Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, being the basis of both Brahman and the all-pervading Paramātmā as well, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As such, He is full in six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. In short, we should know that He is Kṛṣṇa, God, and that nothing is equal to or greater than Him. There is nothing superior to be conceived. He is the Supreme Person.
Six opulences
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
BG 10.1, Purport:
The word bhagavān is explained thus by Parāśara Muni: one who is full in six opulences, who has full strength, full fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation, is Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. While Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, He displayed all six opulences. Therefore great sages like Parāśara Muni have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
BG 11.19, Purport:
There is no limit to the extent of the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here and in many other places there is repetition, but according to the scriptures, repetition of the glories of Kṛṣṇa is not a literary weakness. It is said that at a time of bewilderment or wonder or of great ecstasy, statements are repeated over and over. That is not a flaw.
BG Chapters 13 - 18
BG 14.27, Purport:
The Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, and when a devotee approaches Him there is an exchange of these six opulences. The servant of the king enjoys on an almost equal level with the king. And so eternal happiness, imperishable happiness, and eternal life accompany devotional service.
BG 15.6, Purport:
The words paramaṁ mama are very important here. Actually every nook and corner is the property of the Supreme Lord, but the spiritual world is paramam, full of six opulences.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB 1.3.36, Translation:
The Lord, whose activities are always spotless, is the master of the six senses and is fully omnipotent with six opulences. He creates the manifested universes, maintains them and annihilates them without being in the least affected. He is within every living being and is always independent.
SB 1.3.36, Purport:
The prime difference between the Lord and the living entities is that the Lord is the creator and the living entities are the created. Here He is called the amogha-līlaḥ, which indicates that there is nothing lamentable in His creation. Those who create disturbance in His creation are themselves disturbed. He is transcendental to all material afflictions because He is full with all six opulences, namely wealth, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, and thus He is the master of the senses.
SB Canto 2
SB 2.6.31, Purport:
The Lord is the richest of the rich because He is always fully complete in six opulences. Therefore He is not required to do anything personally, but everything in the material world is carried out by His wishes and direction; therefore, the entire material manifestation is situated in Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 2.7.23, Purport:
Lord Rāmacandra is a full incarnation with six opulences in full, and He is therefore mentioned in this verse as kaleśaḥ, or master of all opulence.
SB 2.9.17, Purport:
The Lord is naturally endowed with His six opulences. Specifically, He is the richest, He is the most powerful, He is the most famous, He is the most beautiful, He is the greatest in knowledge, and He is the greatest renouncer as well.
SB Canto 3
SB 3.2.8, Purport:
Uddhava lamented for the unfortunate persons of the world who could not recognize Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in spite of seeing all His transcendental godly qualities. From the very beginning of His appearance within the prison bars of King Kaṁsa up to His mausala-līlā, although He exhibited His potencies as the Personality of Godhead in the six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, the foolish persons of the world could not understand that He was the Supreme Lord.
SB 3.2.30, Purport:
The Lord is the Lord at every stage. When He was playing just like a child on the lap of His mother Yaśodāmayī or just like a cowherd boy with His transcendental friends, He continued to remain God, without the slightest diminution of His six opulences. Thus He is always unrivaled.
SB 3.7.2, Purport:
In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa the six opulences of the Lord are stated to be nondifferent from Him. The opulences of transcendental knowledge, strength, opulence, potency, beauty and renunciation are all identical with the Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.16.21, Purport:
The Lord has six opulences—unlimited wealth, unlimited fame, unlimited strength, unlimited beauty, unlimited knowledge and unlimited renunciation.
SB 3.16.22, Purport:
Śrīdhara Svāmī describes tri-yuga as follows: yuga means "couple," and tri means "three." The Lord is manifested as three couples by His six opulences, or three couples of opulences. In that way He can be addressed as tri-yuga.
SB 3.24.32, Purport:
The Lord is always full in six opulences, as mentioned herein: wealth, renunciation, fame, knowledge, strength and beauty. The word pūrtam means "in full." No one can claim that all wealth belongs to him, but Kṛṣṇa can claim it, since He has full wealth. Similarly, He is full in knowledge, renunciation, strength and beauty. He is full in everything, and no one can surpass Him. Another one of Kṛṣṇa's names is asamaurdhva, which means that no one is equal to or greater than Him.
SB 3.24.33, Purport:
The six opulences—wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—are indicated here by Kardama Muni, who addresses Kapila Muni, his son, as param. The word param is used in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the phrase paraṁ satyam, to refer to the summum bonum, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.28.14, Purport:
The exact color of the garment of the Supreme Lord is described as saffron-yellow, just like the pollen of a lotus flower. The Kaustubha gem hanging on His chest is also described. His neck is beautifully decorated with jewels and pearls. The Lord is full in six opulences, one of which is wealth. He is very richly dressed with valuable jewels which are not visible within this material world.
SB 3.29.27, Purport:
The living entities, according to different results of fruitive activities, may become rich or poor, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unchangeable; He is always full in six opulences. Treating a living entity equally does not mean treating him as one would treat the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.32.26, Purport:
Supersoul is also described as puruṣa, but the word Bhagavān directly refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. He is the Personality of Godhead in different spiritual skies. The various descriptions of paramātmā, īśvara and pumān indicate that the expansions of the Supreme Godhead are unlimited.
SB 3.32.26, Purport:
It is also explained that whatever one desires which is obtainable by fruitive activities, even if one wants to be elevated to higher planets, can be achieved simply by execution of devotional service. Since the Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, He can bestow any one of them upon the worshiper.
SB Canto 4
SB 4.9.15, Translation:
My Lord, by Your unbroken transcendental glance You are the supreme witness of all stages of intellectual activities. You are eternally liberated, Your existence is situated in pure goodness, and You are existent in the Supersoul without change. You are the original Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, and You are eternally the master of the three modes of material nature. Thus, You are always different from the ordinary living entities. As Lord Viṣṇu, You maintain all the affairs of the entire universe, and yet You stand aloof and are the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices.
SB 4.9.15, Purport:
The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ; (SB 1.1.1) everything is born from the Supreme, but the Supreme has no birth. He has all the six opulences in full and beyond comparison, He is the master of material nature, His intelligence is not broken under any circumstances, and He stands aloof, although He is the maintainer of the whole creation.
SB 4.9.16, Purport:
As soon as one accepts the creative energy of the Absolute Truth, the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are also understood. Devotees who are still further advanced, in full knowledge, can understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.
SB 4.16.19, Purport:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully equipped with six kinds of opulences, and King Pṛthu was also empowered in such a way that he could display these six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in full.
SB 4.20.7, Purport:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, not being covered by a material body, is the witness of all the activities of the living entity. But both of them, the living entity and the Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are ātmā, or spirit. They are one in quality, yet they are different in so many ways, especially in regard to the six opulences the Supreme Personality of Godhead has in full. Full knowledge means that the jīva-ātmā, the living entity, must know both his position and the Supreme's position. That is full knowledge.
SB 4.21.38, Purport:
Materially obtained opulences are never fixed, but all six opulences perpetually exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not only in the spiritual world, but also in this material world. Lord Kṛṣṇa's reputation is fixed, and His book of wisdom, Bhagavad-gītā, is still honored. Everything pertaining to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally existing.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.4.1, Purport:
In these days of cheap incarnations, it is very interesting to note the bodily symptoms found in an incarnation. From the very beginning of His birth, it was observed that Ṛṣabhadeva's feet were marked with the transcendental signs (a flag, thunderbolt, lotus flower, etc.). In addition to this, as the Lord began to grow, He became very prominent. He was equal to everyone. He did not favor one person and neglect another. An incarnation of God must have the six opulences—wealth. strength, knowledge, beauty, fame and renunciation.
