My dear Lord Brahmå, O great lord born from the lotus flower, just as it is dangerous to feed milk to a snake, so it is dangerous to give benedictions to demons.’” (Bhåg. 7.10.30) After the Lord’s devotee, Bali Mahåråja, became victorious
despite sukråcårya’s curse, Lord Visnu questioned sukråcårya in a humble but decisive manner: “O best of the bråhmaºas, sukråcårya, please describe the fault or discrepancy in your disciple Bali Mahåråja, who engaged in performing sacrifices. This fault will be nullified when judged
n the presence of qualified bråhmaºas.” (Bhåg. 8.23.14) The quality of fine speech in Krsnaindicates that He is highly cultured, sensitive, and always a person. He is the greatest and the smallest. To less developed spiritualists, He may appear as a bright light or as something symbolic or impersonal, but beyond His unlimited grandeur is a person who speaks reasonably and with gravity. He also speaks lightheartedly with His devotees. He is capable of speaking directly or indirectly, according to what is appropriate for a particular pastime. Lord Krsna will speak to us according to our relationship with Him. Few of us will be so fortunate as to immediately talk with Krsna from our present position. Even Lord Brahmå has to meditate on the shore of the milk ocean and hear from Ksîrodakçåyî Visnu within his heart. At the beginning of the cosmic manifestation, Brahmå heard only two syllables pronounced from the sky: “ta-pa,” practice austerity. When Krsnabecame pleased with him, He shook hands with Brahmå, smiled slightly, and said: “I wish you good luck. O Brahmå, you may ask from Me . . . all that you may desire.” (Bhåg. 2.9.21) Lord Krsna instructions to Brahmå are immortal and worthy of meditation. “Brahmå, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead . . . ” (Bhåg. 2.9.33) srîla Prabhupåda states that many theologians talk about God, but unless we realize the Supreme Person and are able to talk with Him, we are not advanced in God consciousness. God talks, but not with rascals, because they demand, “If God comes before me and talks to me, only then will I believe.” God talks, but only with His trusted servants. Lord Krsna speeches have been preserved in the såstra and that is as good as hearing from Him directly, provided we give the såstras submissive, aural reception. “Now hear, O son of Prthå . . . I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge . . . Because you are My very dear friend, I am Pleasing Talker, Fluent 31 speaking to you My supreme instruction . . .” (Bg. 7.1-2, 18.64) A doubter may say, “Krsna was speaking to Arjuna, not to me, and neither was I there when they spoke.” But Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gîtå through Arjuna, to all souls, for all time. “And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence.” (Bg. 18.70) Krsna peaks and His devotees speak back to Him as loving servants. Whoever listens to these talks becomes liberated. Similarly, Lord Krsna representative also speaks pleasing words that give liberation: That very Srîmad-Bhågavatam I shall recite before you because you are the most sincere devotee of Lord Krsna. One who gives full attention and respect to hearing Srîmad-Bhågavatam achieves unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord, the giver of salvation. —Bhåg. 2.1.10 O learned bråhmaºa, because of my drinking the nectar of the message of the infallible Personality of Godhead, which is flowing down from the ocean of your speeches, I do not feel any sort of exhaustion due to my fasting. —Bhåg. 2.8.26 Let us go on hearing the Lord and His pure devotees speaking. By serving the pure devotees in full surrender, and expressing our sincere prayers to them, we too can become qualified, in some future birth, to talk with Krsna and thrill at every moment when we hear His words. Pleasing Talker, Fluent 33
11. Highly Learned,
12. Highly Intelligent,
13. Genius
The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not receive education from any source. He is eternally all-knowing, “the self-sufficient philosopher.” But in His pastimes in this world, He appears within human society, accepts a mother and father, grows up, and receives an education. When Krsna went to Mathurå, Vasudeva and Devakî sent both Krsna and Balaråma to the gurukula of Såndîpani Muni, where They mastered all departments of knowledge. Krsna and Balaråma were extraordinary students, and
