Spiritual beauty shines through the face of those advancing in Krishna consciousness, revealing the reality of transcendental worlds beyond material perception.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.32–33 — December 17, 1970, Surat 701217SB-SURAT [36:54 Minutes] SB-06.01.32–33_701217SB-SURAT Prabhupāda: ke yūyaṁ pratiṣeddhāro dharma-rājasya śāsanam ūcur niṣedhitās tāṁs te vaisvasvata-puraḥ saraḥ [SB 6.1.32] So the constables of Yamarāja inquired from the Vaikuṇṭhadūta, the messengers of Vaikuṇṭha, that yūyaṁ pratiṣeddhāraḥ: "Why you are interrupting in our business?" Pratiṣeddhāraḥ. Pratiṣeddhāraḥ means the opposite element. "Why you are opposing? We are Yamadūta. It is our duty to take away a sinful man, sinful soul, like Ajāmila, who was simply acting misdeeds throughout his whole life.
Now, at the end of his life, we are authorized to take him to the Yamarāja. Why you are preventing us? Why you are interrupting in our business?" kasya vā kuta āyātāḥ kasmād asya niṣedhatha kiṁ devā upadevā vā yūyaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ [SB 6.1.33] So because the Viṣṇudūtas were very beautiful, four-handed, exactly resembling Lord Viṣṇu... As I have explained, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka all the inhabitants, their feature of the body are exactly like Lord Viṣṇu, four-handed, with conchshell, lotus flower, club and disc.
So they never saw Viṣṇudūta before, these Yamadūtas, because they go in an atmosphere where sinful activities are executed. But this time they were astonished, that "How these beautiful personalities are here?" Kiṁ devā upadevā vā yūyaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ. So, "Will you kindly let us know wherefrom you are coming? Are you coming from the Siddhaloka planet or heavenly planet?" Because in the material world nobody knows that there is a spiritual sky beyond this material sky... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmād tu bhava anyaḥ [Bg. 8.20]: "There is another nature." This is one nature, material nature, where millions and trillions of universes are clustered together in the corner of the spiritual sky.
This is only one universe, within which there are innumerable planets. But there are millions and trillions of universes also. That is material creation. Material creation means one-fourth part of the whole creation. Three-fourths part is spiritual creation.
Ekāṁśena sthito jagat [Bg. 10.42]. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "This whole material world is existing in one fourth of My energy." Kiṁ devā upadevā vā bhṛśaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ. Sarve padma-palāśākṣāḥ. They were very much satisfied by seeing the Viṣṇudūtas. Just like in your country they are very much satisfied by seeing your face.
They have named you "bright-faced." Why? You are naturally very beautiful, but they understand, your countrymen, that you have become more beautiful by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's a fact. [aside:]: You can sit down there. This is disturbing. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that naturally it will make you beautiful—not black-faced, not morose—beautiful face.
That is the sign of spiritual advancement. By the face you'll understand that "Here is a man who is spiritually advanced." Pratyakṣam avagamaṁ dharmyam [Bg. 9.2]. This process of spiritual consciousness can be directly perceived. It is not theoretical: "Oh, I am a very great devotee." No. Simply theoretical understanding, "I am a great devotee..." From the very face it will be understood.