The Characteristics of God

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

In his commentary to the itthaM satAM brahma-sukhAnubhUtyA verse (BhAg. 10.12.11), Srimat Jiva Gosvamipada has written the following: bhagavAn tAvad asAdhAraNa-svarUpaizvarya-mAdhuryas tattva-vizeSah. tatra svarUpaM paramAnanda, aizvaryam asamordhvAnanta-svAbhAvika-prabhutA-mAdhuryam asamordhvatayA sarva-manoharaM svAbhAvika-rUpa-guNa-lIlAdi-sauSThavam. tat-tad-anubhava-sAdhanaM ca krameNa jJAnaM jJeyaM bhaktAkhya-gaurava-mizrA-prItiH zuddha-prItiz ca. eta-trividha-sAdhya-sAdhanAbhAvena mAyAzritAnAM sphUrty AbhAsa eva kenApy aMzena vastv asparzAt. nAhaM prakAzaH sarvasya yogamAyA samAvRta iti nyAyena taM brahma paramaM sAkSAd-bhagavantam adhokSajam. manuSya-dRSTyA duSprajJA martyAtmAno na menire ityAdi vat.

“Someone who possesses an extraordinary disposition, as well as extraordinary power and sweetness, is known as bhagavan. Transcendental joy is his natural disposition, boundless and incomparable natural sovereignty his power, and the matchless charm and beauty of his enchanting form, qualities and pastimes comprise his sweetness. The means to realize his temperament, power and sweetness, are, in order, the paths of knowledge, awe and reverence mixed with love, and pure love. Without these three types of sadhana, those bound by illusion cannot realize Sri Hari’s svarupa, aishvarya and madhurya. In the Gita, Sri Bhagavan personally says to Sri Arjuna, ‘Hidden by my illusory energy, I am not perceivable to everyone.’ Moreover, we see in Srimad-Bhagavata that the yajnika-brahmanas refused to give Sri Krishna any food, thinking him to be an ordinary cowherd boy come to beg. Sri Shuka Muni remarks that the dull-headed brahmanas, possessed of bodily consciousness, were unable to give even a cordial reception to Sri Krishna, who is the Supreme Spirit, beyond the senses, Sri Bhagavan himself, because they thought him to be an ordinary human child.”