20211127 Longing To See Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Face with Millions of Eyes Gopīs Criticize Brahmā

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 27th November 2021 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today is the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter today is entitled:

Longing To See Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Face with Millions of Eyes Gopīs Criticize Brahmā
Under the section: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.111

kṛṣṇaguṇa varṇanamukhe prabhura gopīsaubhāgya varṇana:—

kahite kṛṣṇera rase, śloka paḍe premāveśe, preme sanātana-hāta dhari’
gopī-bhāgya, kṛṣṇa guṇa, ye karila varṇana, bhāvāveśe mathurā-nāgarī

Translation: Just as the women of Mathurā ecstatically described the fortune of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana and the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu described the different mellows of Kṛṣṇa and became overwhelmed with ecstatic love. Grasping the hand of Sanātana Gosvāmī, He recited the following verse.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.112

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ
lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham
dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam
ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śriya aiśvarasya

Translation: “‘What austerities must the gopīs have performed? With their eyes they always drink the nectar of the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and unique.’

Purport: This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.44.14) was spoken by the women of Mathurā when they saw Kṛṣṇa in the wrestling arena.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the women of Mathurā were praising the good fortune of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, that the gopīs were able to see the form of Kṛṣṇa daily and they were praising Kṛṣṇa's beauty, His opulence, His beautiful form and by praising the gopīs who were able to witness them. And Lord Caitanya repeated this verse and He became overwhelmed with ecstatic love and grabbed the hand of Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.113

kṛṣṇera tāruṇyāmṛta-sindhura lāvaṇyāmṛta-taraṅge gopī nitya bhāsamānā:—

tāruṇyāmṛta—pārāvāra, taraṅga—lāvaṇya-sāra,
tāte se āvarta bhāvodgama
vaṁśī-dhvani—cakravāta, nārīra mana—tṛṇa-pāta,
tāhā ḍubāya, nā haya udgama

Translation: The bodily beauty of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is like a wave in the ocean of eternal youth. In that great ocean is the whirlpool of the awakening of ecstatic love. The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is like a whirlwind, and the flickering minds of the gopīs are like straws and dry leaves. After they fall down in the whirlwind, they never rise again but remain eternally at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: This poetic verse glorifies the gopīs' love for Krsna. Kṛṣṇa's transcendental youthful opulence and beauty.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.114

kṛṣṇa-rūpa-sudhāpāne gopī kṛtakṛtārtha:—

sakhi he, kon tapa kaila gopī-gaṇa
kṛṣṇa-rūpa-sumādhurī, pibi’ pibi’ netra bhari’,
ślāghya kare janma-tanu-mana

Translation: “O my dear friend, what severe austerities have the gopīs performed to drink His transcendental beauty and sweetness through their eyes in complete fulfillment? Thus they glorify their births, bodies and minds.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the women in Mathurā were praising the good fortune that the gopīs must have performed great austerities to be able to have Lord Kṛṣṇa's beauty fill their eyes.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.115

kṛṣṇa-rūpa-mādhurya—asamorddha, nārāyaṇe tadabhāva:—

ye mādhurīra ūrdhva āna, nāhi yāra samāna, paravyome svarūpera gaṇe yeṅho saba-avatārī, paravyoma-adhikārī, e mādhurya nāhi nārāyaṇe

Translation: “The sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty enjoyed by the gopīs is unparalleled. Nothing is equal to or greater than such ecstatic sweetness. Even the predominating Deities of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, the Nārāyaṇas, do not possess such sweetness. Indeed, none of the incarnations of Kṛṣṇa up to Nārāyaṇa possess such transcendental beauty."

Jayapatākā Swami: The expansions of Kṛṣṇa certainly has power and beauty but nothing compared to sweetness of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.116

pramāṇa,—nārāyaṇī lakṣmīrao kṛṣṇa-mādhurye lobha:—

tāte sākṣī sei ramā, nārāyaṇera priyatamā,
pativratā-gaṇera upāsyā
tiṅho ye mādhurya-lobhe, chāḍi’ saba kāma-bhoge,
vrata kari’ karilā tapasyā

Translation: “The vivid evidence in this regard is that the dearest consort of Nārāyaṇa, the goddess of fortune, who is worshiped by all chaste women, gave up everything in her desire to enjoy Kṛṣṇa, being captivated by His unparalleled sweetness. Thus she took a great vow and underwent severe austerities.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa are non-different but Kṛṣṇa has unparralled sweetness in His Vṛndāvana līlā form so the gopīs they could enjoy this form but even personalities like Lakṣmī-devī tried but were not accepted.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.117

anyānya prakāśa-vigrahe svecchānu-rūpa prayojanamata svīya svataḥsiddha mādhuryāṁśa-prakaṭana:—

sei ta’ mādhurya-sāra, anya-siddhi nāhi tāra, tiṅho—mādhuryādi-guṇa-khani āra saba prakāśe, tāṅra datta guṇa bhāse, yāhāṅ yata prakāśe kārya jāni

Translation: “The quintessence of Kṛṣṇa’s sweet bodily luster is so perfect that there is no perfection above it. He is the immutable mine of all transcendental qualities. In His other manifestations and personal expansions, there is only a partial exhibition of such qualities. We understand all His personal expansions in this way.