SB 5.12.11, Purport:
What is known as ātmā and antaryāmī, the Supersoul, is but an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sad-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān sa svayam ayam (CC Adi 1.3). What is described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, complete with all six opulences, is Vāsudeva, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is nondifferent from Him. Great learned scholars and philosophers accept this after many, many births. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).
SB 5.14.43, Purport:
In this verse the Lord is described as Uttamaśloka. Uttama means "the best," and śloka means "reputation." Lord Kṛṣṇa is full in six opulences, one of which is reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Kṛṣṇa's reputation is still expanding.
SB 5.19.6, Purport:
In defining the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we say that He is full in all six opulences—wealth, fame, strength, influence, beauty and renunciation. He is called renounced because He is not attached to anything in this material world; He is specifically attached to the spiritual world and the living entities there.
SB Canto 6
SB 6.4.25, Purport:
Material scientists can make an analytical study of the physical elements, the body, the senses, the sense objects and even the air that controls the vital force, but still they cannot understand that above all these is the real spirit soul. In other words, the living entity, because of his being a spirit soul, can understand all the material objects, or, when self-realized, he can understand the Paramātmā, upon whom yogīs meditate. Nevertheless, the living being, even if advanced, cannot understand the Supreme Being, the Personality of Godhead, for He is ananta, unlimited, in all six opulences.
SB 6.5.12, Translation:
(Nārada Muni had said that there is a kingdom where there is only one male. The Haryaśvas realized the purport of this statement.) The only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who observes everything, everywhere. He is full of six opulences and fully independent of everyone else. He is never subject to the three modes of material nature, for He is always transcendental to this material creation. If the members of human society do not understand Him, the Supreme, through their advancement in knowledge and activities, but simply work very hard like cats and dogs all day and night for temporary happiness, what will be the benefit of their activities?
SB 6.8.11, Translation:
After finishing this chanting, one should think himself qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in six opulences and is worthy to be meditated upon. Then one should chant the following protective prayer to Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca.
SB 6.16.25, Translation:
O transcendental Lord, who are situated in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Your two lotus feet are always massaged by a multitude of the best devotees with their lotus-bud hands. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, complete in six opulences. You are the supreme person mentioned in the Puruṣa-sūkta prayers. You are the most perfect, self-realized master of all mystic power. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
SB 6.16.47, Translation:
My dear Lord, You are the creator, maintainer and annihilator of this cosmic manifestation, but persons who are too materialistic and who always see separateness do not have eyes with which to see You. They cannot understand Your real position, and therefore they conclude that the cosmic manifestation is independent of Your opulence. My Lord, You are the supreme pure, and You are full in all six opulences. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
SB 6.19.5, Purport:
In this verse the words tato 'si bhagavān prabhuḥ mean "Therefore You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of everyone." The Supreme Personality of Godhead is endowed with all six opulences in full, and moreover He is extremely kind to His devotee. Although He is full in Himself, He nonetheless wants all the living entities to surrender unto Him so that they may engage in His service.
SB 6.19.7, Translation:
"My Lord Viṣṇu, full in six opulences, You are the best of all enjoyers and the most powerful. O husband of mother Lakṣmī, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are accompanied by many associates, such as Viśvaksena. I offer all the paraphernalia for worshiping You." One should chant this mantra every day with great attention while worshiping Lord Viṣṇu with all paraphernalia, such as water for washing His feet, hands and mouth and water for His bath. One must offer Him various presentations for His worship, such as garments, a sacred thread, ornaments, scents, flowers, incense and lamps.
SB Canto 7
SB 7.6.24, Purport:
If Nārāyaṇa lives in the house of a daridra, a poor man, this does not mean that Nārāyaṇa becomes poor. He lives everywhere—in the houses of the poor and those of the rich—but in all circumstances He remains Nārāyaṇa; to think that He becomes either poor or rich is a material calculation. He is always ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full in six opulences, in all circumstances.
SB 7.10.10, Translation:
O my Lord, full of six opulences, O Supreme Person! O Supreme Soul, killer of all miseries! O Supreme Person in the form of a wonderful lion and man, let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
SB Canto 8
SB 8.5.27, Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead directly and indirectly knows how everything, including the living force, mind and intelligence, is working under His control. He is the illuminator of everything and has no ignorance. He does not have a material body subject to the reactions of previous activities, and He is free from the ignorance of partiality and materialistic education. I therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, who is eternal, all-pervading and as great as the sky and who appears with six opulences in three yugas (Satya, Tretā and Dvāpara).
SB 8.8.14, Purport:
The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is described in this verse as śriyam, which means that she has six opulences—wealth, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These opulences are received from the goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī is addressed here as devī, the goddess, because in Vaikuṇṭha she supplies all opulences to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees, who in this way enjoy natural life in the Vaikuṇṭha planets.
SB 8.20.22, Translation:
Bali Mahārāja, along with all the priests, ācāryas and members of the assembly, observed the Supreme Personality of Godhead's universal body, which was full of six opulences. That body contained everything within the universe, including all the gross material elements, the senses, the sense objects, the mind, intelligence and false ego, the various kinds of living entities, and the actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature.
SB Canto 9
SB 9.4.64, Purport:
It is certain that a devotee who helps in this endeavor to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes indirectly a controller of the Supreme Lord. Although the Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, He does not feel transcendental bliss without His devotees. An example that may be cited in this regard is that if a very rich man does not have sons in a family he does not feel happiness. Indeed, sometimes a rich man adopts a son to complete his happiness.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
SB 10.2.9, Translation:
O all-auspicious Yogamāyā, I shall then appear with My full six opulences as the son of Devakī, and you will appear as the daughter of mother Yaśodā, the queen of Mahārāja Nanda.
SB 10.13.52, Purport:
In this verse the word mahimabhiḥ means aiśvarya, or opulence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can do whatever He likes. That is His aiśvarya. No one can command Him, but He can command everyone. Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇam. The Lord is full in six opulences. The yoga-siddhis, the perfections of yoga, such as the ability to become smaller than the smallest (aṇimā-siddhi) or bigger than the biggest (mahimā-siddhi), are present in Lord Viṣṇu. Sad-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān (CC Adi 1.3). The word ajā means māyā, or mystic power. Everything mysterious is in full existence in Viṣṇu.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
SB 10.81.16, Translation:
Who am I? A sinful, poor friend of a brāhmaṇa. And who is Kṛṣṇa? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in six opulences. Nonetheless, He has embraced me with His two arms.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Preface and Introduction
CC Adi-lila
CC Adi 1.3, Translation:
What the Upaniṣads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.
CC Adi 2.5, Translation:
What the Upaniṣads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.
CC Adi 2.23, Translation:
Lord Nārāyaṇa, who dominates the transcendental world, is full in six opulences. He is the Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the goddess of fortune.
CC Adi 3.5, Purport:
In the previous chapter it has been established that Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vrajendra (the King of Vraja), is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with six opulences. He eternally enjoys transcendentally variegated opulences on His planet, which is known as Goloka. The eternal pastimes of the Lord in the spiritual planet Kṛṣṇaloka are called aprakaṭa, or unmanifested, pastimes because they are beyond the purview of the conditioned souls. Lord Kṛṣṇa is always present everywhere, but when He is not present before our eyes, He is said to be aprakaṭa, or unmanifested.
