'Shri Krishnakarnamrita: Fifty-ninth Shloka

etan nama vibhushanam bahumatam veshaya sheshair alam
vaktram dvi-tri-vishesha-kanti-lahari-vinyasa-dhanyadharam |
shilpair alpa-dhiyam agamya-vibhavaih shringara-bhangi-mayam
citram citram aho vicitram aha ho citram vicitram mahah ||59||

Simple Meaning:

 

Effulgent Lord Krishna & His Ineffable Beauty

Describing the beauty of Lord Krishna's face Shri Billavmangalji says that this beauteous face is abundantly adorned-what is the need of other ornaments for decking it? This face is endowed with radiant lips which are embellished with two or three (dark, red and white)specially arranged waves of lustre. The wealth of His infinite artistic attributes and amorous gestures is beyond the understanding of foolish human beings.Oh how wonderful, how amazing, how wonderfully amazing is the picture of this effulgence manifesting in the form of adolescent Krishna.

The Rasa-laden Commentary:

The Beautiful Face of Krishna is Adorned with Ornaments

 In the previous shloka Shri Billavmangalji had became so absorbed in describing the sweetness of all Krishna's limbs and His lovely face that he became absolutely incapable of describing its sweetness. A slight descriptions of Krishna's other limbs can still be given but giving an account of the sweetness of His lotus face is forever beyond the perception of words.Such is this lustruous young boy, the adolescent Lord Krishna.

The lovely lotus face of Krishna is a special adornment in the ambit of beauty so what is the need of other embellishments? Every limb of Krishna is naturally a form of ornament.What is the need of applying tilak¹ to Him or His wearing golden kundal²s?

bhusana bhusanangam: It has been said in the Shrimad Bhagwat that the beautiful splendour of Lord Krishna's limbs is indeed the ornament of His limbs. Other ornaments acquire special beauty by touching His limbs and become blessed. Thus Lord Krishna's transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments.(3.2.12)

Red Lips, Gleaming Smile & Blue-hued Face of Krishna

 Lord Krishna has that transcendental form, that ineffable beauty which can deck evern ornaments. An English poet has truly said, 'Beauty needs no ornaments. 'His lips are embellished with two to three particular waves of lustre. The lips themselves are red in colour, His beautiful smile is white in colour whereas His lotus face and cheeks are blue-hued. In this manner He is adorned with red, white and dark waves of lustre respectively.

Brahma Sings the Glories of Lord Krishna

 Brahma, the Creator, accepts defeat at this juncture and says,”Those who say I know Krishna-let them talk. Oh darling son of Nanda. I cannot understand a bit about your glories. It is not only bodily mentally or verbally but my whole existence is blind without your mercy (my Lord). What more can I say.”

 

Nikunjas Glow with Krishna's Lustre

 Very many waves of beauty are gushing forth from Krishna's moonlike face. Firstly the moonlike face is being coloured with the sweetness of His smile, and secondly the red lips are spreading redness. Whiteness gleaming amidst the lips is spreading white lustre. A blue hue is cascading from Krishna's bodily lustre. The kunjas and nikunjas gleam effulgently with His bodily radiance. Only those love-lorn hearts who who offer their hearts, intelligence and souls to Him, can relish Lord Krishna's sweet beauty.

Dark-hued Krishna's Beautiful Face is Decked with Ornaments

Shri Billavmangalji can feel the throbbing presence of Krishna's effulgence by experiencing extreme madhurya or sweetness. Knowing that every limb of Krishna's transcendental body is adorned with ornaments he exclaims in astonishment, On seeing this transcendental body and the excellence of Krishna's limbs Billavmangal says,” Oh! He is the One who is embellished with artistic qualities and amorous gestures. It is a wonder of wonders!”

(The amorous mannerisms of Krishna means, His sidelong loaded with shringara rasa or the sentiment of sweet romance, His slanting eyebrows, the sweet smile, melodious flute play, graceful dance)This grand majesty is beyond the expression of words.

Krishna's Beauty can Not be Expressed in Words

 Human language is incapable of describing that sweet beauty.Finally Shri Billavmangal just exclaims,” Oh, oh, oh, how wonderful, how amazing, how every, very wonderfully amazing is this splendor [in the form of the young boy Krishna]!and expresses the astonishing quality of beholding that beauteous form.

1Tilak: ornamental mark on the forehead with saffron or sandal

2Kundals: large earrings worn by Krishna