Bhagavatam tenth canto study 77 – 10.13.57-64 – Brahma realizes his folly in testing Krishna’s glory

Hare Krishna. परत्राजातो अतन्द्रसन्मुखब्रह्मा कमितो अनिषेपिद्रष्टुं किमिदं इतिवा मुहियति सती चच्छादाजो घ्यात्वा सबधिपरमोहि परमो अजजवानिकाम् So, परमो अजजवानिकाम् So, that Lord is beyond speculation.
So, here, Brahmaji is attempting to bewilder Krishna and being bewildered by Krishna in turn is being described. So, Brahmaji saw Krishna in his full opulence, in his full Vishnu opulence. Naturally, he was stunned by seeing that.
And now, what he is doing further is being described. What is further response? So, the attributes of Iraarshe. Iraarshe refers to, like, Ira is the name of Saraswati Devi.
She is the Lord. So, the Lord of Saraswati is Brahmaji. So, here, what is being described is that Iraarshe, the Lord of Saraswati, Saraswati is the goddess of learning.
But that Lord of the goddess of learning finds now that his learning is inadequate. अतर्के, his learning is inadequate because the Lord’s glory is beyond mental speculation. निज्यमहिम्नी स्वप्रमित्के, at his glory, Nijyamahimni is beyond his self-manifested, स्वप्रमित्के.
And परत्रजह is beyond the material energy. अतत्निरसन्मुख, so he can be known, ब्रह्मक, he can be known only by the Vedas. And all other knowledge that doesn’t lead to him, from the ultimate transcendental perspective, it is irrelevant.
And one needs to put aside whatever conclusions one may derive from such irrelevant knowledge and focus on connecting with the Absolute. ब्रह्मक मितव, by the crest jewel of, so, there is अनिष्य. So, Brahmaji was just, despite having all his knowledge, he couldn’t see what was happening.
It was like darkness for him, this is, in darkness we can’t see anything, so Brahmaji couldn’t see what is happening, why is this happening. गश्टुं किमिदं इति, वा मुह्यति सति, he was mystified. What is this, what am I seeing, चच्छा, at that time, अजः ग्यात्वा.
So, seeing his confusion, Krishna removed that confusion for him. So, it’s interesting, normally Brahma is referred to as Ajah, but at this particular point, Krishna is referred to as Ajah. Because the point is, the original unborn is Krishna, and although there may be other unborns, but beyond all those unborn beings, Krishna is the supreme unborn being.
And it’s Krishna who is the object of shelter, who is the supreme object in whom we are to seek shelter. And if we challenge the one who shelters us, then it is we who end up unsheltered. And that’s what happened to Brahmaji, that Iraishe, that lord of the goddess of Saraswati, found that there was no Saraswati, knowledge gives understanding, but he could get no understanding of what was happening.
Because the original unborn had outclassed the one who is commonly known as unborn, Brahmaji. तत्तो अर्वाक्प्रतिलप्धाक्षः, घपरेतवद उठितः, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, आचस्तेदं सहात्मना। Therefore, thereafter what happened, तत्तो अर्वाक्प्रतिलप्धाक्षः, it is as if he had come back to external consciousness, he was lost in thoughts, he was bewildered, he was not knowing what he was to do and what he was not to do, घपरेतवद उठितः, it was like being a dead man he came back to consciousness, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर्, कुछराद उन्मिल्यवई द्रुष्टिर् So, for example, when Trunavart takes Krishna high up into the sky, at that time it is said that Mother Yashoda seeing him there became so panicky, it was as if she had lost her life. Earlier also it was said that when Krishna was swallowed by Bakasura, it was like the Bajawasis, the Gopas with him lost their lives.
But when Krishna came out and bifurcated the mouth of Bakasura, then his life came back, their life came back. So, there of course it is because of love, so when it is talked about that the Bajawasis had almost lost their lives and regained their lives when they saw Krishna alive, safe, despite being inside the clutches of a demon temporarily, that is very different from the present situation where Brahmaji seemed to have lost his life because of bewilderment. We all have certain sources of shelter in our lives.