Jayapatākā Swami: Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadevā was trying to understand which form was the original and the highest. He came to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa has 64 qualities, but His expansions like Nārāyaṇa and others have 60 qualities. So Parāśara Muni concluded that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.118

kṛṣṇa-mādhurya o gopīprema, ubhayai nitya-navanavāyamāna:—

gopī-bhāva-darapaṇa, nava nava kṣaṇe kṣaṇa, tāra āge kṛṣṇera mādhurya doṅhe kare huḍāhuḍi, bāḍe, mukha nāhi muḍi, nava nava doṅhāra prācurya

Translation: Both the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa are complete. The gopīs’ ecstatic love is like a mirror that becomes newer and newer at every moment and reflects Kṛṣṇa’s bodily luster and sweetness. Thus, competition increases. Since neither give up, their pastimes become newer and newer, and both sides constantly increase.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs' pastimes increase the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa and thus Caitanya Mahāprabhu is glorifying Kṛṣṇa and the love of the gopīs.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.119

rāgānugā bhakti vyatīta kṛṣṇa-mādhurya sudurllabha:—

karma, tapa, yoga, jñāna, vidhi-bhakti, japa, dhyāna,
ihā haite mādhurya durlabha
kevala ye rāga-mārge, bhaje kṛṣṇe anurāge,
tāre kṛṣṇa-mādhurya sulabha

Translation: The transcendental mellows generated from the dealings between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa cannot be tasted by means of fruitive activity, yogic austerities, speculative knowledge, regulative devotional service, mantra-yoga or meditation. This sweetness can be tasted only through the spontaneous love of liberated persons who chant the holy names with great ecstatic love.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this explains how appreciation of Kṛṣṇa's mādhurya is only possible to those who have achieved spontaneous love and chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with great ecstatic love.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.120

vraje svayaṁ bhagavān vrajendranandana haitei anyānya bhagavattā:—

sei-rūpa vrajāśraya, aiśvarya-mādhuryamaya,
divya-guṇa-gaṇa-ratnālaya
ānera vaibhava-sattā, kṛṣṇa-datta bhagavattā,
kṛṣṇa—sarva-aṁśī, sarvāśraya

Translation: Such ecstatic transactions between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs are possible only in Vṛndāvana, which is full of the opulences of transcendental love. The form of Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all transcendental qualities. It is like a mine of gems. The opulences belonging to all the personal expansions of Kṛṣṇa are to be understood to be bestowed by Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original source and shelter of everyone.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we understand that the mādhurya-rasa contains all the elements in the other rasas, but it contains more. And this verse explains that the mādhurya-rasa reaches its highest level only in Vṛndāvana. So that means the ecstatic love of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana is unparalleled to anything else.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.121

kṛṣṇa—nikhila cinmayasad guṇa-samāśraya:—

śrī, lajjā, dayā, kīrti, dhairya, vaiśāradī mati,
ei saba kṛṣṇe pratiṣṭhita
suśīla, mṛdu, vadānya, kṛṣṇa-sama nāhi anya,
kṛṣṇa kare jagatera hita

Translation: Beauty, humility, mercy, merit, patience and expert intelligence are all manifested in Kṛṣṇa. But besides these, Kṛṣṇa has other qualities like good behavior, mildness and magnanimity. He also performs welfare activities for the whole world. All these qualities are not visible in expansions like Nārāyaṇa.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura mentions that the qualities of beauty, humility, mercy, merit, patience and expert intelligence are brilliant qualities, and when they are exhibited in the person of Nārāyaṇa, one should know that they are bestowed upon Nārāyaṇa by Kṛṣṇa. Good behavior, mildness and magnanimity are found only in Kṛṣṇa. Only Kṛṣṇa performs welfare activities for the whole world.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here it explains what qualities Kṛṣṇa manifests by His natural qualities, if anyone else displays this it is because Kṛṣṇa has given it to them.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.122

kṛṣṇa-rūpa-mādhurya-pāne animeṣatva ākāṅakṣa cakṣu:—

kṛṣṇa dekhi’ nānā jana, kaila nimiṣe nindana,
vraje vidhi ninde gopī-gaṇa
sei saba śloka paḍi’, mahāprabhu artha kari’,
sukhe mādhurya kare āsvādana

Translation: “After seeing Kṛṣṇa, various people criticize the blinking of their eyes. In Vṛndāvana especially, all the gopīs criticize Lord Brahmā because of this defect in the eyes.” Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recited some verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and explained them vividly, thus enjoying the taste of transcendental sweetness with great happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the gopīs of Vṛndāvana were drinking the beauty of Kṛṣṇa through their eyes. By the blinking of their eyes they felt momentary separation from Kṛṣṇa, they felt great pain and they criticized Brahmā, why is this defect, why we cannot see Kṛṣṇa uninterruptedly?