CC Adi 4.91, Translation:
Or "sarva-lakṣmī" indicates that She fully represents the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore She is the supreme energy of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
CC Adi 5.14, Translation:
Beyond the material nature lies the realm known as paravyoma, the spiritual sky. Like Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, it possesses all transcendental attributes, such as the six opulences.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
The quadruple forms have a spiritual existence that can be realized in vasudeva-sattva (śuddha-sattva), or unqualified goodness, which accompanies complete absorption in the understanding of Vāsudeva. The quadruple forms, who are full in the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are the enjoyers of the internal potency.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
Śaṅkarācārya also says (sūtra 44) that he cannot accept the devotees' idea that Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are equally as powerful as the absolute Personality of Godhead, full in the six opulences of knowledge, wealth, strength, fame, beauty and renunciation, and free from the flaw of generation at a certain point.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
Śaṅkarācārya also says (sūtra 45) that the devotees who follow the Pañcarātra state that God's qualities and God Himself, as the owner of the qualities, are the same. But how can the Bhāgavata school state that the six opulences—wisdom, wealth, strength, fame, beauty and renunciation—are identical with Lord Vāsudeva? This is impossible.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
"Because You are unlimited in Your six opulences, no one can count Your transcendental qualities. Philosophers and other thoughtful persons are overwhelmed by the contradictory manifestations of the physical world and the propositions of logical arguments and judgments. Because they are bewildered by word jugglery and disturbed by the different calculations of the scriptures, their theories cannot touch You, who are the ruler and controller of everyone and whose glories are beyond conception."
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
Ignorance and the jugglery of words are very common in human society, but they do not help one understand the inconceivable energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we accept such ignorance and word jugglery, we cannot accept the Supreme Lord's perfection in six opulences. For example, one of the opulences of the Supreme Lord is complete knowledge.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
Someone might argue that the Absolute would be affected by duality if He were both all-cognizance (Brahman) and the Personality of Godhead with six opulences in full (Bhagavān). To refute such an argument, the aphorism svarūpa-dvayam īkṣyate declares that in spite of appearances, there is no chance of duality in the Absolute, for He is but one in diverse manifestations.
CC Adi 5.41, Purport:
In all Vaiṣṇava literature it is said that worshiping these quadruple forms is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva, who in His different expansions, complete in six opulences, can accept offerings from His devotees of the results of their prescribed duties.
CC Adi 7.104, Purport:
Because the Māyāvādīs offered a little respect to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and because they were pious and actually followed the austere rules and regulations of sannyāsa, they had some understanding of Vedānta philosophy, and by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu they could appreciate that He was none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is endowed with all six opulences.
CC Adi 7.138, Translation:
"Brahman, who is greater than the greatest, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is full in six opulences, and therefore He is the reservoir of ultimate truth and absolute knowledge."
CC Adi 7.138, Purport:
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is understood in three phases of realization: the impersonal Brahman, the localized Paramātmā and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā are expansions of the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is complete in six opulences, namely wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. Since He possesses His six opulences, the Personality of Godhead is the ultimate truth in absolute knowledge.
CC Adi 7.140, Purport:
In the Upaniṣads it is said:
- oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate
- pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate
- (Īśo Invocation)
This verse, which is mentioned in the Īśopaniṣad, Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad and many other Upaniṣads, indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in six opulences. His position is unique, for He possesses all riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.
CC Madhya-lila
CC Madhya 1.43, Purport:
It is stated that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although devoid of material qualities, superintends all material activities. There is also a discussion of how the līlā-avatāra incarnations respond to the desires of the devotees and how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is characterized by six opulences.
CC Madhya 6.78, Purport:
Those who know the Absolute Truth know it in three phases, as explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11):
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate
"Those who are in knowledge of the nondual Absolute Truth know very clearly what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā, and what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The Supreme Personality of Godhead is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, complete with six opulences. Gopīnātha Ācārya emphasized that all those six opulences were completely existing in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
CC Madhya 6.161, Purport:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full with six opulences. All of these potencies are on the transcendental platform. To understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as impersonal and devoid of potency is to go completely against Vedic information.
CC Madhya 7.143, Translation:
He said, "Who am I? A sinful, poor friend of a brāhmaṇa. And who is Kṛṣṇa? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in six opulences. Nonetheless, He has embraced me with His two arms."
CC Madhya 15.179, Translation:
"If a person possessing millions of wish-fulfilling cows loses one she-goat, he does not consider the loss. Kṛṣṇa owns all six opulences in full. If the entire material energy is destroyed, what does He lose?"
CC Madhya 18.112, Translation:
"A sannyāsī in the renounced order is certainly part and parcel of the complete whole, just as a shining molecular particle of sunshine is part and parcel of the sun itself. Kṛṣṇa is like the sun, full of six opulences, but the living entity is only a fragment of the complete whole."
CC Madhya 21.47, Translation:
"The spiritual sky, which is full in all six opulences, is the intermediate residence of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is there that an unlimited number of forms of Kṛṣṇa enjoy Their pastimes."
CC Madhya 21.48, Translation:
"Innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, which are just like different rooms of a treasure-house, are all there, filled with all opulences. Those unlimited planets house the Lord's eternal associates, who are also enriched with the six opulences."
CC Madhya 21.104, Translation:
"The wonderful form of Kṛṣṇa in His personal feature is so great that it attracts even Kṛṣṇa to taste His own association. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa becomes very eager to taste it. Total beauty, knowledge, wealth, strength, fame and renunciation are the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa. He is eternally situated in His opulences."
CC Madhya 21.110, Translation:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is full in all six opulences, including His attractive beauty, which engages Him in conjugal love with the gopīs. Such sweetness is the quintessence of His qualities. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, has described these pastimes of Kṛṣṇa throughout Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hearing the descriptions, the devotees become mad with love of God."
CC Madhya 24.22, Translation:
"Through His all-pervasive feature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has expanded the entire creation. He is holding and maintaining this creation by His extraordinary potency. By His conjugal potency, He maintains the planetary system known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. Through His six opulences, He maintains many Vaikuṇṭha planets."
CC Madhya 25.33, Translation:
"The word 'Brahman' ('the greatest') indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in all six opulences. But if we take the onesided impersonalist view, His fullness is diminished."
CC Madhya 25.107, Translation:
"I shall explain to you My actual form and situation, My attributes, activities and six opulences."
CC Madhya 25.114, Translation:
"In the verse beginning 'aham eva,' the word 'aham' is expressed three times. In the beginning there are the words 'aham eva.' In the second line there are the words 'paścād aham.' At the end are the words 'so 'smy aham.' This 'aham' indicates the Supreme Person. By the repetition of 'aham,' the transcendental personality who is complete with six opulences is confirmed."
