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[[Category:Krsna]]

[[Category:Lotus Flower]]

== Bhagavad-gita As It Is ==

=== BG Chapters 7 - 12 ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are like lotus petals, and the color of His body is like the color of clouds.'''</span>

<span class="BG-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:BG 8.21|BG 8.21, Purport]]:''' The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as cintāmaṇi-dhāma, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees, called "desire trees," that supply any type of eatable upon demand, and there are cows, known as surabhi cows, which supply a limitless supply of milk. In this abode, the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune (Lakṣmīs), and He is called Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (veṇuṁ kvaṇantam). His transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds—His eyes are like lotus petals, and the color of His body is like the color of clouds. He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of Cupids. He wears saffron cloth, a garland around His neck and a peacock feather in His hair. In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa gives only a small hint of His personal abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom. A vivid description is given in the Brahma-saṁhitā.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Kṛṣṇa's eyes appear just like the petals of a lotus flower.'''</span>

<span class="BG-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:BG 11.2|BG 11.2, Purport]]:''' Arjuna addresses Lord Kṛṣṇa as "lotus-eyed" (Kṛṣṇa's eyes appear just like the petals of a lotus flower) out of his joy, for Kṛṣṇa has assured him, in the previous chapter, ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā: "I am the source of the appearance and disappearance of this entire material manifestation." Arjuna has heard of this from the Lord in detail. Arjuna further knows that in spite of His being the source of all appearances and disappearances, He is aloof from them. As the Lord has said in the Ninth Chapter, He is all-pervading, yet He is not personally present everywhere. That is the inconceivable opulence of Kṛṣṇa which Arjuna admits that he has thoroughly understood.</span>

== Srimad-Bhagavatam ==

=== SB Canto 3 ===

<span class="q_heading">'''The demon saw the Personality of Godhead, who had eyes just like lotus petals, standing in position before him.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 3.19.7|SB 3.19.7, Translation]]: When the demon saw the Personality of Godhead, who had eyes just like lotus petals, standing in position before him, armed with His Sudarśana discus, his senses were overpowered by indignation. He began to hiss like a serpent, and he bit his lip in great resentment.'''</span>

=== SB Canto 4 ===

<span class="q_heading">'''My dear Dhruva, no one can mitigate your distress but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose eyes are like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 4.8.23|SB 4.8.23, Translation]]: My dear Dhruva, as far as I am concerned, I do not find anyone who can mitigate your distress but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose eyes are like lotus petals. Many demigods such as Lord Brahmā seek the pleasure of the goddess of fortune, but the goddess of fortune herself, with a lotus flower in her hand, is always ready to render service to the Supreme Lord.'''</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 4.24.44|SB 4.24.44, Purport]]:''' "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals, whose head is bedecked with peacock feathers, whose beauty is tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique loveliness charms millions of Cupids." Thus Lord Śiva's desire is to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is described in this way-that is, he wants to see Him as He appears to the bhāgavatas, the devotees. The conclusion is that Lord Śiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various forms (advaitam acyutam anādim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the gopīs and companion of the cowherd boys (kiśora-mūrti) is the most perfect form. Thus Vaiṣṇavas accept the form of the Lord in His Vṛndāvana pastimes as the chief form.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''The Lord has four arms and an exquisitely beautiful face with eyes like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 4.24.45-46|SB 4.24.45-46, Translation]]: The Lord's beauty resembles a dark cloud during the rainy season. As the rainfall glistens, His bodily features also glisten. Indeed, He is the sum total of all beauty. The Lord has four arms and an exquisitely beautiful face with eyes like lotus petals, a beautiful highly raised nose, a mind-attracting smile, a beautiful forehead and equally beautiful and fully decorated ears.'''</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''The beauty of the lotus feet of the Lord is compared to the petals of a lotus flower which grows in the autumn season.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 4.24.52|SB 4.24.52, Purport]]:''' The beauty of the lotus feet of the Lord is compared to the petals of a lotus flower which grows in the autumn season. By nature's law, in autumn the dirty or muddy waters of rivers and lakes become very clean. At that time the lotus flowers growing in the lakes appear very bright and beautiful. The lotus flower itself is compared to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the petals are compared to the nails of the feet of the Lord. The nails of the feet of the Lord are very bright, as Brahma-saṁhitā testifies. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya: [Bs. 5.32] every limb of the transcendental body of the Lord is made of ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala. Thus every limb is eternally bright. As sunshine dissipates the darkness of this material world, the effulgence emanating from the body of the Lord immediately dries up the darkness in the heart of the conditioned soul. In other words, everyone serious about understanding the transcendental science and seeing the transcendental form of the Lord must first of all attempt to see the lotus feet of the Lord by studying the First and Second Cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When one sees the lotus feet of the Lord, all kinds of doubts and fears within the heart are vanquished.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''The Lord's eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 4.30.25|SB 4.30.25, Translation]]: Dear Lord, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You because from Your abdomen sprouts the lotus flower, the origin of all living entities. You are always decorated with a lotus garland, and Your feet resemble the lotus flower with all its fragrance. Your eyes are also like the petals of a lotus flower. Therefore we always offer our respectful obeisances unto You.'''</span>