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.123

kṛṣṇa-mukha-padma-madhupāne jaḍasulabha tṛpti nāi; gopī-gaṇera pratikṣaṇe ānandāmbudhi-varddhana:—

yasyānanaṁ makara-kuṇḍala-cāru-karṇa-
bhrājat-kapola-subhagaṁ sa-vilāsa-hāsam
nityotsavaṁ na tatṛpur dṛśibhiḥ pibantyo
nāryo narāś ca muditāḥ kupitā nimeś ca

Translation: All men and women were accustomed to enjoying the beauty of the shining face of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as well as His shark-shaped earrings swinging on His ears. His beautiful features, His cheeks and His playful smiles all combined to form a constant festival for the eyes, and the blinking of the eyes became obstacles that impeded one from seeing that beauty. For this reason, men and women became very angry at the creator [Lord Brahmā].’

Purport: This verse is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.24.65.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Vrajavasīs were seeing the beauty of Kṛṣṇa is so intently that even the momentary blinking of the eyes was perceived as a great obstacle so they are being angry at the creator Lord Brahmā.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.124

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.31.15)—

aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ truṭir yugāyate tvām apaśyatām
kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām

Translation: O Kṛṣṇa, when You go to the forest during the day and we do not see Your sweet face, which is surrounded by beautiful curly hair, half a second becomes as long as an entire age for us. And we consider the creator, who has put eyelids on the eyes we use for seeing You, to be simply a fool.’

Purport: This verse is spoken by the gopīs in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.31.15).

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.125

kāma-gāyatrī—sākṣāt-kṛṣṇa-vigraha, eka ekaṭī akṣara— eka ekaṭī aṅgapratyaṅga:—

[yathā rāgaḥ]

kāma-gāyatrī-mantra-rūpa, haya kṛṣṇera svarūpa,
sārdha-cabbiśa akṣara tāra haya
se akṣara ‘candra’ haya, kṛṣṇe kari’ udaya,
trijagat kailā kāmamaya

Translation: Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is identical with the Vedic hymn known as the Kāma-gāyatrī, which is composed of twenty-four and a half syllables. Those syllables are compared to moons that arise in Kṛṣṇa. Thus all three worlds are filled with desire.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the beauty of Kṛṣṇa and the love of the Gopīs is ever increasing, so the glorifying of kāma-gāyatrī is also non-different from Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.126

kṛṣṇera 24ṭī aṅga-candrera upara śrī-mukha-candrera rājatva:—

sakhi he, kṛṣṇa-mukha—dvija-rāja-rāja kṛṣṇa-vapu-siṁhāsane, vasi’ rājya-śāsane, kare saṅge candrera samāja

Translation: The face of Kṛṣṇa is the king of all moons, and the body of Kṛṣṇa is the throne. Thus the king governs a society of moons.

Purport: by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda Kṛṣṇa’s face is considered the king of moons, and His body is considered the throne. All the other candras (moons) are considered to be subordinate moons. His left cheek is a moon, and His right cheek is a moon. His forehead is considered a half moon, the spot of sandalwood pulp on His forehead is considered a moon, and His fingernails and toenails are also different moons.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa's face is the King and the other moons are considered as the throne. So His face is the King and His body has multitudes of moons.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.127

dui gaṇḍa sucikkaṇa, jini’ maṇi-sudarpaṇa,
sei dui pūrṇa-candra jāni
lalāṭe aṣṭamī-indu, tāhāte candana-bindu,
sei eka pūrṇa-candra māni

Translation: Kṛṣṇa has two cheeks that shine like glowing gems. Both are considered full moons. His forehead is considered a half moon, and the spot of sandalwood there is considered a full moon.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.128

kara-nakha-cāndera hāṭa vaṁśī-upara kare nāṭa
tāra gīta muralīra tāna
pada-nakha-candra-gaṇa, tale kare nartana,
nūpurera dhvani yāra gāna

Translation: His fingernails are many full moons, and they dance on the flute in His hands. Their song is the melody of that flute. His toenails are also many full moons, and they dance on the ground. Their song is the jingling of His ankle bells.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.129

vilāsa-matta kṣatriyera nyāya kṛṣṇa-mukha-padma—gopīcitta viddhakārī:—

nāce makara-kuṇḍala, netra—līlā-kamala, vilāsī rājā satata nācāya bhrū—dhanu, netra—bāṇa, dhanur-guṇa—dui kāṇa, nārī-mana-lakṣya vindhe tāya