CC Antya-lila
CC Antya 5.119, Translation:
"You have calculated Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in six opulences, to be on the level of an ordinary living being. Instead of knowing Him as the supreme fire, you have accepted Him as a spark."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction:
The Paramātmā, or Supersoul, who is present within the heart of every living entity and within every atom of the universe, is but the partial representation of Lord Caitanya. Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, being the basis of both Brahman and the all-pervading Paramātmā as well, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As such, He is full in six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. In short, we should know that He is Kṛṣṇa, God, and that nothing is equal to or greater than Him. There is nothing superior to be conceived. He is the Supreme Person.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 5:
In this connection Lord Caitanya gave evidence from the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1):
- īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
- anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
"Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with a body full of knowledge, eternality and bliss. He has no origin. He is the original person, known as Govinda, and is the cause of all causes." In this way, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave evidence that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, full in all six opulences. His abode, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, is the highest planet in the spiritual sky.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8:
Thus the Lord is always in His supreme abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, and by His supreme will His activities there are also manifested at particular places in innumerable universes. And whenever and wherever Kṛṣṇa appears, He displays His six opulences.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 9:
Lord Caitanya informed Sanātana Gosvāmī that the length and breadth of every Vaikuṇṭha planet is thousands of billions of miles—in other words, no one can measure any Vaikuṇṭha planet's actual extent. Each of these planets is unlimitedly expanded, and in each of them the residents are full in all six opulences—wealth, strength, knowledge, beauty, fame and renunciation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in every Vaikuṇṭha planet. Indeed, in each Vaikuṇṭha planet an expansion of Kṛṣṇa has His eternal abode, and Kṛṣṇa Himself has His original eternal abode, called Kṛṣṇaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 9:
"Kṛṣṇa is the master of all demigods, including Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the expansion of Viṣṇu within this universe. Therefore no one is equal to or greater than Him, and He is full in six opulences. All the demigods engaged in the administration of each universe offer their respectful obeisances unto Him. Indeed, the helmets on their heads are beautiful because they are decorated with the imprints of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord." It is similarly stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1) that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and no one can be equal to or greater than Him. That is Brahmās conclusion. Although the universal rulers— Brahmā, Śiva and Viṣṇu—are masters of each and every universe, they too are servants of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 9:
As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.43), in the spiritual sky all the Vaikuṇṭha planets (which make up Viṣṇuloka) are below the planet known as Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana. On that supreme planet the Lord enjoys His transcendental bliss in multiple forms, and all the opulences of the Vaikuṇṭhas are fully displayed on that one planet. Like Kṛṣṇa, His associates are also full with six opulences.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 9:
The Lord is known as Tryadhīśvara, a name indicating His principal abodes—Gokula, Mathurā and Dvārakā. These three abodes are full of opulences, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is the master of them all, situated as He is in His transcendental potency. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of all transcendental energies, is thus full with six opulences, and because He is the master of all opulences, all the Vedic literatures acclaim Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 21:
Being so requested, Lord Caitanya explained each and every aphorism of the Vedānta-sūtra according to the direct interpretation. He began by explaining the word "Brahman," indicating that "Brahman" means "the greatest," the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word "Brahman" indicates that the greatest is full with six opulences; in other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all wealth, all fame, all strength, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 21:
When Lord Kṛṣṇa was present personally on earth, He exhibited these six opulences in full. No one was richer than Lord Kṛṣṇa, no one was more learned than Kṛṣṇa, no one was more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa, no one was stronger than Kṛṣṇa, no one was more famous than Kṛṣṇa, and no one was more renounced than Kṛṣṇa.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 21:
"The Supreme Brahman cannot be accepted as impersonal, for if it is then the six opulences belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be attributed to Brahman. All the Vedas and Purāṇas affirm that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of spiritual energies, but foolish people do not accept this, and therefore they deride His activities. They misinterpret the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa to be a creation of material nature, and this is considered to be the greatest offense and greatest sin. One should simply accept the words of Lord Caitanya that He spoke in this assembly."
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 22:
The explanation of these four verses is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Lord Caitanya gave a short description of the principles of these verses. He said that by mental speculation or academic education no one can understand the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord—how He is situated, His transcendental qualities, His transcendental activities and His six opulences. These can be understood only by the mercy of the Lord. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, one who is fortunate enough to receive the Lord's favor can understand all these explanations by the mercy of the Lord.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 24:
Lord Caitanya then said that all the Vedic statements of the Upaniṣads aim at the ultimate truth, known as Brahman. The word Brahman means "the greatest," and "the greatest" should immediately be understood to refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all emanations. Unless the greatest possesses six opulences in full, he cannot be called the greatest. The greatest is therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, the Supreme Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 24:
Whenever we speak of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we add the word śrī, indicating that He is full with six opulences. This means that He is eternally a person; if He were not a person, the six opulences could not be present in fullness. Therefore, whenever it is said that the Supreme Absolute Truth is impersonal, what is meant is that His personality is not material.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 30:
One cannot fully realize the essence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by understanding His name as the creator because this material creation is a function of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. Thus the conception of God as the creator includes only the external feature. Similarly, when we call the Supreme Lord Brahman, we cannot have any understanding of His six opulences. In Brahman realization, the six opulences are not realized in full, nor is there recognition of eternity, bliss and knowledge.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31:
There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, innumerable incarnations and expansions of the Supreme Lord, and innumerable universes also, and of all these existences the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only source. His transcendental body is composed of eternity, bliss and knowledge, and He is known as the son of Mahārāja Nanda and the inhabitant of Goloka Vṛndāvana. He is full with six opulences—all wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Krsna Book 7:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is always full with six opulences—namely complete wealth, complete strength, complete fame, complete knowledge, complete beauty and complete renunciation. The Lord appears in different complete, eternal forms of incarnation.
Krsna Book 29:
The words used in this connection in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are bhagavān api. This means that although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus has no desire that needs to be fulfilled (because He is always full with six opulences), He still wanted to enjoy the company of the gopīs in the rāsa dance. Bhagavān api signifies that this dance is not like the ordinary dancing of young boys and young girls.
Krsna Book 52:
By following in the footsteps of pure devotees, we can know that Kṛṣṇa, the Raṇacorajī, left the battlefield not because He was afraid but because He had some other purpose. The purpose, as it will be revealed, was to attend to a confidential letter sent by Rukmiṇī, His future first wife. Kṛṣṇa's leaving the battlefield is a display of one of His six opulences. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme powerful, the supreme wealthy, the supreme famous, the supreme wise and the supreme beautiful; similarly, He is the supreme renouncer.
Krsna Book 52:
The brothers had one young sister, Rukmiṇī. She was beautiful and chaste and was meant to be married to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Many saintly persons and sages like Nārada Muni used to visit the palace of King Bhīṣmaka. Naturally Rukmiṇī had a chance to talk with them, and in this way she obtained information about Kṛṣṇa. She was informed about the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa, and simply by hearing about Him she desired to surrender herself to His lotus feet and become His wife.
Krsna Book 59:
"You possess all beauty, strength, fame, property, knowledge and renunciation; You are the shelter of all six opulences. Although You are all-pervading, You have appeared as the son of Vasudeva. Please, therefore, accept my respectful obeisances. You are the original Supreme Personality of Godhead and the supreme cause of all causes. Only Your Lordship is the reservoir of all knowledge. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You."
Krsna Book 63:
"You are the supreme cause of everything, but of You there is no cause. You Yourself cause Your own appearance and disappearance. Despite Your transcendental position, my Lord, in order to show Your six opulences and advertise Your transcendental qualities, You have appeared in Your different incarnations—fish, tortoise, boar, Nṛsiṁha, Keśava and others—by Your personal manifestation; and You have appeared as different living entities by Your separated manifestations."
Krsna Book 65:
"Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion Śeṣa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are full with six opulences. Because I forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and thus I have become a great offender."
Krsna Book 72:
Lord Kṛṣṇa continued: "There is no one in the three worlds of the universe, including the powerful demigods, who can surpass My devotees in any of the six opulences, namely wealth, strength, reputation, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. Therefore, if you want to conquer the worldly kings, there is no possibility of their emerging victorious."
Krsna Book 81:
He thus began to think, "From the beginning of my life I have been extremely poverty-stricken, so what could be the cause of such great and sudden opulence? I do not find any cause other than the all-merciful glance of my friend Lord Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadu dynasty. Certainly these are gifts of Lord Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy. The Lord is self-sufficient, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and thus He is always full with six opulences. He can understand the mind of His devotee, and He sumptuously fulfills the devotee's desires. All these are acts of my friend Lord Kṛṣṇa. My beautiful dark friend Kṛṣṇa is far more liberal than the cloud, which can fill the great ocean with water."