Some people it might be wealth, some people it might be strength, some people it might be wisdom. And if in that which is our strength and shelter in that only we are defeated, we are thwarted, then it becomes very difficult to move on, to do anything constructive. Something similar has happened to Brahma over here.
He felt as if dead because his learning, his wisdom, his intelligence for which even the Devatas go to consult him amidst danger, that has deserted him. And thus, it was like almost death and when he came back to external consciousness, it was like having come back from the dead. So then, again, immediately what did he see? He did saw this Abhithahapashyam, he saw in front of him, he saw everything as if it was before.
He saw Vrindavan, so it was filled with Dhruma trees, dense with trees, Janajivya, filled with life. So Janajivya, these trees were the source of life for the Vrajavasis. Janajivya Dhrumakirnam, the row of trees were what sustained the lives of the Vrajavasis.
And Samapriyam, one of the characters of Vrindavan is that it is always very attractive through all the seasons. Krishna arranges through Yogamaya for every season to have its variation. But though every season has its typical variation, still every variation stays within the arena of pleasantness.
So summers are warm, pleasantly warm, and the winters are cool, but pleasantly cool. And thus in that sense, Samapriyam, all of the seasons are very dear, are very equally dear. So basically, the vision which Brahmaji had has ended and now he is seeing Vrindavan and other things.
And seeing this, it’s like he has come out of a dream. Lord Chaitanya also, when sometimes he would come out of his deep inner consciousness to external consciousness, he would take some time to gather his bearings, where am I? Similarly, here Brahmaji is taking some gathered time to gather his bearings. And Samapriyam, so it’s like everything is so dear, but Vrindavan, basically when you say that the significance of using Dhrimakirinam Janajivya, that Vrindavan is a simple forest.
Of course, ultimately, all living beings depend on the bounty of nature for survival. But the kind of celestial opulences in terms of big palaces and armies and armours that might be seen in Svarga, especially when Indra is in regal splendour, or even in the King of Earth, or as Vishnu is envisioned with his Shankha Chakra Vada Padma, none of that opulence was there. So basically, now Vrindavan’s opulence is definitely there, but it’s pure and spiritual.
And that opulence, he is unable to see here. That is the opulence which requires a devotional vision to see. But right now, everything has come back to normal.
So just as Krishna gave Arjuna the Vishwaroopa Darshan in the 11th chapter, and then returned back to ordinary vision, so here Krishna has given Brahmaji also a Darshan, and that Darshan has now ended. And Vrindavan, in its disarmingly sweet simplicity, is now being seen by Brahmaji. So, let’s move on to text 60 now.
So, now here there is a very moving verse about the nature of Vrindavan. Although it’s a pastoral paradise, so we could say that, you know, with respect to jungles, there is certain rustic or romantic appeal of the jungles, but there is also certain brutal and scary reality. The jungles look beautiful, but then there can be predators and death can come in one moment.
And sometimes we might go to the forest and we might not find any water to drink, as happened to Parikshit Maharaj when he was out hunting. So, in Vrindavan, that brutality of nature is not there. And all of nature lives harmoniously.
The natural animosity that is there among living beings. All of them live together, the animals and the human beings. So, they live as friends.
And in this, because this is the abode of Ajita, of Lord Krishna, who is undefeatable, and thus they are here in this world. Dhruta has gone away from there. What has gone away? Anger, thirst and such things which cause stress are no longer there.
So, the transcendental attribute of Vrindavan is that it is being a part of a Kuntha. All that causes Kuntha, all that causes anxiety is absent here. And what are the things that normally cause anxiety? We have hunger and then that’s hunger or thirst, the basic bodily needs are there.
And also that’s anger, where we have Adibhautiklesh, where people may get upset with us and people may yell at us, people may hurt us. And that’s terrible. So, that’s not the case here in Vrindavan because it is natural affection.
