Śrīman Mahāprabhura Śikṣā Chapter 3

The Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta gives the following āmnāya–vākya (authoritative statements) in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:

mukhya gauṇa vṛtti kimva anvaya vyatireke
vedera pratijñā kevala kahaye kṛṣṇake
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.146)

“Whether it is through a principle (mukhya) or literal meaning (abhidhā), or through an indirect (gauṇa) or presumed meaning (lakṣaṇā), or through a direct supportive statement (anvaya) or a precise (sākṣād) meaning, or through indirect supportive statements (vyatireka) or separate meaning (vyavadhāna), all the Vedas only speak about Kṛṣṇa.”

Śri Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līla states:

svayam bhagavān kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa sarvāśraya
parama īśvara kṛṣṇa sarva śāstre kaya

 (“Kṛṣṇa is Svayam Bhagavān and the shelter of all things. All the śāstra states that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Controller.” – Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 2.106)

advaya jñāna tattva vastu kṛṣṇera svarūpa
brahma ātmā bhagavān tina tāṅra rüpa

 (“Kṛṣṇa Himself is the non-dual Absolute Truth. He manifests as three forms – as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.” – Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Adi-līlā 2.65)

veda bhāgavata upaniṣad āgama
pūrṇa tattva yāṅre kahe, nahi yāṅra sama
bhakti yoge bhakta pāya yāṅra daraśana
sūrya tena savigraha dekhe deva gaṇa
jñāna yoga mārge tāṅre bhaje yei saba
brahma ātmā rūpe tāṅre kare anubhāva

 (“The Complete Absolute Truth is described within the Vedas, Bhāgavatam, Upaniṣads and the Āgama. He is the Absolute Truth and no one is equal to Him. Through the process of bhakti-yoga the devotee sees Him, just as the Devas see the form of Sūrya. Those who follow the path of jñāna and yoga all worship Him, perceiving Him as Brahman and Paramātmā.”- Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 2.24-26)

The Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.4 says that Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa is worshipable by all. He eternally exists as the basis of all creatures that take birth. Thus –

eko devo bhagavān vareṇyo
yoni svabhāvān adhitiṣṭhaty ekaḥ

 Therefore, in the Bhāgavata 1.3.28:

ete cāṁśa kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam

 “All the avatāras glorified previously are either amongst the aṁśas of Kāraṇāṇavaśāyī Mahā-Viṣṇu, or āveśāvatāras. But Vrajendra-nandana Kṛṣṇa is Svāyam-Bhagavān.”

In Bhagavad-gītā 7.7 and 15.15, the ślokas state:

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ

 “O Dhanañjaya, there is nothing superior to Me. I am to be known by all the Vedas.”

In Śrī Gopāla Tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said (Pūrva-tāpanī 21):

tasmāt kṛṣṇa eva paro devas taṁ dhyāyet
taṁ raset taṁ bhajet taṁ yajet
eko vaśī sarvagaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍya
ekopi san bahudhā yo vibhāti
taṁ pīṭhastham ye tu bhajanti dhīrās
teṣāṁ sukhaṁ śāśvataṁ netareṣām

 “In this way, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Controller. One should meditate upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa, perform saṅkīrtana of His name, perform bhajana of Him and only offer pūjā unto Him. He is all-pervading, the Master of everything, and He alone is to be worshipped by all. Although He is one, He manifests in many forms such as Matsya, Kūrma, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kāraṇaṇava Viṣṇu, Garbhodaka Viṣṇu etc. Wise persons such as Śukadeva, worship His divine form situated on a pīṭha and attain eternal bliss. Those who worship Brahman or Paramātmā cannot achieve such happiness.”

There is the following kārikā:

kṛṣṇāṁṣaḥ paramātmā vai brahma taj-jyotir eva ca
paravyomadhipas tasyaiśvarya mūrtir na saṁśayaḥ

 “Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the only Supreme Lord of all. Paramātmā is His aṁśa and Brahman is His effulgence. Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of Paravyoma, is His specific form engaged in pastimes of  opulence. There can be no doubt about this conclusion, since the Vedas and other śāstra clearly show this.”

The Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1 states:

satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahmā
yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
parame vyoman so’śnute sarvān kāmān saha brahmaṇā vipaścitā

 “That form of existence which is replete with knowledge, the all-pervading tattva is Brahman. He is Paramātmā, that localised tattva who is situated within the heart and consciousness, the controller within all beings (antaryāmi). He is that tattva situated within Paravyoma, meaning Vaikuṇṭha, as Nārāyaṇa. Those who are aware of this tattva, the vipaścit brahma, meaning Parabrahma Kṛṣṇa, attains all the auspicious qualities that are similar to His.”

Here, vipaścit brahma means Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The Bhāgavata also says:

gūḍham paraṁ brahma manuṣya liṅgaṁ

 (“It is most confidential that the Supreme Brahman has appeared in a human form.” – Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.10.48)

 yaṁ mitram paramānandaṁ
pūrṇam brahmā sanātanam

 (“The eternal Supreme Brahman, who is the source of supreme bliss, has become their friend.” – Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.32)

In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa:

yatrāvatīrṇaṁ kṛṣṇākhyaṁ paraṁ brahmā narākṛtim

 (“Where the Supreme Brahman known as Kṛṣṇa descended in a human-like form.”)

Also, the Gītā says:

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham

(‘I am the basis of Brahman’ – Bhagavad–gītā 14.27).

Through these conclusive statements and many thousands more, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is shown to be vipaścit brahman, in other words, the Absolute Truth (Param-brahma). The word vipaścit means paṇḍita (wise). Wisdom is one of the most important attributes amongst the sixty-four qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The sixty-four qualities are as follows:

ayaṁ netā su-ramyāṅgaḥ sarva-sal-lakṣaṇānvitaḥ
ruciras tejasā yukto balīyān vayasānvitaḥ
vividhādbhuta-bhāṣā-vit satya-vākyaḥ priyaṁ-vadaḥ
vāvadukaḥ su-pāṇḍityo buddhimān pratibhānvitaḥ
vidagdhaś caturo dakṣaḥ kṛta-jñaḥ su-dṛḍha-vrataḥ
deśa-kāla-supātra-jñaḥ śāstra-cakṣuḥ śucir vaśī
sthiro dāntaḥ kṣamā–śīlo gambhīro dhṛtimān samaḥ
vadānyo dhārmikaḥ śūraḥ karuṇo mānya-māna-kṛt
dakṣiṇo vinayī hrīmān śaraṇāgata-pālakaḥ
sukhī bhakta-suhṛt prema-vaśyaḥ sarva-śubhaṅkaraḥ
pratāpī kīrtimān rakta-lokaḥ sādhu-samāśrayaḥ
nārī-gaṇa-manohārī sarvārādhyaḥ samṛddhimān
varīyān īśvaraś ceti guṇās tasyānukīrtitāḥ
samudrā iva pañcāśad durvigāhā harer amī
jīveṣv ete vasanto’pi bindu-bindutayā kvacit
paripūrṇatayā bhānti tatraiva puruṣottame
atha pañca-guṇā ye syur aṁśena giriśādiṣu
adā svarūpa-samprāptaḥ sarva-jño nitya-nūtanaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-sāndrāṅgaḥ sarva-siddhi-niṣevitaḥ
athocyante guṇāḥ pañca ye lakṣmīśādi-vartinaḥ
avicintya-mahā–śaktiḥ koṭi-brahmāṇḍa-vigrahaḥ
avatārāvalī-bījaṁ hatāri-gati-dāyakaḥ
ātmārāma-gaṇākarṣīty amī kṛṣṇe kilādbhutāḥ
sarvādbhuta-camatkāra-līlā-kallola-vāridhiḥ
atulya-madhura-prema-maṇḍita-priya-maṇḍalaḥ
tri-jagan-mānasākarṣi-muralī-kala-kūjitaḥ
asamānordhva-rūpa-śrī-vismāpita-carācaraḥ

 The hero Kṛṣṇa – (1) has the most beautiful form. (2) He possesses all auspicious features. (3) He is beautiful. (4) He is extremely radiant. (5) He possesses all strength. (6) He is youthful. (7) He is expert in various amazing languages. (8) His words are always truthful. (9) He is a charming speaker. (10) His words are eloquent. (11) He is most wise. (12) He is intelligent. (13) He is inventive. (14) He is expert in enjoying rasa. (15) He is cunning. (16) He is expert. (17) He is grateful. (18) He has determination to uphold His vows. (19) He knows how to deal according to time, place and circumstance. (20) He sees according to the śāstra. (21) He is pure. (22) He controls His senses. (23) He is steady. (24) His is in full control of His senses. (25) He is forgiving. (26) He is grave. (27) He is calm in all circumstances. (28) He is equal to all. (29) He is most magnanimous. (30) He is virtuous. (31) He is brave. (32) He is merciful. (33) He always shows respect to others. (34) He is unpretentious. (35) He is humble. (36) He is shy. (37) He is the protector of those who are surrendered. (38) He is happy. (39) He is the dear friend of His devotees. (40) He is controlled by prema. (41) He is the well-wisher of all. (42) He is very influential. (43) He is most famous. (44) He is the object of attachment for all. (45) He is the shelter of the righteous. (46) He attracts the minds of women. (47) He is worshipable by everyone. (48) He possesses all wealth. (49) He is Supreme. (50) He possesses great opulence. (51) He is always situated in His original position. (52) He is omniscient. (53) He is ever-youthful. (54) He is the concentrated form of eternity, knowledge and bliss. (55) He possesses all mystic perfection. (56) He possesses inconceivable supreme potencies. (57) Innumerable universes are generated from His body. (58) He is the source of all avatāras, (59) He awards liberation unto those that He eliminates. (60) He attracts those who are ātmārāma (satisfied within themselves). (61) His astounding līlā is an ocean of bliss to all people. (62) He resides within the maṇḍala of gopīs, radiant due to their unparalleled prema in śṛṅgāra-rasa. (63) The sound of His muralī flute enchants the three worlds. (64) His beauty is unequalled and has no competitor, and it astounds all living beings.

Amongst these sixty-four attributes, the first fifty are present within the jīvas to a very minute degree. All of them are completely present within Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The first fifty qualities and the next five qualities are seen to be partially found within Śrī Mahādeva and others. After that, the next five attributes that are mentioned, along with the aforementioned fifty-five qualities are observed within Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of Paravyoma. Thus, Nārāyaṇa possesses these sixty qualities in full. But these sixty qualities appear within Śrī Kṛṣṇa in a most remarkable manner. Moreover, He possesses four more remarkable qualities. They are – (1) līlā-mādhurya (sweet pastimes) (2) prema–mādhurya (sweet love) (3) rūpa–mādhurya (a sweet form) (4) veṇu–mādhurya (the sweetness of His flute-playing). Apart from Śrī Kṛṣṇa, no one else has these characteristics. Therefore, parabrahma, or vipascit–brahma, the exhibition of the Supreme Reality, is understood to be Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the rays of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s fame are diffused everywhere like light rays, He is known by the name ‘Brahman.’ Thus, according to the Vedas, the three qualities of satya (truth), jñāna (knowledge) and ananta (unlimitedness) are the only characteristics of the impersonal, effulgent Brahman. That tattva residing withing the heart is named ‘Paramatma.’ Bhagavān creates all the brahmāṇḍas and through His expansions, He enters them. Therefore, it is the expansion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or Paramātmā, who enters within the heart of the brahmāṇḍas and the hearts of the jīvas. He has thousnads and thousands of Names such as Īśvara (Controller), Niyantā (Universal Administrator), Jagat-kartā (Creator of the world), Jagadīśvara (Controller of the world), Pātā (Maintainer), Pālayitā (Sustainer) etc. He also descends to this world as avatāras such as Rāma, Nṛsimḥa, Vāmana etc. in order to act as it’s maintainer. ‘Parame vyome’ (the spiritual sky) means Paravyoma-dhāma (Vaikuṇṭha) where one of Kṛṣṇa’s vilāsa–mūrtis (pastime forms), Nārāyaṇa, is eternally present. After properly understanding brahma-tattva, paramātma-tattva and paravyoma-pati-bhagavat-tattva, a rasika–paṇḍita (a scholar of rasa) serves the form of Śrī Kṛṣna, the supreme shelter of all tattvas, He who has complete knowledge of rasa, the vipaścita–brahma—such  persons eternally enjoy with the Supreme, fulfilling all His transcendental desires in dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and madhura–rasa. Kṛṣṇa Himself explains His Paramātmā expansion in the Gītā (10.42)

athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena bhavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekaṁsena sthito jagat

 “O Arjuna, what is the necessity of anything else? Simply by My single expansion in the form of Paramātmā, I enter and support the entire universe.”

Brahman, the bodily effulgence of Kṛṣṇa, is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā 5.40 as follows:

yasya prabhā prabhāvato jagadaṇḍa koṭi
koṭiṣv aśeṣa vasudhādi vibhūti bhinnam
tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣabhūtaṁ
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam aham bhajāmi

 “His effulgence is the origin of the non-differentiated Brahman which is described by the words of the Upaniṣads, That aspect of the Supreme is absolute, complete and unlimited and displays the varieties of countless universes, with their various opulences, in millions and millions of universes. I worship that original person, Govinda.”

There is a kārikā:

deha-dehi-bhidā nāsti dharma-dharmi-bhidā tathā
śrī-kṛṣṇa-svarūpe pūrṇo’ dvaya-jñānātmāke kila

 “Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s original form is sat-cid-ānanda (eternity, knowledge and bliss) and, unlike the jīva who is bound within a material body, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and His body, or between Kṛṣṇa and His inherent qualities. His form is the embodiment of non-duality. Although the form of Kṛṣṇa may be situated in one place and of a medium size, He is also omnipresent and situated everywhere.”

The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (5^th chapter) says:

pūrṇam-adaḥ pūrṇam-idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam-udacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇam-ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate

 “Fully complete avatāras manifest from the avatārī (the fully complete source of all avatāras). Even though these avatāras expand from the avatārī in order to perform pastimes, the avatārī always remains complete, without even the slightest reduction. Again, after the conclusion of the avatāra’s manifest pastimes, the avatārī’s completeness does not increase.”

The Nārada Pañcarātra says:

nirdoṣa pūrṇa guṇa vigrahātmā tantre
niścetanātmāka-śarīra-guṇais ca hīnaḥ
ānanda-mātra-kara-pāda-mukhodarādiḥ
sarvatra ca svagata-bheda-vivarjitātmā

 “The flawless and omniscient form of Bhagavān possesses all qualities. Bhagavān is without a material form or consciousness and His body never experiences the three phases of creation, maintenance and destruction. However, His body is conscious, devoid of mundane attributes, transcendental and permeated with divine ecstasy, thus each of His limbs are fully blissful. The form and the possessor of the form are non-different, and His qualities and the possessor of those qualities are non-different. His forms, such as Paramātmā, have no internal distinctions.”

It has been shown that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose form is sat-cid-ānanda, is the Supreme Lord of all things and the shelter of Paramātmā and Brahman. Now the object is to deliberate upon how the Vedas indicate Him by secondary and primary statements, as well as by direct supportive statements and indirect supportive statements (anvaya and vyatireka). Śrī Kṛṣṇa is thus described by a primary statement, or a direct use of words (abhidhā-vṛtti) in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.13.1):

śyāmāc chavalaṁ prapadye
śavalāc chyāmaṁ pradadye

Śavala is the name of the variegated svarūpa-śakti of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By taking shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one attains the shelter of the hlādinī-svarūpa-śakti, and by taking shelter of hlādinī one attains the shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa The primary meaning of the word Śyāmasundara is Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

In the Ṛg Veda-saṁhitā (1.22.23) and in the 5th mantra of the Āraṇyopaniṣad it is said:

tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sürayaḥ
divīva cakṣur ātataṁ viṣṇor yat paramaṁ padam

 “The wise eternally perceive the Supreme as Viṣṇu. This Supreme Viṣṇu, perceived with transcendental vision, is the Supreme Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”

Again, in the Ṛg Veda (1.22, 164th sūkta, 31st ṛk) it is stated:

apaśyaṁ gopām anipadyamāna mā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam
sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣucīr vasāna avarīrvati bhuvaneṣvantaḥ

 “I saw a cowherd boy. He never falls. Sometimes He is near, sometimes He is far, wandering in various ways. Sometimes He is decorated with many garments and sometimes He is dressed differently. In this way, again and again, He comes to the material world.”