Krsna Book 87:
"The Vedic reciters, or the personified Vedas, sing thus: 'O unconquerable Lord, You are the Supreme Personality. No one is equal to You or greater than You. No one can be more glorious in his activities. All glories unto You! All glories unto You! By Your own transcendental nature You fully possess all six opulences. As such, You are able to deliver all conditioned souls from the clutches of māyā. O Lord, we fervently pray that You kindly do so.'"
Krsna Book 87:
Because the Lord possesses in full the six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, He alone is beyond the spell of material nature. Unless the living entity is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Krsna Book 87:
Because of their poor fund of knowledge, the Māyāvādī philosophers forget the fact that Kṛṣṇa is always full with six opulences, eight transcendental qualities and eight kinds of perfection. The six opulences are wealth, strength, beauty, fame, knowledge and renunciation. No one is greater than or equal to Kṛṣṇa in these six opulences. The first of Kṛṣṇa's eight transcendental qualities is that He is always untouched by the contamination of material existence.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.3:
In their philosophical discussions the Māyāvādīs deny the existence of the Supreme Lord's multifarious energies. Such sub-standard debates are indeed on the kindergarten level. According to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the Māyāvādīs have a poor fund of knowledge and are thus prevented from understanding that the Supreme Brahman is full with six opulences.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.3:
It is rare to find that great soul who is attracted by the Lord's transcendental qualities and thus surrenders to Him. The only person who can surrender to the Supreme Lord is one who does not attempt to rob Him of His personality but who views the material nature as a transformation of His multifarious energies. Thus the Māyāvādīs can never be called mahātmās, or "great souls." Only when they realize that the nondual Absolute Truth is none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, can they be called mahātmās.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.5:
11) The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in six opulences and is not the property of any particular sect, group, or country. He is available to everyone. He is the deliverer of all and the Supreme Father of all. He appears in this material world to liberate every living entity, and His message, the Bhagavad-gītā, is therefore applicable to every land and to all people. It is meant to be preached everywhere. Therefore those fortunate souls who are spreading the message of the Lord are most dear to Him.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the authorities as Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And what is Bhagavān? Bhagavān means that one who is fully equipped with six opulences. Fully equipped with all opulences means Bhagavān is the richest personality. How much rich Bhagavān, or God, is, we can understand that we are proud of possessing a few acres of land, and Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of the whole universe.
Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:
So these are opulences: wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—six things. Anyone who possess all these six opulences in full, He is God. That is the definition of God. So when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, He showed His opulence, opulences, in full. Opulences in full. Of course, we have got all these historical records about Him.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:
So here is Kṛṣṇa. From śāstric evidences, by His opulences, by His power... Because Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). He must be the richest. He must be the strongest. He must be the most famous. He must be the most beautiful. He must be the great renouncer. In this way, that is the definition of God.
Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:
People, generally they want wealth. They want riches. They want to be very highly rich man, accumulate wealth, millions and millions of rupees. Then somebody wants to become very strong man. Somebody wants to become very beautiful man. Somebody wants to become very learned man. Somebody wants to be very famous man, so on. There are six opulences. I have discussed in this hall many times.
Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:
There are six opulences, transcendental qualification of God. One is that He is full of knowledge. So if God is full of knowledge, how He can be in forgetfulness? That is impossible.
Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:
"Bhagavān means who possesses these six opulences in full: all riches, all strength, all influence, all wisdom, all beauty, all renunciation." So, it has been analyzed how we possess all these opulences, and it has been found by the great sages that Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of all opulences—all beauty, all wisdom. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The supreme possessor is Kṛṣṇa. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:
Unless you become very great, you cannot be attractive. According to our material calculation, if one is very rich, he's attractive. If one is very influential, he's attractive. If one is very wise, he's attractive. If one is very beautiful, he's attractive. In this way, we attract. So God, Kṛṣṇa, has got all the six opulences of attraction; therefore He is called Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:
The Lord, Bhagavān... Bhagavān means the most powerful, almighty, with six opulences. That is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān, this word, is used in the sense of possession. Just like generally we say bhāgyavān. We Indians, we know. Bhāgyavān means fortunate. This word bhāgya comes from bhaga. Bhaga, and in relationship with bhaga the word comes: bhāgya. And vān means "one who possesses." Asty arthe vatup. The Sanskrit word, when the meaning is to possess, then one affix is added which is called vat, bhaga-vat. And the first word of the bhagavat-śabda is bhagavān.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:
Bhagavān comes for this purpose, to let people know what is Bhagavān, not this so-called rascal incarnation. Just try to understand what is Bhagavān. If Bhagavān... Bhagavān means the six opulences in full.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:
Bhagavān means full with six opulences.
- aiśvaryasya samagrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
- ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
Bhagavān means aiśvaryasya samagrasya, the master of all wealth within the creation. That is Bhagavān. Not that millions or trillions of dollars, but all the wealth. Aiśvaryasya samagra. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the enjoyer and proprietor of all the planets." That is Bhagavān.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:
There are six kinds of opulences: wealth, I mean to say, reputation, strength, knowledge, renunciation, beauty. These are called opulences. If one person is very rich, he is opulent, he attracts attention of many persons. Similarly, if one person is very influential, strong, he also attracts. Similarly, if one man is very famous for his activities, he also attracts attention. Similarly, if one man is very beautiful or a woman is very beautiful, he or she attracts attention. If one is very wise, learned, he also attracts attention. These are called six opulences, and these opulences are possessed by us in small quantity.
Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:
Bhaga. These are opulences. Aiśvarya means opulence and... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Vīryasya means strength. And yaśasaḥ. Yaśasaḥ means fame. And aiśvaryasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ means beauty. And jñāna. Jñāna means knowledge. And renunciation, vairāgya. Renunciation. These six opulences, when you find presented in a personality in full, He is God. He is God. That is the description of God.
Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:
These are the six opulences which at... which attract. Then if a man is very strong, he's also, he also attracts. Bala. A strong man, either by influence, or by his bodily strength, he attracts. If there is a strong man, many woman is attracted. So strength is also another feature of attraction.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:
Now in the previous verse, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva could have said "kṛṣṇa uvāca," Kṛṣṇa said. No. He has purposefully said "bhagavān." Kṛṣṇa, you may not like, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, with six opulences. One of the opulence is full knowledge. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ sriyaḥ jñānam (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47).
Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:
So svayaṁ bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). We have many times explained the word bhagavān. Bhagavān means six opulences. Riches and... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Potency. Vīryasya yaśasaḥ, fame, reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), beauty, jñāna, knowledge, and vairāgya, detachment. When one is full with all these six opulences, he's God.
Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:
So people try to get the opulences. Everyone is trying by karma, jñāna, yoga. But nobody can attain the opulences in full strength. That is not possible. So the simple definition of God is that one who is in full six opulences, he's God. That has been analyzed by great saintly persons, including Lord Brahmā, and it has been decided that the all the six opulences can be found in Kṛṣṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:
We have seen many rich men, but if you find out somebody, that nobody is richer than him, then he is God. We have seen many men, wise men, but if you find out somebody—nobody is wiser than him—then he is God. In this way, the six opulences, when they are full represented in one person, he is God. He is Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He exhibited all these opulences in fullness.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
So our Gosvāmī Bhavānanda has explained about the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Bhagavān iti. But who is Bhagavān? That has been also explained. Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, complete in six opulences. He is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence.
Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:
So bhagavān svayam, the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means person, with six opulences. And why He comes? Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge. People are harassed by these demons. Therefore, He comes to give protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). He comes to give protection to the sādhu.
Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's scholarship... Of course, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no comparison to His excellence in every respect. Six opulences. Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāj jagati para-tattvaṁ param iha. That is explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān sa svayam ayam (CC Adi 1.3). He has explained like that. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇaḥ—all knowledge, all beauty, all strength—everything in full. Pūrṇam. Pūrṇam idam.
Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Los Angeles, April 23, 1973:
This is also another opulence of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is full with six kinds of opulences. So this opulence is beauty, beauty opulence. Kṛṣṇa has got six opulences: all riches, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all beauty, all renunciation. So this is the opulence of Kṛṣṇa's beauty.
Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:
One who is very fortunate person, he is called bhāgyavān. Not this bhaga. So bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulences. So Kṛṣṇa possesses all the opulences, six opulences: all strength, all influence, all beauty, all knowledge, all—everything complete. So Bhagavān means one who has complete opulence, six opulences in complete, pūrṇam. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). That is Bhagavān.
Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:
Renunciation is opulence also. Kṛṣṇa, six opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya. Vairāgya means renunciation.
Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:
So Arjuna here says, bhagavatā, "What I heard from that personality, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān." Bhagavān means full of six opulences. I've described it many times. So here is the direct hearer, listener. He says bhagavatā. How you can say that Kṛṣṇa is not Bhagavān-ordinary person?
Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:
Yesterday we were speaking of digvijaya. So every devotee should be so sincere to Kṛṣṇa, or God, that he must execute Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa Himself comes. Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee. When He came personally, He established His position as God, with all opulences, six opulences. And He asked, through Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Kṛṣṇa's demand, "You rascal..." Because we are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:
Just like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, and modern age Śrī Rāmānuja, Śrī Madhvācārya, Śrī Caitanya. They are great scholars. They're great, expert in the spiritual science. They have accepted. And we accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His activities, by the definition of possessing all the six opulences. We don't accept anybody, an ordinary man... Just like now it is a fashion. Everybody comes and says, "I am God." No. We don't accept in that way.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:
Bhagavān means all-powerful, all-opulences. He can do anything and everything. That is Bhagavān. Not that imitation rascals who claim that "I am God," but he cannot do anything—not that kind of Bhagavān. Bhagavān means all-powerful. Whatever He likes, He can do. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full of six opulences. That is called Bhagavān.
Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:
Bhagavān, all-powerful means that aiśvaryasya, all opulence, all wealth, all reputation, all knowledge, all beauty, all renunciation. In this way, Bhagavān is opulent. Six opulences. And these six opulences is fully represented in Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is accepted: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). And others, they are expansion or incarnation. Viṣṇu-tattva.
Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:
So Kapiladeva, the Personality of Godhead, He is person. We should always know that Bhagavān, Bhagavān is person, full of six opulences. And because He is full of six opulences, therefore He has got His form.
Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:
Now let us come to our own concept of all-powerfulness. We consider a rich man powerful, influential man powerful. Then a strong man powerful, a man of knowledge powerful. A man that is very beautiful, he is also powerful, or a woman is beautiful, she is powerful—she attracts so many. In this way, when all the six opulences are together in fullness, he is God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:
God means nobody can be richer than Him, nobody can be stronger than Him, nobody can be more beautiful than Him, nobody can be wiser than Him, and nobody can be influential than Him. That is God. When you find somebody that "Here is the richest man in the whole universe or in the whole creation. Here is the most beautiful man in the whole universe," in this way, when you compare the six opulences, then that you will find in Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present He exhibited this practically. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
Bhāgavata means from the word bhagavān. Bhagavān means the person who has got all the six opulences in full. He is called Bhagavān or God. In most scriptures of the world there is idea of God, but actually there is no definition of God. But in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because it is science of God, there is definition, what do you mean by God. The definition is that one person who has got six opulences in full, He is God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
What are the six opulences? Aiśvarya. Aiśvarya means wealth. And samāgra, aiśvaryasya samāgrasya, complete wealth. Complete wealth means, just like we are sitting here, say, twenty-five or fifty men. Everyone has got some wealth in bank balance. But if some one of us can exceed the bank balance of every one of us, he is called samāgra. Now try to understand what is the definition of God. There are many rich men, not only here in your country, in other countries also. So take the whole world as a whole, and if you scrutinize who is the richest man, you will hardly find one who is the richest of all.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
If you can find out somebody that nobody is richer than him, nobody is more famous than him, nobody is stronger than him, nobody is wiser than him, nobody is more beautiful than him, and nobody is more renouncer than him, when these six opulences you will find, without any competition, that is God. This is the definition of God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
So what is our relationship with God? I have already explained that the six opulences are there in God in full and the same six opulences are in me, but in particle. Just like the ocean water. It contains tons, millions of tons salt, ocean water, salt. You take a drop of ocean water. You analyze.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:
Therefore he says, "I think that any kind of material qualification, such as tejaḥ, prabhāva, influence, strength, bodily beauty, tejaḥ, prabhāva, pauruṣa, capacity, buddhi, intelligence, yoga, mystic power, and all similar qualifications"—they are divided into six opulences: strength, influence, fame, and beauty, knowledge, renunciation—"these six kinds of opulences are fully present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So how you can conquer over the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all these material qualifications?"
Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:
Here it is stated, nija-lābha-pūrṇo. He is so opulent that He has no hankering. Complete. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya pūrṇaḥ. He is complete with full six opulences. He is the richest, He is the wisest, He is the most famous, He is the most strong, influential, and renounced order. Everything is complete there.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1976:
So always we should remember this verse, that naivātmanaḥ prabhur ayaṁ nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ. He's always full with six opulences. There is no question of satisfying by giving something.
Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:
So śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān, this word, we have several times explained that the most opulent, six opulences, riches, aiśvaryasya... Śrī, aiśvarya, strength, bala... Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). This is Bhagavān. All six opulences in full.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness message is kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There is no other Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. So Kṛṣṇa is completely, cent percent full of all opulences. Even Nārāyaṇa, He is ninety-six percent. And Lord Śiva is eighty-four percent. And Brahmā is seventy-eight percent. These are calculated by the Gosvāmīs. So Kṛṣṇa is cent percent Bhagavān.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:
Supreme beloved, Kṛṣṇa. Supreme Person, supreme beautiful, supreme rich, supreme famous, supreme wise. Everything supreme. We love somebody, or, out of these six opulences, if one opulence is there... Suppose one man is very rich and charitable, we love him.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
So another feature of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described here by the author, Kavirāja Gosvāmī. In the beginning He has been described as the ultimate Absolute Truth, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ ya bhagavān. The Absolute Truth realized in three phases. The ultimate phase is Bhagavān. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Not as nowadays there are so many Bhagavāns, they have no aiśvarya. But Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ, full opulences, six kinds of opulence. Then that Bhagavān, Supreme Personality of Godhead, has descended as incarnation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to bestow the topmost understanding of loving affairs with Kṛṣṇa. Samarpayitum unnata ujjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:
At the present moment, in our conditioned stage of life, we have forgotten our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our conditional life. Just like a son has forgotten his father, rich father, opulent father, and loitering in the street, that is our condition. We are all sons of Kṛṣṇa, part and parcel, and Kṛṣṇa is full of six opulences. Richness, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge, renunciation—Kṛṣṇa is complete. If my father is complete, and I am his son, beloved son, why shall I loiter in the street? This is māyā.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:
Bhagavān means six opulences. Nobody is richer than Bhagavān, nobody is stronger than Bhagavān, nobody is more beautiful than Bhagavān, nobody is wiser than Bhagavān, and nobody is more renouncer than Bhagavān. That is Bhagavān.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:
But God definition is that,
- aiśvaryasya samāgrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
- ṣaṇṇam bhāga itiṅgaṇa
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
Means Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is, is, He has got complete aiśvarya, wealth, He has got complete fame, He has got complete knowledge, He has got complete beauty, and He has got complete renunciation. By these six complete, I mean..., opulences, the God is there. So if you find somebody, that He's full in six opulences... So we find Kṛṣṇa. If you find in the history... Whole history of the world till now, you won't find any other person more than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is God. Therefore He is God. Find out from the history if anybody is more than Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:
So He is greatest, who can show that "Millions of skies are within Me." He is greatest. That means greatest in opulence of strength, greatest in strength, greatest in wealth, great..., everything greatest. He is greatest. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... He says Brahman means the greatest, and greatest means one who is greatest in six opulences.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:
Caitanya Mahāprabhu is therefore quoting from different Vedic literatures to prove that the Absolute Truth is person, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full with six opulences. As in the Parāśara-sūtra there is aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. When Kṛṣṇa was present He exhibited full strength of six kinds of opulences. So the... Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the fact. That is the Vedic version.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:
So if we scrutinizingly study the life of Kṛṣṇa, you will find in the history of the world than Kṛṣṇa there was no richer person, no powerful person than Kṛṣṇa, no beautiful person than Kṛṣṇa, more learned and person of knowledge, philosophy than Kṛṣṇa. If you study you'll find everything. The six opulences are fully represented in Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulences, and vān means one who possesses. This is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa, that He is all-attractive because He possesses all the six opulences. This is the description of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:
So we should not accept anyone and everyone as Bhagavān. We must test whether he has got the six opulences. A person who is begging from door to door, and when there is some bodily pain he immediately goes to the doctor—"Toothache, sir. Please give me medicine," so does it mean that he is Bhagavān? A Bhagavān cannot cure his tooth pain even? This class of Bhagavān we should not accept.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:
We say that Kṛṣṇa, God is all-powerful, God is all omnipotent, but when God shows actually that He's omnipotent, all-powerful, they do not believe. That is their defect. But the manifestation which Kṛṣṇa showed when He was actually present, He's the Supreme Lord.