=== SB Canto 6 ===

<span class="q_heading">'''All the demigods saw the Supreme Lord in that posture, smiling with eyes like the petals of lotuses grown in autumn.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 6.9.29-30|SB 6.9.29-30, Translation]]: Surrounding and serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, were sixteen personal attendants, decorated with ornaments and appearing exactly like Him but without the mark of Śrīvatsa and the Kaustubha jewel. O King, when all the demigods saw the Supreme Lord in that posture, smiling with eyes like the petals of lotuses grown in autumn, they were overwhelmed with happiness and immediately fell down like rods, offering daṇḍavats. Then they slowly rose and pleased the Lord by offering Him prayers.'''</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''The Lord wore yellow garments and had four arms and reddish lotus-petal eyes.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 10.39.46-48|SB 10.39.46-48, Translation]]: Akrūra then saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead lying peacefully on the lap of Lord Ananta Śeṣa. The complexion of that Supreme Person was like a dark-blue cloud. He wore yellow garments and had four arms and reddish lotus-petal eyes. His face looked attractive and cheerful with its smiling, endearing glance and lovely eyebrows, its raised nose and finely formed ears, and its beautiful cheeks and reddish lips. The Lord's broad shoulders and expansive chest were beautiful, and His arms long and stout. His neck resembled a conchshell, His navel was deep, and His abdomen bore lines like those on a banyan leaf.'''</span>

== Sri Caitanya-caritamrta ==

=== CC Madhya-lila ===

<span class="q_heading">'''May the left arm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you.'''</span>

<span class="CC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 18.38|CC Madhya 18.38, Translation]]: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “‘May the left arm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you. With His left arm He raised Govardhana Hill as if it were a toy.’”'''</span>

