Text 17

When the holy name fully manifests, one becomes enchanted by the deity, who enchants even Himself.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.2.12) Śrī Uddhava says to Vidura:

यन्-मर्त्य-लीलौपयिकं स्व-योगमाया-बलं दर्शयता गृहीतम्
विस्मापनं स्वस्य च सौभगर्द्धेः परं पदं भूषण-भूषणाङ्गम्

yan-martya-līlaupayikaṃ sva-yogamāyā-balaṃ darśayatā gṛhītam
vismāpanaṃ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ paraṃ padaṃ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāṅgam

Through His Yogamāyā potency, Bhagavān appeared in His transcendental form suitable for His pastimes as a human being. This form was so beautiful that it not only enchanted the entire world, but also amazed Bhagavān Himself. This blessed form is the ultimate summit of beauty, and His beautiful bodily lustre even embellishes His ornaments.

martya-līlā-upayogī savismaya-kārī
prakaṭila vapu kṛṣṇa cic-chakti vistāri’

सुभग-ऋद्धिर पर-पद चमत्कार
भूषण-भूषण-रूप तुलनार पार

subhaga-ṛddhira para-pada camatkāra
bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇa-rūpa tulanāra pāra

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

By the influence of His cit-śakti, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifests a completely captivating form appropriate for His human-like pastimes. The unparalleled beauty of this form astonishes even Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has unlimited pastimes, as well as unlimited manifestations. These include: His svayaṃprakāśa (personal manifestations) like Vāsudeva and Saṅkarṣaṇa; His vilāsa-mūrti (pastime form) Śrī Nārāyaṇa; and His svāṃśa-rūpa (personal expansions), which are the puruṣa-avatāras (Lords of creative energ y–Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu), guṇa-avatāras (incarnations of the three qualit ies of nature–Brahmā, Śiva and Viṣṇu) and āveśa-avatāras (empowered living entities). Of all these expansions, He Himself (svayaṃ-rūpa )–Śrī Kṛṣṇa of Gokula, who is an ever-youthful and expert dancer, who is dressed as a cowherd boy, and who holds a flute–is the best and the most attractive. A single particle of this sweetness fully submerges Gokula, Mathurā, Dvārakā and even Devī-dhāma.

By His Yogamāyā, Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in such an unparalleled form in this material world, along with His most confidential jewel, the eternal pastimes of Goloka Vṛndāvana. This astonishing nature amazes even Kṛṣṇa Himself, rendering Him helpless in His attempts to taste its sweetness. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, complete in the six opulences of wealth, beauty, fame, strength, knowledge and renunciation, is situated in His ultimate perfection. These six opulences are adorned with sweetness and assume an unprecedented divine beauty.

Ornaments usually beautify the body, but Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s body enhances the beauty of His ornaments. His charming threefoldbending form (tribhaṅga-lalita) enhances the amazing beauty of His limbs and attracts the hearts of all. The arrow of His crooked sidelong glance joined to the bow of His eyebrows stirs the minds of Śrī Rādhā and the other vraja-devīs. The Lakṣmīs, proclaimed in the Vedas to be virtuous and chaste, are also attracted by His beauty and desire to serve the effulgence emanating from His toenails. Even though Śrī Rādhā and Her sakhīs in Vraja worship with their lives, millions of times over, the moonbeams emanating from Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s toenails, it is His moon-like face that they eternally keep in the inner recesses of their hearts.

On the strength of His own cit-śakti, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇacandra manifests an extraordinary form for His pastimes in the material world. This form generates astonishment even in Nārāyaṇa, His vilāsa-vigraha. Even Kṛṣṇa Himself becomes mad to taste His own sweetness. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 4.158) confirms this: kṛṣṇera mādhurye kṛṣṇe upajaya lobha.