Text 36]
Prayers by the Demigods
187
Supreme, Lord Krṣṇa exhibits His transcendental pastimes. They can simply think of the pastimes of the Lord and get the full benefit. Since there is no difference between the transcendental name and form of the Lord, there is no difference between the transcendental pastimes and the form of the Lord. For those who are less intelligent (like women, laborers or the mercantile class), the great sage Vyāsadeva wrote  Mahābhārata . In the  Mahābhārata , Krṣṇa is present in His different activities.  Mahābhārata  is history, and simply by studying, hearing, and memorizing the transcendental activities of Krṣṇa, the less intelligent can also gradually rise to the standard of pure devotees.
The pure devotees, who are always absorbed in the thought of the transcendental lotus feet of Krṣṇa and who are always engaged in devotional service in full Krṣṇa consciousness, are never to be considered to be in the material world. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has explained that those who are always engaged in Krṣṇa consciousness by body, mind and activities are to be considered liberated even within this body. This is also confirmed in the  Bhagavad-gītā : those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord have already transcended the material position.
Krṣṇa appears in order to give a chance to both the devotees and the nondevotees for realization of the ultimate goal of life. The devotees get the direct chance to see Him and worship Him. Those who are not on that platform get the chance to become acquainted with His activities and thus become elevated to the same position.
The  Brahma-saṁhitā  (5.38) says:
premāṇjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Although Krṣṇa's transcendental form is presented as black, devotees who are in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead appreciate the Lord as Śyāmasundara, having a very beautiful blackish form. The Lord's form is so beautiful that the  Brahma-saṁhitā  (5.30) also states:
veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam