CC Madhya 20.399
TEXT 399
hariḥ pūrṇatamaḥ pūrṇa-
taraḥ pūrṇa iti tridhā
śreṣṭha-madhyādibhiḥ śabdair
nāṭye yaḥ paripaṭhyate
SYNONYMS
hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pūrṇa-tamaḥ—most complete; pūrṇa-taraḥ—more complete; pūrṇaḥ—complete; iti—thus; tridhā—three stages; śreṣṭha—best; madhya-ādibhiḥ—middle, etc.; śabdaiḥ—by the words; nāṭye—in books on dramatics; yaḥ—who; paripaṭhyate—is proclaimed.
TRANSLATION
“‘This is stated in the dramatic literatures as “perfect,” “more perfect” and “most perfect.” Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in three ways—perfect, more perfect and most perfect.