Through this Vedic statement, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s nitya–līlā is directly described through abhidha–vṛtti. It is also said (Ṛg Veda 1.54th sūkta 6th ṛk):

tā vāṁ vāstunyuśmasi gamadhyai yatra gāvo bhūri-śṛṅgā ayāsaḥ
atrāha tad-urugāyasya vṛṣṇaḥ paramaṁ padanavabhāti bhuri

 “I desire to attain Your home (Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa). There, the wish-fulfilling cows have beautiful large horns and they satisfy spiritual desires. This supreme abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who fulfills the desires of His devotees, fully reveals itself in all it’s opulence.”

In this Veda mantra, Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula has been described very beautifully. We can see many more direct descriptions of Kṛṣṇa within the Vedas. There are indirect descriptions according to lakṣaṇā-vṛtti (inference).

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.9 says:

yasmāt paraṁ nāparam asti kiñcid
yasmān nāṇīyo na jyāyo’sti kaścit
vṛkṣa iva stabdho divi tiṣṭhaty ekas
tenedaṁ pūrṇam puruṣeṇa sarvam

“There is no one superior to Him, and no one smaller or bigger than Him. By this one personality, all things become complete. He is firmly grounded like a tree, situated in the midst of His effulgence.”

The Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.9) says:

agnir yathāiko bhūvanaṁ praviṣṭo
rūpaṁ rūpaṁ prati-rūpo babhūva
ekas-tathā sarva-bhūtāntarātmā
rūpaṁ rūpaṁ prati rūpo bahiś ca

 “Just as fire enters the world and expands in the form of many other fires, similarly, the one Super Consciousness who resides in all creatures, enters the universe, as many jīvas.”

That which is similar to the original yet dependent upon it, is known as pratibimba (a reflection). The jīvātmā is a reflection of the original Paramātmā and in this way he is similar, but he can never become the original. He will always remain a separate unit. He remains as an atomic particle expanding from the Paramātmā, just as the sun-globe has particles within its external rays.

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad (15 mantra, and Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upanisad 5.15.1) says:

hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham
tat tvaṁ pūṣan apāvṛṇu satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye

 Without śuddha-bhakti, one cannot attain direct realisation of Śrī Bhagavān. Śuddha-bhakti is not achieved without the mercy of Śrī Bhagavān. In this verse is its said, “The effulgence of the non-differentiated Brahman covers the face of the true form of the Supreme Lord. O sustainer of the universe! O Paramātmā! Kindly remove that covering so that Your devotees may see You.”

The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (2.5.14-15) says:

ayam ātmā sarveṣāṁ bhūtānām madhu
ayam ātmā sarveṣām bhūtānām adhipatiḥ
sarveṣāṁ bhūtānāṁ rājā

Here, the Vedas point towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa by explaining His qualities, describing Him as that ātmā who is the sweetness of all living beings and their ruler. In this verse, the word ātmā refers to Kṛṣṇa. Similarly the Śrīmad Bhāgavata (10.14.52) says:

kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam ātmānaṁ jagadātmānam

 “O King, you should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the ātmā of all ātmās within the universe.”

There is also a supportive statement (anvaya) found in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.1.1, 8.2.5 and 8.13.1):

idam asmin brahma-pure daharaṁ puṇḍarīkaṁ veśma
brūyāt-nāsya jarayaitajjīryati

eṣa ātmā’pahatapāpm vijaro vimātyur-viśoko
vijighatso’pipāsaṁ satya-kāmaḥ satya-saṅkalpaḥ

yadi sakhiloka-kāmo bhavati saṅkalpādevāsya sakhāyaḥ
samuttiṣṭhanti tena sakhilokena saṁpanno mahīyate

śyāmāc chavalaṁ prapadye śavalāc chyāmaṁ pradadye

This statement from the Vedas directly explains that in Brahmapura, there is a transcendental realm shaped like a lotus flower. This divine world is also described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (2):

sahasra-patraṁ kamalaṁ gokulākhyaṁ mahat-padam
tat karṇikāraṁ tad-dhāma tad-anantāṁśa sambhavam

“That Parabrahma-dhāma, or Gokula, is the refuge of immortality. It is eternally manifest through the expansion of Ananta, and in that place there is no birth, death etc. All the minute jīvas who reside there or go there are without vice and mundane virtue and are unaffected by old age, death, lamentation, hunger and thirst. All their desires are directed towards the Supreme (satya-kāma) and such desires are always fulfilled by the Lord (satya-saṅkalpa). These eight divine qualities are manifest within these pure personalities. They relish the bliss and satisfaction that is drawn from rasas such as friendship etc. They eternally worship the moon-like Śyāma, who is ever worshipped along with Hlādinī-mahābhāva, His pleasure potency.”