== Other Books by Srila Prabhupada ==

=== Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead ===

<span class="q_heading">'''I am eagerly waiting to see that boy of Vṛndāvana whose bodily beauty is captivating the whole universe, whose eyes are always bounded by black eyebrows and expanded like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="OB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:KB Introduction|Krsna Book Introduction]]:''' The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is also described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as the abode of cintāmaṇi. That abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, is full of palaces made of touchstone. There the trees are called desire trees, and the cows are called surabhi. The Lord is served there by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. His name is Govinda, the Primeval Lord, and He is the cause of all causes. There the Lord plays His flute, His eyes are like lotus petals, and the color of His body is like that of a beautiful cloud. On His head is a peacock feather. He is so attractive that He excels thousands of Cupids. Lord Kṛṣṇa gives only a little hint in the Gītā of His personal abode, which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom. But in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kṛṣṇa actually appears with all His paraphernalia and demonstrates His activities in Vṛndāvana, then at Mathurā, and then at Dvārakā. The subject matter of this book will gradually reveal all these activities.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''All the princesses who were wives of Kṛṣṇa were exquisitely beautiful, and each one of them was attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s eyes, which were just like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="OB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:KB 61|Krsna Book 61]]:''' All the princesses who were wives of Kṛṣṇa were exquisitely beautiful, and each one of them was attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s eyes, which were just like lotus petals, and by His beautiful face, long arms, beautiful ears, pleasing smile, humorous talk and sweet words. Influenced by these features of Kṛṣṇa, they all used to dress themselves very attractively, desiring to attract Him by their feminine bodily appeal. They exhibited their feminine characteristics by smiling and moving their eyebrows, thus shooting sharp arrows of conjugal love just to awaken Kṛṣṇa’s lusty desires for them. Still, they could not arouse Kṛṣṇa’s mind or His sexual appetite. This means that Kṛṣṇa never had any sexual relations with any of His many wives, save and except to beget children.</span>

=== Renunciation Through Wisdom ===

<span class="q_heading">'''I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="OB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:RTW 2.6|Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.6]]:''' Persons with a demoniac mentality are steeped in sin; hence their understanding of the importance of spiritual knowledge is nil. Those who have been able to eradicate their sins by living according to the dictates of their social and spiritual order, and who have thus acquired sufficient piety, are qualified to practice karma-yoga. Gradually they progress to jñāna-yoga, and finally, in meditation, they realize the transcendental and supreme position of the Lord. Such highly fortunate realized souls can see in their hearts the eternal, transcendental, two-handed form of the Supreme Lord, known as Śyāmasundara,  playing His flute. The description of the Lord in Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā (5.30) reads,

:veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ
:barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
:kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
:govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals, with head bedecked with peacock's feather, with the  figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of cupids.</span>

== Lectures ==

=== Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Because Krsna's eyes are just like the petals of lotus flower, He's called Aravinda, and Aravindākṣa.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974|Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974]]:''' So the śūnyavāda philosophy will not give you happiness. After śūnya, after making this śūnya... Suppose you are passing through the sky, śūnya, if you get another, if you go the moon planet or other planet, then you become happy. Then you become happy. But if you don't get any planet, then you have to come back again on this planet. Similarly, the śūnyavāda philosophy will not make you happy unless you...
Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated,

:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
: [SB 10.2.32]

The meaning is that "My Lord, Aravindākṣa..." Kṛṣṇa is addressed... Because His eyes are just like the petals of lotus flower, He's called Aravinda, and Aravindākṣa. Barhāvataṁsa, aravindākṣa. So "My dear Aravindākṣa, lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, "Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa. "The persons who are thinking that they have become liberated, now they have become Nārāyaṇa..." Oh. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking like that. Māninaḥ means falsely thinking. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād... "They have no information of Your lotus feet or You. They do not accept Your personality." Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ [SB 10.2.32]. "Their intelligence is not clear." Aviśuddha. It is still impure. Because they could not understand.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are just like lotus petals. Very beautiful.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973|Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973]]:''' Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. Kṛṣṇa is, you'll see, Kṛṣṇa's picture, always a flute in His hand. Always joyful. Because He's the Supreme Lord, there is nothing moroseness. Always joyful. That is the symptom of spiritual life. You'll see Kṛṣṇa always smiling, always playing on His flute. As you see in this material world also, somebody, he has got a flute and he's playing, enjoying. So this is imitation. That enjoyment will not last. But Kṛṣṇa's flute-playing is eternal. He's enjoying eternally. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam [Bs. 5.30]. And His eyes are just like lotus petals. Very beautiful. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam, barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-su... Barhāvataṁsam, a peacock feather, He's very fond of a peacock feather. So that is on His head. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Very beautiful body like new, blackish cloud. But very beautiful. Blackish cloud. Asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. But, although he's blackish, He is more beautiful than millions and trillions of Cupids. Kandarpa... Therefore, He's all-beautiful.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Aravinda means lotus petal. His eyes are so nice, like lotus petal.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966|Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966]]:''' Veṇu means flute. He is playing on flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam. Aravinda means lotus petal. His eyes are so nice, like lotus petal. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam [Bs. 5.30]. Barhāvataṁsam means the peacock feather. You'll find Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, He is very fond of this peacock feather. Everywhere you'll find the peacock feather. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. And His color is a cloud, darkish cloud. Asita, asitāmbuda. Ambuda means cloud and asita means blackish. Sundarāṅgam. But still, He is so beautiful... Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, kandarpa-koṭi [Bs. 5.30]. He is so beautiful that He surpasses the beauty of millions of Cupid. Cupid is supposed to be very beautiful. It impels lust, Cupid. So He is many more thousands times beautiful than Cupid. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham [Bs. 5.30]. Viśeṣa-śobham. He has got His particular beauty. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. In this way there are description.</span>

=== Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are just like lotus petals.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971|Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971]]:''' Even if you don't believe in the history, then come to śāstra. The śāstra says veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam: [Bs. 5.30] "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always engaged in playing on His flute." This is Vedic statement. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam: [Bs. 5.30] "His eyes are just like lotus petals." Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam: [Bs. 5.30] "He has got a peacock feather on His head." These are the description in the Vedas.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Kṛṣṇa's eyes are compared with the petals of lotus flower. '''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973]]:''' So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. Here Kuntīdevī, a great devotee, is giving us opportunity to become Kṛṣṇa conscious: simply concentrating your mind on lotus flower. That's all. Lotus flower. As soon as you see a lotus flower, you will immediately think of namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa's navel is just like lotus flower. From the navel of Kṛṣṇa there was a stem of lotus flower, and from that lotus flower, Brahmā came out. And Brahmā created this universe. This universe means so many planets, so many seas, mountains and cities, motorcars, everything. Within that lotus flower, the beginning is..." Namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya. And namaḥ paṅkaja-māline [SB 1.8.22]. So such wonderful lotus flower which contains the seedling of the whole universe... That is not only one. Paṅkaja-māline. Just like here is a garland. There are so many flowers. So Kṛṣṇa is not so poor that simply producing one lotus flower, He's finished. No. There is a garland of lotus flowers, big garland. Or as many lotus flowers as you want. This is God. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ [Bs. 5.48]. Unlimited. Everything is unlimited. Kṛṣṇa's creation... We are very much concerned with one planet, this, but Kṛṣṇa's creation is unlimited number of planets. As you see unlimited number of hairs on your head; you cannot count. Can you count how many hairs are there? This is Kṛṣṇa's creation. You cannot count. So what to speak of this hair—anything you take. You take one tree: unlimited number of foliages. You cannot count. Similarly, unlimited number of planets, unlimited number of universes, everything unlimited. Therefore He is unlimited. Namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya namaḥ paṅkaja-māline namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya [SB 1.8.22]. Kṛṣṇa's eyes are compared with the petals of lotus flower. Ālola-candraka-lasad-vanamālya-vaṁśī [Bs. 5.31].</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are like the petals of lotus flower.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974|Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974]]:''' Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam [Bs. 5.30]. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa figure is the imagination of some artist or painter. No, no. These are the description in the Vedas. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, is playing on His flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam [Bs. 5.30]. And His eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam. There is a feather of peacock, asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, His complexion is like black cloud but very, very beautiful. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. He is so beautiful that more attractive than many, many hundreds and thousands of Cupid. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham bhajāmi [Bs. 5.30]. This is the Govinda's description. There are so many descriptions.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna is always playing His flute, veṇuṁ. Venu means flute. Kvaṇantam. And eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. '''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975|Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975]]:''' They are talking very big, big words, that "God is everywhere," but they are forbidding temple worship. Apahṛta-jñānā. The knowledge is imperfect. A common man can say, "If God is everywhere, why not in the temple?" And if we have to worship God, why not in His original form? The original form, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, the original form so many people have seen. They have got photograph..., not photograph, paintings. And it is confirmed in the śāstras, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam [Bs. 5.30]. Kṛṣṇa is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā from so millions and millions of years ago described by Lord Brahma, that veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ. He is always playing His flute, veṇuṁ. Venu means flute. Kvaṇantam. And eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Venum kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam [Bs. 5.30]. And on the head He has got the plume of peacock feather. In this way the description is there in the śāstra. And when Kṛṣṇa came... (aside:) Let him... Why do you disturb? Let him do that. Sit down. So śāstra says Kṛṣṇa is like this. And when Kṛṣṇa appeared on this planet the exactly the same description was there in His form.</span>

=== Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are just like lotus petals. Very beautiful eyes.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures|Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures]]:''' So, the description is that Govinda is very fond of playing on flute, venum. Venum means flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ. His eyes are just like lotus petals. Very beautiful eyes. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam. And He likes peacock feather, peacock feather on the head. So you will find Kṛṣṇa always with peacock feather. He wears a very valuable helmet, helmet on His head, but you will find one peacock feather. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, and His complexion of the body is blackish, just like new clouds. He is not that complexion light; He is blackish, Kṛṣṇa, and..., but He is so beautiful, all-attractive. Here, of course, in this material world, blackish we do not like; we want fair complexion. But Kṛṣṇa, the original person, He is blackish, but not blackish like this. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham. His beauty is surpassing many millions of Cupids. You have heard the name of Cupid. He is a very enchanting person, loving person, but here it is descibed, kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ. If you assemble millions of Cupids in one place, still it can not be compared with the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam, always playing on flute.</span>

=== Initiation Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Puṇḍarīkākṣam means whose eyes are just like lotus petal.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968|Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968]]:''' So this mantra, initiation, namaḥ. Namaḥ means surrender. And who can surrender? Surrender, one who has understood the Lord, he can surrender, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births of cultivation of knowledge, when one is perfectly wise, at that time he surrenders. The perfection of acquiring knowledge, or wisdom, is to surrender. So, namaḥ. Namaḥ means "I surrender." And what is your condition? Never mind what is that condition. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Apavitraḥ means contaminated, and pavitra means liberated. So we have two conditions. Either... Just like either we are healthy or we are diseased. There is no third condition. Crude example. Similarly, the living entities, they have two conditions. One condition is liberation, another condition is contaminated. Therefore living entity is called marginal, in between contamination and liberation. Either a living entity can be contaminated or liberated. There is no third condition. Therefore this mantra says, apavitraḥ pavitro vā. Either contaminated or liberated, it doesn't matter. Oṁ namo apavitraḥ pavitro, sarvāvasthām. Sarva means all; avasthām means condition. In any condition. Sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. In whatever condition you may be. Because two conditions there are. For the living entities... The living entity is in the marginal position. Either he can be in material nature or in the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature means liberation, and material nature means contamination. So in this mantra it is said, either of the condition, never mind. Either you are in material condition or spiritual condition. Sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. Vā means either; yaḥ, anyone; smaret, smaret means remembers; puṇḍarīkākṣam, puṇḍarīkākṣam means whose eyes are just like lotus petal. That means Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahya... Bahya means externally. Externally, this body. Abhyantaram. Abhyantaram means internally. Internally I am spirit. Just like internally, within this dress, I am internally. Externally I am this dress. Similarly, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. Either he is in the bodily concept of life or he is in the spiritual concept of life, either he is contaminated or he is liberated—in any condition, one who remembers Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, bahyābhyantaram, he immediately becomes purified internally and externally. This is the substance of this mantra.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Kṛṣṇa's eyes are just like lotus petal and His feet is lotus feet.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968|Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968]]:''' Prabhupāda: So you'll begin from one side like this, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Come to this side. You will ask your Godbrothers. They'll let you know, how they are doing. Your spiritual name is Aravinda. Aravinda. A-r-a-v-i-n-d-a. Aravinda. Aravindākṣa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Aravindākṣa. Aravinda means lotus flower.