- aiśvaryasya samagrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
- ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
He fully manifested, or demonstrated, the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no other supreme power or supreme personality than Myself."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:
Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva, he was a great sage. So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has given his, delivered the definition of God. What is that? Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: full of six opulences. And what are those six opulences? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya: "He is the proprietor of all wealth, everything." So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: "He is the reservoir of all strength." Vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ: "And He is the supreme famous." Nobody can be more famous than Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Śriyaḥ means beauty. Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. And jñāna, knowledge. Nobody can be more knower and full of knowledge than Kṛṣṇa. And renunciation. And He is also, at the..., having so many opulences. He is renouncer of... He has nothing to do with all these things. He does not depend for His Godheadship on these qualifications. He is renouncer at the same time.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:
So here also Lord Caitanya substantiates that ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: "He's full of six opulences." Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa yāṅra goloka-nitya-dhāma. Nitya-dhāma means He's homely. Homely. He's the proprietor of all land, but just like a king. A king is the proprietor of the whole state; still, he has got his personal residence, which is called palace, royal palace. So similarly, although Lord is the proprietor of everything, every land, every space, every, any, anywhere... This is the proprietorship of Lord, of God's.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:
So far Buddha is concerned, he's also considered śaktyāveśa avatāra. He preached this nirvāṇa philosophy. Although he did not speak about God, because it is considered that he was himself God, but the people amongst whom he preached, they were mostly atheistic people; therefore he did not preach about God. But he did not deny also. He simply wanted to make extinction of this present worldly activities. That was, yes... Nirvāṇa. And he represented the sacrifice of renouncement. He..., you may remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His six opulences, one opulence is renouncement. So Lord Buddha's life is renouncement.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:
So Lord Caitanya says that even Brahmā and Śiva cannot calculate, and what to speak of these ordinary human beings. They cannot understand it. It is not possible. Ei-mata ṣaḍ-aiśvarya. Nobody can calculate the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa. We have discussed the six opulences: wealth, riches and strength and fame and knowledge and beauty and renunciation. Nobody can calculate.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:
Don't accept a foolish man, declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap. You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more, no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.
Festival Lectures
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:
The Supreme Lord has nothing to do personally. Na tasya kāryam. He has nothing to do. Just like here in this material world we find some very big man, political head or business head; personally, he has nothing to do. Because he has got so many assistants, secretaries, that personally he hasn't got to do anything. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, why He will have to do something? No. He has got many assistants. Sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādas tat. In the Bhagavad-gītā: "He has got everywhere His hands and legs." You'll find Kṛṣṇa, He has nothing to do. He's simply engaged in enjoyment with gopīs and Rādhārāṇī.
Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:
Tad abhijño 'pi. This very word is used here, that "He knew everything," Bhagavān. Because Bhagavān means He must know everything, past, present future. There is no lack of knowledge. I have several times described before you. Bhagavān means He is full of all opulences, and there are six opulences: riches, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. So Bhagavān cannot be in lack of knowledge.
General Lectures
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:
When you'll find a certain man is in such a position that nobody is richer than him and nobody is famous, more famous, than him, nobody is more stronger than him, nobody is more influential than him, nobody is more beautiful than him, and nobody is wiser than him—if you find somebody full in six opulences... These are the definition given in Vedic literature.
Lecture -- Hawaii, March 30, 1969:
How a man becomes attractive? First of all we have to understand that. Suppose a very rich man is attractive, a very intelligent man is attractive, a beautiful man is attractive, a famous man is attractive, a wise man is attractive, a renounced man is also attractive. These are attractive features. So if we analyze Kṛṣṇa, we find all these six opulences of attractive men fully present in Kṛṣṇa. So even from historical references, there is not a single person who can be compared with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is all-attractive.
Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:
Don't accept cheaply if some rascal comes, "I am God," and "Yes." Don't do it. You test like this. Test in six symptoms: wealth, strength, reputation, wisdom, beauty, and renunciation. If he excels... (break) ...in all these qualification all other contemporary persons, then he's God. Very simple description. If he is God, then who can be richer than him? And who can be stronger than him? These six things, six opulences.
Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:
I will explain what is Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive. We have got idea. If one man is very rich, he is attractive. If one man is very strong, he is attractive. If one man is very beautiful, he is attractive. Man or woman, it doesn't matter. If one man is wise, he is attractive. In this way there are six opulences: richness, strength, influence, beauty, wisdom, and renunciation. When these six things are in complete in one person, that is all-attractive. So Kṛṣṇa exhibited all these things, six opulences, in one person. Therefore He's all-attractive.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:
And Parāśara Muni, a great saint, father of Vyāsadeva, who compiled all the Vedic literatures, his father, Parāśara Muni, He gave definition of God:
- aiśvaryasya samagrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
- ṣaḍ iti bhagaṁ ganā
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
By these six opulences, one can ascertain what is God. What are those opulences? That He's the proprietor of all riches. Here, we have got experience, one rich man. One may be very rich man, but nobody can say that he is the richest, there is no other man who is not richer than him. Nobody can say.
Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:
We calculate our fortune if somebody is very rich, if somebody is very strong, if somebody is very beautiful, if somebody is very wise, if somebody is in renounced order of life. In this way, there are six opulences, and these opulences, when one possesses in fullness, without any rivalry, he is called Bhagavān. The richest of all, the wisest of all, the most beautiful, the most famous, the most renounced—in this way, Bhagavān.
Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:
If you have got some material desire, still you worship Kṛṣṇa. He'll fulfill; at the same time, you will be able to go back to home, back to Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, almighty, full with six opulences. So if you have got any material desire, that also Kṛṣṇa can fulfill, but you stick to Kṛṣṇa so that your āsakti will be increased. If you divert your attention to other demigods, then this āsakti will fail.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on William James:
Hayagrīva: A feeling of being in a wider life than that of this world's selfish little interest.