In these instances, the Vedas reveal the eternal abode and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through direct statements. In many places the Vedas refer to Śrī Kṛṣṇa by indirect supportive statements (vyatireka). The Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.15) states:

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakam
nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto’yam agniḥ
tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvas
tasya bhāsā sarvam idam vibhāti

 “Neither the light of the sun, moon, stars or lightning can reveal the Absolute. He cannot be revealed by fire either. What more can be said about Him? However, that self-manifest Supreme Person, reveals the sun, moon etc. He is their original cause and He reveals everything in the entire creation.”

vedāham etaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam
āditya varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt
tam eva viditvātimṛtyum eti
nānya-panthā vidyate’yanāya

 sarvataḥ pāṇi pādaṁ tat sarvato’kṣi śiro mukhaṁ
sarvataḥ śrutimaṭloke sarvam avṛty atitiṣṭhati

 “I know that self-manifest Supreme Person who is beyond the material world. The jīva transcends death by becoming aware of Him. There is no other way to conquer death. His existence covers all things. His hands and feet are spread everywhere. His eyes, heads, mouths and ears are everywhere. He exists far and wide, covering all things.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8,16)

Also in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (4.20) it is said:

na sandṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpam asya
na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainam
hṛdā hṛdi sthaṁ manasā ya enam
evaṁ vidur amṛtas te bhāvanti

 “His form cannot be perceived by the material senses. No one can see Him through their mundane eyes. Those who engage in pure-hearted meditation, can perceive that Supreme Person, who is situated within the heart. They achieve liberation.”

The Vedas give many direct and indirect descriptions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in many places. However, literal statements and supporting statements can only be recognised by the manifestation of the cit-śakti (spiritual potency). In the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, in the Śruti-stava, it is described:

jaya jaya jahy ajām ajita doṣa-gṛbhīta-guṇāṁ
tvam asi yad ātmanā samavaruddha-samasta-bhagaḥ
agajagad-okasām akhila-śakty-avabodhaka te
kvacit ajayātmanā ca carato’nucaren nigamaḥ

“The Vedas said – O Kṛṣṇa! You destroy the māyā–śakti known as ajā, that controls the modes of nature that are the basis of all difficulties. Through Your ātmā–śakti (personal potency) You are eternally the Lord of all potencies. You control the energy of everything that is animate and inanimate. The entire Vedas describe You in two ways, namely when You engage with the māyā–śakti it is described in one way, and when You engage with Your ātmā–śakti or cit-śakti for performing vraja-līlā, then You are described in another way.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.87.14)

The kārikā says:

brahma-rudra-mahendrādi damane rāsa-maṇḍale
guru-putra-pradānādāv aiśvaryaṁ yat prakāśitam
nānya-prakāśa-bāhulye tad-dṛṣṭaṁ śāstra-varṇane
ataḥ kṛṣṇa-pāratamyaṁ svataḥ siddham satāṁ mate

 “The līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is narrated in the śāstra such as the Bhāgavata etc. There is the chastisement of Brahmā, Rudra and Indra, there is the rāsa-līlā, as well as the uniting of the guru with his sons. These pastimes manifest a mood of majesty towards Him which is not seen towards anyone else. Thus, the sādhus declare that Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy is self-evident.”

Therefore, the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.7) says:

tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaraṁ
taṁ daivatānāṁ paramaṁ ca daivatam
patiṁ patīnāṁ paramaṁ parastād
vidāma devaṁ bhuvaneṣam īḍyam

 “You are the Supreme Controller of all other controllers such as Brahmā, Rudra etc. You are the Supreme Lord of Indra and all the other Devas. You are the Lord of the Prajāpatis (their maintainer). You are greater than the highest truth. We understand that You are the recipient of universal prayers, the Supreme Controller who is engaged in His wonderful līlā.