19] The Nectar of Devotion

the Brahman effulgence, as He Himself confirms in the Bhagavad-gita.
From this we can conclude that the impersonal feature of the abso-
lute truth is not the ultimate end; Krsna is the ultimate end of the
absolute truth.

The Vaisnava schools therefore never try to merge into the Brah-
man effulgence in their pursuit of spiritual perfection. They accept
Krsna as the ultimate goal of self realization. Therefore Krsna is
called parambrahman (the supreme Brahman) or paramesvara (the su-
preme controller). Srt Yamundcarya has prayed as follows: “My dear
Lord, I know that the gigantic universe and gigantic space and time
within the universe are covered by the ten layers of the material ele-
ments, each layer ten times larger than the previous one. The three
material modes of nature, the Garbhodakagayi Visnu, the Ksirodaka-
say1 Visnu and the Maha-Visnu, and beyond them the spiritual sky
and its spiritual planets, known as Vaikunthas, and the Brahman ef-
fulgence in that spiritual sky—all of these taken together are nothing
but a small exhibition of Your potency.”

55. Possessing All Mystic Perfections

There are many standards of perfection. The highest material per-
fections, obtained by perfect yogis, are listed as eight: to become the
smallest of the small, to become the greatest of the great, etc. All of
these material perfections, as well as all spiritual perfections, can be
found fully in Krsna’s personality.

56. Krsna’s Inconceivable Potencies

Krsna is present everywhere, not only within the universe, not
only within the heart of all living entities, but also within every atom.
In the prayers of Queen Kunti we find mention of this inconceivable
potency of Krsna. While Krsna was talking with Kunti, He simul-
taneously entered the womb of Uttara, who was in danger due to the
atomic weapon of Agvatthama. Krsna can illusion even Lord Brahma
and Lord Siva, and He can protect all surrendered devotees from the