Translation: Kṛṣṇa’s face is the enjoyer king. That full-moon face makes His shark-shaped earrings and lotus eyes dance. His eyebrows are like bows, and His eyes are like arrows. His ears are fixed on the string of that bow, and when His eyes spread to His ears, He pierces the hearts of the gopīs.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the art of Kṛṣṇa is manifesting His pastimes is expressed here in a very poetic way.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.130

mahā-vadānya-rūpe sakalake aṅga-candranicaya haite amṛta-vitaraṇa: —

ei cāndera baḍa nāṭa, pasāri’ cāndera hāṭa, vinimūle vilāya nijāmṛta kāhoṅ smita-jyotsnāmṛte, kāṅhāre adharāmṛte, saba loka kare āpyāyita

Translation: The dancing features of His face surpass all other full moons and expand the marketplace of full moons. Although priceless, the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s face is distributed to everyone. Some purchase the moon rays of His sweet smiles, and others purchase the nectar of His lips. Thus He pleases everyone.

Jayapatākā Swami: Thus the Vrajavāsīs enjoy a daily festival is by seeing Kṛṣṇa and His beautiful face and eyes.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.131

kāma-krīḍāmatta mukhacandra-rājera mantrī o pramoda-vilāsa-bhavanādi-varṇana:—

vipulāyatāruṇa, madana-mada-ghūrṇana,
mantrī yāra e dui nayana
lāvaṇya-keli-sadana, jana-netra-rasāyana,
sukhamaya govinda-vadana

Translation: Kṛṣṇa has two reddish, widely spread eyes. These are ministers of the king, and they subdue the pride of Cupid, who also has beautiful eyes. That face of Govinda, which is full of happiness, is the home of the pastimes of beauty, and it is very pleasing to everyone’s eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, how Kṛṣṇa's beauty is attracting all the devotees of Vraja is expressed here by Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.132

kṛṣṇa-mukha-candra-darśane gopīra navanavāyamānā, nitya varddhamānā, parama-camatkāramayī cinmayī atṛpti, tajjanya vidhi-nindā:—

yāṅra puṇya-puñja-phale, se-mukha-darśana mile, dui āṅkhi ki karibe pāne? dviguṇa bāḍe tṛṣṇā-lobha, pite nāre—manaḥ-kṣobha, duḥkhe kare vidhira nindane

Translation: f by devotional service one gets the results of pious activities and sees Lord Kṛṣṇa’s face, what can he relish with only two eyes? His greed and thirst increase twofold by seeing the nectarean face of Kṛṣṇa. Due to his inability to sufficiently drink that nectar, he becomes very unhappy and criticizes the creator for not having given more than two eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the material world one gets saturated easily with things but here we see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa is such that His devotees want to see Kṛṣṇa more and more, they don’t get satiated.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.133

vidhi—kṛṣṇa-mādhurī rasa-bodhahīna:—

nā dileka lakṣa-koṭi, sabe dilā āṅkhi duṭi,
tāte dilā nimiṣa-ācchādana
vidhi—jaḍa tapodhana, rasa-śūnya tāra mana,
nāhi jāne yogya sṛjana

Translation: When the onlooker of Kṛṣṇa’s face becomes dissatisfied in this way, he thinks, ‘Why didn’t the creator give me thousands and millions of eyes? Why has he given me only two? Even these two eyes are disturbed by blinking, which keeps me from continuously seeing Kṛṣṇa’s face.’ Thus one accuses the creator of being dry and tasteless due to engaging in severe austerities. The creator is only a dry manufacturer. He does not know how to create and set things in their proper places.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the devotees of Kṛṣṇa are much inspired and in this way they are lamenting why they are having only two eyes why their eyes are blinking, they have so much love.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.134

vidhike parāmarśa o upadeśa-dāna:—

ye dekhibe kṛṣṇānana, tāra kare dvi-nayana,
vidhi hañā hena avicāra
mora yadi bola dhare, koṭi āṅkhi tāra kare,
tabe jāni yogya sṛṣṭi tāra

Translation: The creator says, “Let those who will see Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful face have two eyes.” Just see the lack of consideration exhibited by this person posing as a creator! If the creator took my advice, he would give millions of eyes to the person who intends to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s face. If the creator will accept this advice, then I would say that he is competent in his work.’

Jayapatākā Swami: The Vrajavasīs are feeling such anxiety to not adequately be able to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa and in this way they are criticizing the creator Lord Brahmā for his creating such limited opportunities for seeing Kṛṣṇa.

Thus ends the chapter entitled,

Longing to See Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Face with Millions of Eyes Gopīs Criticize Brahmā
Under the section: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa