Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s3.31

c9.s3.31

Incidentally Rūpa Gosvāmin discusses how contradictory qualities, like unity (Ekatva) and diversity (Pṛthakatva), fullness (Amśitva) and division (Amśatva), can inhere in Kṛṣṇa. This is explained as being possible because the power of the godhead is incomprehensible (*acintya-śaktitaḥ*); and this position is supported by the citation of Purāṇa texts. The sixteen Kalās (i.e. parts or digits), assumed by the supreme being for the creation of the world (*bhuvanānāṃ sisṛkṣayā*), are spoken of in the Vaiṣṇava Bhakti-śāstras as his sixteen Śaktis or Energies. They are enumerated as Śrī, Bhū, Kīrti, Ilā, Līlā, Kānti, Vidyā, Vimalā, Utkarṣaṇī, Jñānā, Kriyā, Yogā, Prahvī, Satyā, Īśānā and Anugrahā; but their respective characteristics are not explained.