Descriptions of Krishna

Krishna, playing His flute on the bank of the Yamuna River

Vedic writings say that Krishna has a stunningly beautiful spiritual form (Krishna means "all-attractive"), He plays a flute, His complexion is like a dark rain cloud, He wears peacock feathers in His long, black, curly hair, the soles of His feet are decorated with auspicious symbols, His voice is like rumbling thunder, and a unique gem—Kaustubha—hangs around His neck, along with a garland of ever-fresh flowers, attracting bees humming Vedic hymns.

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Other accounts say that Krishna's enchanting smile is irresistible, as are His attractively moving eyebrows. His clothing is compared to lightning. His wide eyes, delicate hands, reddish-soled feet, and His deep navel often draw comparisons to the beauty of lotus flowers. The luster of His dazzling toenails is compared to moonlight, and He always appears in the fullness of youth.

One of Krishna’s names is adhokshaja, He who is beyond the material senses. It's easy for us to see matter. The Supreme Person is 100% spiritual, and we need spiritual vision to be able to see Him. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that He keeps a curtain of illusion (maya) between Himself and those who have no affection for Him.

Any descriptions of the Supreme Being may seem incredible unless we consider that the ultimate source of everything, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person, God, is also the origin of all forms. Our forms in the material world are temporary, changeable, and often causes of misery, but the Absolute Truth is eternal, unchanging, and blissful. Contrary to impersonalist philosophy, He is always a person. The Supreme Person is the archetype of all forms—His form is most beautiful of all—and by practicing Krishna consciousness we can become qualified to see Krishna for ourselves, face to face.