within sixty-four days, They had learned all the arts and sciences required in human society. “During daytime They took lessons on a subject from the teacher, and by nightfall, after having heard from the teacher, They were expert in that department of knowledge.” (Krsna, Chap. 44, p. 358) When Their education was complete, They offered to reward Their teacher anything he desired. Knowing Krsna and Balaråma’s power, Såndîpani Muni asked Them to return his dead son to him. Sri Krsna and Balaråma retrieved the soul from Yamaråja’s kingdom and satisfied Their teacher and his wife. Såndîpani Muni blessed Them: “. . . whatever You speak will remain as eternally fresh as the instruction of the Vedas. Your teachings will not only be honored within this universe or in this millennium, but in all places and ages, and will remain increasingly new and important.” Srîla Prabhupåda states that due to this benediction from His teacher, Lord Krsna Bhagavad-gîtå is ever-fresh and renowned throughout the universes. During His manifested pastimes on earth, Lord Krsna continued to show His proficiency as highly learned. On the occasion of a sacrificial ceremony performed by Krsna father, Vasudeva, Krsna spoke to an assembly of respected sages and ascetics. When the supreme authority, Lord Krsna, was thus speaking with great gravity, all the sages and ascetics remained in dead silence. They became amazed upon hearing Him speak the absolute philosophy of life in such a concise way. . . . All those who heard considered the speech of Lord Krsna for some time, and they concluded that Lord Krsna was actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing the role of an ordinary human being . . . Learned, Intelligent, Genius 35 He was assuming this pastime . . . simply to teach the people in general how they should live for perfection of the Human mission. —Krsna, Chap. 83, p. 715 Srîla Rüpa Gosvåmî’s definition of highly learned Includes “highly educated” and “acting on moral principles.” This is different than the modern standard of academic Education, where a “brilliant” teacher is not Discredited for his sinful habits. Krsna dealings, however, are always full of kindness and morality. “Because Krsna is all-good, His dealings with everyone are always good.” NOD, Chap. 21, p. 163) Sri Krsna is also highly intelligent. Rüpa Gosvåmî Defines highly intelligent as possessing sharp memory and fine discretion. Lord Krsna showed His discretion in numerous situations, particularly as a ksatriya dealing with politics, ethics, and inimical persons. For example, He led the untouchable king, Kålayåvaºa, into Mucukunda’s cave where he was burnt to ashes. As the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna sometimes acts transcendental to worldly morality, although usually He behaves in such a way that ordinary people can follow. Therefore, we have to use our discretion, and take guidance from superior Vaisnavas, to know when Krsna behavior is to be followed and when He is demonstrating that He is the Supreme Controller and not to be imitated. In explaining the spiritual nature of Krsna dancing with other men’s wives, sukadeva Gosvåmî reminds us that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Soul and the gopîs are all His internal, spiritual potencies. When Mahåråja Parîksit doubted the morality of Krsna råsa dance, sukadeva Gosvåmî explained how the Supreme Lord’s activities are beyond our capacity to perform or to judge: “O King, the Supreme Lord is inexhaustible and immeasurable, and He is untouched by the material modes because He is their controller. His personal appearance in this world is meant for bestowing the highest benefit on humanity.” (Bhåg. 10.29.14) Sri Krsna is a genius who can refute any opposition with newer and newer arguments. Rüpa Gosvåmî illustrates how Krsna did this in the clever but playful replies He gave in a conversation with Srîmatî Rådhåråºî. All glories to Srî Krsna genius, which gladdens Srîmatî Rådhikå’s heart! We take pleasure in hearing of Krsnamany qualities. Whatever we may learn of His qualities is only a small sampling of His unlimited personality. Krsna is the reservoir of all rasa; whatever qualities we observe in humans or demigods originate and are complete in Krsna. We should never think that Krsna is just one of the many educated Learned, Intelligent, Genius 37 geniuses who have appeared in this world. Krsna is one without a second. There is no one equal to or greater than Him. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inconceivably opulent, who is devoid of all material names, forms and pastimes, and who is all-pervading, is especially merciful to the devotees who worship His lotus feet. Thus He exhibits transcendental forms and names with His different pastimes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, be merciful to me.” (Bhåg. 6.4.33)