So, Vrindavan has its own beauty. And lest we think that after having seen the magnificent opulence of Vishnu where all the opulent things in the universe are offering obeisance to him, I’ve seen the beauty of Vrindavan seems like an anticlimax, it seems to be too simple, then we need to guard against that conception because it’s just not true. Vrindavan is also extremely beautiful, extremely powerful.
And its beauty and power are in that the natural animosity among predators and prey has been eliminated and that requires a lot of power. And thus, there is an extraordinary beauty to Vrindavan, not just in its appearance, but also in its benevolence, in its countenance. So, Vrindavan’s beauty is not just in appearance it is beautiful, but also in the benevolence of that there is no animosity among naturally opposed animals.
This also echoes a verse in the Bible which says that in the kingdom of God, a tiger and a deer shall not fight but be friends. This idea that the natural animosity can be transcended by God’s grace is universal and that is demonstrated. So, we can say also enmity among or rivalry or mutual criticism that sometimes goes on among devotees can also be transcended when Vrindavan consciousness is encouraged.
So, text 61. In that, Tatra and Vrindavan, Uddhvahad. What is happening? So, in Krishna has maintained, in that Vamsha, Pashupa is those who maintain the animals.
Bhupa is the king. Pashupa is one who maintains the animals. The animals primarily refer to the cow.
So, Pashupa is the cowherd community. Vamsha, in that dynasty, Shishutva Natyam. Krishna is performing the Leela of being a child in the dynasty of the Pashupas.
And Brahma, Advayam, that Brahma which is having no equal, no substitute, Asamurdhva, that is transcendental, Param Anantamagadha Bodham, is having unlimited qualities, unlimited knowledge, so much knowledge that is beyond comprehension of us ordinary living beings. Vatsan, Sakhin, Ivapura, Parito, Vichinnuvat. Vatsan, Sakhin.
So, he saw that that same Absolute Truth had now assumed a form of a child. That is young Krishna who was still a child and he was searching for his Vatsan and Sakhin. For his friends and his cows.
Ivapura, just as before, Parito, Vichinnuvat, everywhere he was searching. Ekam Sapani Kavalam, Parameshti Achashta. So, Parameshti, Lord Brahmaji saw this.
Ekam Sapani Kavalam, with a morsel of food in his hands. So, this indicates how things change in the world of Krishna. That Krishna is omnipotent and he uses omnipotence in service of his devotees and for furthering his Leela.
So, he had given this mystical vision to Brahma and then in order to show him what is happening. First Brahma was bewildered and then he was enlightened and then he was taken back to the starting situation. So, to some extent Brahmaji had a choice.
He could just dismiss the whole vision as an illusion. But he could not have also because overall it was that the Gopas were apparently still there. When he had come back and seen Krishna, he was playing with the Gopas.
So, it’s like a time lapse vision where you can look at things from different ways and pursue things differently. So, here Brahmaji is perceiving things and now he has to pursue a particular course of action. So, that one absolute truth, he saw that absolute truth turn into a coward boy.
So, the one who is omniscient, one who is Adadavodham, now he was searching as if he didn’t know where the children are. Where his friends are. So, Krishna is all-powerful and तोमारा इच्छाय होई साव मायावश तोमारा इच्छाय नाश माया रपरश Prabhupada says that in his song too.
Krishna that my dear lord by your will everybody comes under illusion and everybody can come out of illusion. So, here he is showing that theme by saying that my dear lord everybody has an opportunity to come out of illusion. Krishna is demonstrating that theme here by showing that people can come out of illusion by his grace.