Devotees: Oh!

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa's eyes are just like lotus petal and His feet is lotus feet. His abdomen, from abdomen lotus grows. So therefore in one word He is lotus, full lotus. (aside:) He's in painful condition?

Viṣṇujana: He has to rest. He has to rest now. (boy crying in background)

Prabhupāda: Just catch him. Oh. Aravindākṣa is Kṛṣṇa's name. So Aravinda dāsa, your name. Aravinda dāsa brahmacārī. Now we have forgotten to chant the preliminary mantras. Vande ahaṁ śrī guru... (chants mantras, devotees respond) (japa) Bow down.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''Puṇḍarīkākṣam means "the Lord whose eyes are like the lotus petal." Lotus eyes.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969|Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969]]:''' Impure condition. Apavitra. And pavitra means pure condition. Apavitraḥ pavitro vā. One may be in impure condition and one may be in pure condition. Sarvāvasthām, in all conditions. Avastha means all conditions. Gato 'pi vā, situated, in any condition situated; yaḥ, anybody; smaret, remembers; puṇḍarīkākṣam. Puṇḍarīkākṣam means "the Lord whose eyes are like the lotus petal." Lotus eyes. Puṇḍarīkākṣam. Sa, that person becomes; sa bahyābhyantaram. Bahya means externally and abhyantara means internally. Bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ. Śuciḥ means purified. Another śuci means brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is called śuci. A brāhmaṇa means a purified person.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''So Lord Viṣṇu's eyes are just like lotus petals, so He's called puṇḍarīkākṣam.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971|Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971]]:''' The purpose of this mantra, apavitraḥ pavitro vā... Apavitraḥ means contaminated, infected, and pavitra means purified. So the mantras says, "Either one is in contaminated stage or purified stage..." Apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthām. Sarva means all, avastha means circumstances. "In all circumstances, in whatever circumstances one may be, either in contaminated stage or purified stage," yaḥ smaret, "anyone who remembers Puṇḍarīkākṣam..." Puṇḍarīkākṣam means Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Puṇḍarīka-akṣam, lotus-eyed. So Lord Viṣṇu's eyes are just like lotus petals, so He's called puṇḍarīkākṣam. So such person who remembers, chants the name of the lord, puṇḍarīkākṣam, sa bahya... Bahya means external, and internal, abhyantaram, śuciḥ. Śuciḥ means purified. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. So simply by remembering the holy name of the Lord, Viṣṇu, one is purified in any stage of life. That is a fact.</span>

== Conversations and Morning Walks ==

=== 1975 Conversations and Morning Walks ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Krsna's eyes are like lotus petal.'''</span>

<span class="CON-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Ganesa dasa's Mother and Sister -- May 14, 1975, Perth|Room Conversation with Ganesa dasa's Mother and Sister -- May 14, 1975, Perth]]:'''

Sister: But you don't need to see the picture... With His omnipotence, you don't need to have the picture.

Prabhupāda: No, because you, without seeing Him, you do not develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You require to see Him. So He has appeared before you so that you can see Him. That is His mercy, so that you see Him and you think of Him. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. You see Him and think of Him. That is the meaning of picture. You cannot say, "I have not seen God." Here is God. You see God's picture here in the temple. In the śāstra description is there. Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam: [Bs. 5.30] "Kṛṣṇa is playing on His flute." That is the information in the Vedas. Here He is playing on flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāya... "His eyes are like lotus petal." You see? The description in the Vedas and the picture the same. It is not imagination. It is in the Veda. Vedas will give you information. Then surabhīr abhipālayantam [Bs. 5.29]. There are cows. Kṛṣṇa is very much fond of cows. So what is stated in the Vedas about Kṛṣṇa, that is depicted.

It is not imagination, not that we have imagined something like, "This is like..." No. It is corroborated, established by Vedic knowledge. So you'll find Kṛṣṇa's form like this everywhere. In India there are millions of temples. Everywhere you will find this.</span>