Prabhupāda: Yes. God, the definition of God is there in the Vedic literature, that God is the great. The Christian idea is also that. That greatness, that if we soberly think what is the greatness, the greatness in six opulences, that God is the richest, God is the strongest, and God is the famous, and God is the wisest, and God is the most beautiful, and God is the perfect renounced. He has got so many states, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), but still He is not very much interested within this material world. He is in spiritual world along with associates. Therefore our proposition is, let us go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is perfection of life.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:
Prabhupāda: He can define, but he must be a very, what is called, sane man to define. The sane man's definition of God is there. Just like everyone says, "God is great." So now if he can define what is the greatness... The greatness, if one man is very rich, we consider him great man. If a man is very wise we call him a great man. If a man is very strong or influential or beautiful... Greatness according to our estimation. So all this greatness must be there in God. God must be the richest, God must be the strongest, God must be the most beautiful, God must be wisest. In this way, six opulences calculated, and when these opulences are in completeness, that is God. So that completeness we find in the history Kṛṣṇa. In the history of humanity it is very easy to find out that when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, so He proved the strongest, the most influential, the most beautiful, the supreme wise—everything—supreme famous.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:
Interviewer: What are the basic beliefs of the Kṛṣṇa religion?
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means God. So God, this word, does not explain the nomenclature of God. Now this Kṛṣṇa is Sanskrit word, and it conveys the full meaning of God. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. All-attractive means He is full of all opulences. In this world we are attracted by one who is very rich, we are attracted by one who is very famous, we are attracted by one who is very highly educated, we are attracted by someone who is very beautiful. Similarly, these are features of attraction. And when all these attractions are reposed in one place without any rivalry, He is God. That is the conception of God. So Kṛṣṇa means all these six opulences in fullness together. That is the full definition of God.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 29, 1973, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: For all the six opulences, they will choose someone.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh?
Karandhara: For all the six opulences, they'll choose someone, someone very beautiful...
Prabhupāda: Yes. But there is none complete. Except Kṛṣṇa. Nobody's complete. Our pro, philosophy is that we have to select if we... That we must have to. Otherwise, there is no life.
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 17, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: There was forest fire. All the friends and cowherd boys, they became disturbed. They began to see towards Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, what to do?" "All right." He simply swallowed up the whole fire. This is inconceivable mystic power. That is God. Aiśvarya-vairāgya-yaśo-'vabhodha-vīrya-śriyā. These six opulences in full. That is God.
Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: They have no standard. But we have got definition of God. That is the difference. What is our definition?
Satsvarūpa: Supreme controller.
Prajāpati: That person who is complete with all six opulences...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prajāpati: ...in total fullness.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is God.
Hṛdayānanda: Bhagavān.
Prabhupāda: Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyāḥ, jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaḍ iti bhagavān gaṇaḥ. (?)
Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They will say that is imagination.
Prabhupāda: Why imagination? It is not imagination. Just like I am a man. I have got hundred dollars. He has got thousand dollars. He has got four thousand or five thousand. In this way we see comparative. One is richer than other, other, other. Then why there shall not be somebody who is richest of all? We see practically. How can you deny? That is God. Power, strength—you are stronger than me, he is stronger than you, he is stronger, like that. But if we find somebody, that nobody is stronger than him, he is God. Education, beauty, all the six opulences, you compare. Because we see comparative, so there must be somebody ideal, above whom there is no more education, no more wisdom, no more beauty. That is God.
Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: Well, they say, If there was a God, He would be perceivable to everyone, whether they believed in Him or not, He would be so obvious.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is available. This is common formula, that we see comparative study of these six opulences. When it is topmost, that is God.
Karandhara: But they say, "We cannot literally see that embodied in any one person."
Prabhupāda: No, you can see, but you have no eyes to see. Suppose there are so many richest person. We have not seen, but they must be admitted. Just like in your country, Rockefeller. So it does not mean—one has not heard about Rockefeller—therefore it does not exist.
Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: God is unlimited. I am limited. So my speculative knowledge is limited. So how I can understand the unlimited by my limited knowledge? That is not possible. We can make little progress, and that is impersonal understanding. The perfect understanding is that He is person, all-powerful, all-mighty, all beautiful, all-wise, all..., everything perfect, six opulences: riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renouncement. These are the six opulences. And God is complete. This is conception of God.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 6, 1974, Bombay:
Bhāgavata: ...expansion or incarnation has the six opulences in full except for Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: No, no. Kṛṣṇa is cent percent. Next to Kṛṣṇa is Nārāyaṇa. Next to Nārāyaṇa is Lord Śiva.
Morning Walk -- April 6, 1974, Bombay:
Acyutānanda: But otherwise Nārāyaṇa has all the six opulences.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Super-excellent opulence in Kṛṣṇa, by His veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam (Bs. 5.30). That attraction is only in Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: The Absolute Truth is described by the person who knows the Absolute Truth in three ways: brahmeti, the impersonal Brahman, paramātmeti, the localized Paramātmā, and Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate feature of God, full with all six opulences, the richest, the strongest, the most famous, the most wise, the most renounced and most beautiful. These are the six features of the Personality of Godhead.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: God has all the qualities that you can conceive. It is generally not... Bhaga(?), it is taken as six, six opulences. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means possessing. Bhagavat. Bhagavat-śabda. Bhaga means opulence, and vat means one who possesses. And the first word in bhagavat-śabda is bhagavān. This bhaga means six kinds of opulences: riches, then fame, then bodily strength, influence, knowledge, beauty, and renunciation. These are opulences.
Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: God is great. "Great" means, "who is greater than you in every respect." We understand a rich man as very great, a wise man as very great, a strong man is very great, beautiful man is very great. In this way there are six opulences: riches, strength, wisdom, beauty, education... In this way the six opulences, when you find in somebody in full, in complete, without any competition, that is God.
Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Reporter (3): Religious, strong, beautiful...
Prabhupāda: Religious?
Jayatīrtha: Wealthy, riches.
Reporter (3): Riches, strong, wise, beautiful, education, and renunciation.
Prabhupāda: These six opulences, when you find in the greatest quantity, nobody can excel. Here in America you have got rich man, but nobody can say that "I am the richest of all." But God can say that He is richest of all. He is strongest of all, He is wisest of all, He is the most beautiful, in this way where nobody can compete and nobody can surpass, that is God.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This next question is rather interesting. Question sixteen. "Is it not possible for all sections of Hindus, be they Advaitans, Dvaitans, or viṣiṣṭādvaitans, to come together instead of remaining isolated as warring factions?"
Prabhupāda: Yes. Dvaita and advaita. This is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to bring all the dvaitas and advaitas in one platform. To understand that he is essentially servant of God. The Advaitas, they are wrongly thinking that he is God himself. That is wrong, or not the proper way of thinking. How you can become God? God is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇam, full with six opulences, all-powerful, all-strength, all-beauty, all opulent. So this is artificial, to think to become God.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Letter to Gargamuni -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:
According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord is full in six opulences & the rascal impersonalists says that the Lord has no form & the most dangerous accusation for the Lord that He assumes a material form when he descends.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Robert, Karen -- Los Angeles 19 April, 1970:
So far we are convinced from the Vedic literatures, God is a Person exactly like you are a person, I am a person, but His personality is very great, full with six opulences, and none of the living entities beginning from the highest like Lord Brahma down to the ant, nobody can be on the equal level with God. These things are all explained in our books, and I would request you to read these books especially the recently published Isopanisad.
| Page Title: | Six opulences |
| Compiler: | Alakananda |
| Created: | 04 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=4, SB=42, CC=33, OB=30, Lec=67, Con=14, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 192 |