14. Artistic
15. Clever
16. Expert
Krsna is artistic. He dresses beautifully and places a karºikåra flower over His ear. He is not slovenly or boorish. He speaks, dances, and plays the flute. All the Vrajavåsîs are charmed by Krsna artistry. Krsna is the original creator and Lord of the universe. Sukadeva Gosvåmî says, “Varieties of birds are indications of His masterful artistic sense.” (Bhåg. 2.1.36) Srîla Prabhupåda comments, “His musical taste, artistic sense and standard intelligence, which is never fallible, are different signs of His supreme personality.” A devotee can, therefore, sense Krsna presence everywhere in the material world. For example, when we see sunlight in a room in the morning, we remember the sun and are confident, “The sun is there.” Similarly, when a devotee sees a tree, he sees Krsna by reference to the context. “For one who sees Me
Everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, Nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Bg. 6.30) It is only by perverse refusal to see God that we fail to perceive and appreciate the Supreme Person every day of our lives. Prabhupåda writes, “Who is such a fool that he does not want to be Krsna conscious by this simple method and thus attain the highest perceptional life of eternity, bliss and knowledge?”
(Bg. 9.26, purport) Appreciation of Krsna qualities leads to the desire to serve Him, and service is the most congenial form of intimacy with Krsna. “He is so great and attractive, let me
worship Him and serve Him.” We should not allow ourselves to be left out. His pure devotees want to include us, and they wander over the earth “just to turn the face of the bewildered soul toward K®ßºa.” He is kind. Therefore, He will accept our simple offering of a fruit, a leaf, or a palmful
of water. Krsna is clever. He can do all types of work at once. When He appears in the world, He kills Kaμsa, answers Lord Brahmå’s prayers, rewards Devakî and Vasudeva by becoming their son, rescues the earth from its burden, gives pleasure to His entourage, speaks Bhagavad-gîtå—so many things at once. As one of the gopîs said of Krsna, “ . . . He is sitting with different living entities in different
ways, and He is thoroughly enjoying the situation.” (NOD, Chap. 21, p. 165) Sri Krsna is also expert. When a devotee worships Him, He doesn’t reward that devotee with material desires. The devotee may still be foolish enough to desire material rewards for his service, but Krsna says, “Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I shall induce him to take the nectar of the shelter of My lotus feet and make him forget illusory material enjoyment.” (Cc. Madhya 22.39) “O expert Mystic,” the devotees pray, “Your prowess never deteriorates. You are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and You descend to relieve the distresses of the cows, the bråhmaºas and the devotees. . . . You are the almighty God, and I offer You my respectful obeisances.” (Bhåg. 1.8.43)
The conditioned souls display their “expertise” by avoiding Krsnamercy, and His mahå-måyå is also expert to keep the conditioned souls entrapped in the cycle of birth and death. It is an insurmountable dilemma. A repentant devotee, therefore, recognizes the Lord as the greatest expert and prays to Krsna to free him. “O Gopînåtha, You are indeed the wisest person. Please look for a way to bring about auspiciousness for this fool, and please do not consider this servant as an outsider.” (“Gopînåtha,” Part 2 verse 8) Krsna cut to pieces all weapons raised to oppose Him. Certainly He can defeat our enemies. Krsna appeared at the side of each and every gopî in the råsa dance. Surely He can come to us, even though He is occupied in pleasing countless devotees in the spiritual world. O expert Mystic, You have arranged for our safety by sending Your pure devotee. That was a fit exhibition of Your prowess. Srîla Prabhupåda came to us in Kali-yuga’s capital, New York City. You disguised him as an elderly man. He magically pulled us out of the labyrinth of dirty desires by kîrtana and prasådam. By his pleasing ways and formidable knowledge, he expertly turned us into Your servants. He was Your expert representative.
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