At Brahmaji, he has been shown all the various kinds of manifestations and now he has to make a decision. Whether he will continue to be in illusion or he will choose to come out of illusion. Text 62 दृश्टात्वरेणनिजः धरोणोत अवतीर्य पृत्यांवपू कनकदंडमिवाभिपात्य सुष्ट्वाजतुर्मुकुट्कोटिभिरअंग्रियुग्मम् नत्वामुदाश्रुसुजुलेर अकृताभिशेकम् दृश्टात्वरेणनिजः धरोणोत अवतीर्य पृत्यांवपू कनकदंदमिवाभिपात्य सुष्ट्वाजतुर्मुकुट्कोटिभिरअंग्रियुग्मम नत्वामुदाश्रुसुजुलेर अकृताभिशेकम् नत्वामुदाश्रुसुजुलेर अकृताभिशेकम् दृश्टात्वरेणनिजः धरोणोत अवतीर्य पृत्यांवपू कनकदंदमिवाभिपात्य and he fell down and offered obeisances to Krishna as if it was कनकदंदम so Brahmaji’s complexion is golden so it appeared as if it is a golden stick that had fallen down complete frustration he did he realised that I have committed a big big blunder इवाभिपात्य he fell down स्विष्ट्वाचतुर्मुकुट्कोटिभिरंग्रियुग्मम् and चतुर्मुकुट्कोटिभि so his Mukut, his crown had its four tips so in every possible way he offered his obeisance to Krishna he fell at his अंग्रियुग्मम् at the lotus feet of Krishna नत्वामुदाश्रुसुजुलेर अकृताभिशेकम् and he performed Abhishek of Krishna’s lotus feet he bathed Krishna’s lotus feet with the tears from his eyes so generally when a person with a soft heart commits a mistake then they immediately recognise the gravity of their mistake and they express remorse and they apologise and the sincerity of their apology comes out from the intensity of the emotions that they express sometimes when people who are hard hearted, who are habitual wrong doers when they do something wrong and they realise that that they have been caught doing wrong they are embarrassed more embarrassed, more because of being caught rather than having done wrong and they try to cover up or justify their actions but here Brahmaji, the first thing that he does is apologises that indicates sincerity of his piety and his bhakti and tears were flowing from his eyes because he realised that he had made a big mistake what he had done was something which should not have been done but somehow he ended up doing it so thereafter now the next chapter will describe the prayer that he offers but here his obeisance is described then text 63 utthaya utthaya krishnasya see utthaya utthaya, he fell and he rose and then he felt that oh what a serious mistake I have done so again he fell and offered obeisances again he rose and again he offered obeisances Arjun also says that I offer you obeisance hundreds of times of Krishna something similar is being described over here he fell at Krishna’s feet for a long time out of his regret the you, the magnificence, the glory the opulence what he had previously seen he again and again remembered it see the Bhagavatam uses a poetic device to convey his to convey Brahmaji’s emotions just as when we are overwhelmed by a particular emotion then we might repeat the same thing again and again we might say for example if we are very embarrassed about some big misplunder that we have committed we might say I am sorry, I am sorry a dozen times so like that here there is repetition of words to indicate the intensity of the emotion utthaya utthaya, smritva smritva, punha punha so again and again he rose and again and again he remembered oh what, that this child is no ordinary child he is the supreme lord thus this poetic usages also convey the sincerity and intensity of Brahmaji’s remorse at his folly in trying to test Krishna’s glory savepathur gadai latelaya chanair athothaya gradually they rose vimruj jalo chane and his eyes he started wiping his tears from his eyes mukunda viksha he beheld lord Krishna mukunda, he is the giver of liberation he is hoping that he can forgive him also liberate him from the folly of his own previous actions vinamra kandhara and he is now humility can be expressed as emotion humility can also be expressed as action so here he is saying vinamra kandhara his neck was bent down and that indicated his humility so earlier his body prostrated down indicated his humility now he looked up at Krishna and he looked down vinamra kandhara thereby conveying his humility prashrayavan samahitaha and with humility he concentrated his mind savepathur gadgadaya and his words were trembling ailata ilaya he started offering prayers so in this way this chapter concludes with Brahmaji offering prayers to Krishna to convey his sincere heartfelt remorse about what he has done how those prayers proceed we will discuss in our next session thank you