Everybody is attracted to beauty. Be it a delicate flower, a lilac sky or the wave crashing on the rock, our eyes derive pleasure from pretty looking things. As we humans have a propensity to please others, it is natural to want to look beautiful. In this age of fleeting fads, the conception of beauty is constantly changing. Which clothes are 'in', what hairstyles are trendy, how I should do my makeup... It can seem veey difficult and confusing to look attractive, with such provisional definitions of what it means to be pretty. Luckily, there is a timeless beauty present in the heart of every living entity which is very easy to unlock. Here's the process:
Before wanting to become beautiful, one should understand, who is that 'I' that wants to be beautiful? In the Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.19.27-28 Purport, Shrila Prabhupada states: 'One should be convinced that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Krsna, but has somehow or other been entrapped by the material coverings of the gross and subtle bodies.' And in the 1.10.16 Purport, 'The material beauty of a woman is an illusion because actually the body is made of earth, water, fire, air, etc. But because there is the association of the living spark with matter, it appears to be beautiful. No one is attracted by an earthen doll, even if it is most perfectly prepared to attract the attention of others. The dead body has no beauty because no one will accept the dead body of a so-called beautiful woman. Therefore, the conclusion is that the spirit spark is beautiful, and because of the soul's beauty one is attracted by the beauty of the outward body.' So we can understand nclude from these quotes that all beauty is emanating from the soul, and that the body is but the glass of a lightbulb, only reflecting the true beauty within. Now how does one go about awakening this beauty?
It is one thing to know that you are an eternal spirit soul, full of bliss, knowledge and beauty, but you must know, what is your position? Well if you look around you, you will find many other living entities, just like you, be they in human bodies, animal bodies, plant bodies, etc. According to Shrila Prabhupada, 'There are 8,400,000 species of life. Out of that, the human being are very small quantity. Out of 8,400,000, the human species of life are 400,000; compared with other animals, a very small quantity.' So your position is undoubtedly one of very little significance. But there is one common factor between all living entities, which is what makes us beautiful, and alive. 'So Krishna has got relationship with everyone because He is the supreme father, and we are all His part and parcel. Just like son, even in this material world, he is the part and parcel of the father or the mother, similarly, we are actually part and parcel of Krishna, and Krishna is sad-aisvarya-purna. He is the richest, He is the most famous, He is most strong, all-powerful, all-beautiful. Everything He has got. And we are sons of that Krishna. So father's property is enjoyed by the sons.' - Caitanya Caritamrta Lecture, March 4 1975
So as the eternal child of Krishna, the possesor of all opulences, how can I become very beautiful. Well it is not about 'becoming' beautiful, for we are eternally pure spirit, which is already beautiful - because it is part and parcel of Krishna. But just like wearing the wrong shade of foundation, acting out of our original constitutional position is very unnatractive. 'What is my original constitutional position?' You might ask. 'In material consciousness, his nature is to try to be the lord of matter, but in spiritual (Krishna) consciousness, his position is to serve the Supreme' -Bhagavad Gita 8.3 Purport
Mundane beauty is really nothing we should hope for, as it is only temporary and, this short life is nothing in comparison to your true form, which is eternal. But if you are very desperate, then understand that Krishna is also known as Bhuvana Sundara Bara - The most beautiful personality in all the worlds. Associating directly with Krishna, through his service, will also make you beautiful. Like how associating with crooks will make you crooked, associating with God will make you godly. The easiest way to associate with Krishna is to chant his names 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.'
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