mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

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According to authorities from beginning till the end of the chapter, the verses indicate increasing sweetness as the chapter progresses. First there was astonishment in accepting the King’s question. In the example of lusty women and men, the nature of the best devotees, absorbed in hearing about Kṛṣṇa is described. Then the Lord praises the bank of the river. Then he becomes aware of hunger and thirst. Then he makes arrangements for the boys to eat. Then the Lord takes his meal. Then he goes away to bring back the wandering calves, while consoling his friends, with rice in his hand. He then searches for the calves in inaccessible places. Then Brahmā bewilders the calves and boys with his māyā. Then the Lord with disturbed mind searches everywhere for the calves and boys. He immediately becomes aware of Brahmā’s actions. He then desired to please all the elder gopīs and Brahmā. He then became the forms of all the calves and boys. Then he played with them as previously. He is then pampered by all the mothers. Their affection for him and his affection for them develops more and more. Balarāma for a long time did not know the truth. At the end of a year, to enlighten Balarāma he reveals the special affection of the cows and cowherds for their calves and sons. Then Balarāma begins to wonder. Then he understands when informed by Kṛṣṇa. Then Brahmā becomes bewildered and sees the nature of those forms. He appreciates their greatness. Then Brahmā becomes stunned. Then suddenly all the forms are withdrawn. Brahmā becomes conscious and sees Vṛndāvana. He saw the Lord. He offers respects and weeps, falling repeatedly on the ground. Then he offers prayers with devotion. One should see the gradual development of astonishing events. For fear of a lengthy text, more details are not given. When the devotees consider these things they spontaneously understand.

 

Chapter Fourteen

Text 1

śrī-brahmovāca

naumīḍya te ’bhra-vapuṣe taḍid-ambarāya

guñjāvataṁsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhāya

vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-viṣāṇa-veṇu-

lakṣma-śriye mṛdu-pade paśupāṅgajāya

Translation

Brahmā said: O worshipable Lord! I offer my obeisances to you to attain you, Nanda’s son, having a body the complexion of a rain cloud, wearing cloth flashing like lightning, with face shining among peacock feathers and guñja berry decorations, with colorful forest garland, and possessing soft feet, your beauty enhanced by yogurt rice, stick, horn and flute.

Commentary

Brahmā began praising Kṛṣṇa, whom he realized as the highest form of power and sweetness, as his highest aspiration. O most worthy of worship (īḍye)! You are worthy of praise because today I have seen the whole material and spiritual realms enter into and emerge from you, the Supreme Brahman, composed of power and sweetness. Therefore I praise you. Why? I praise (naumi) in order to attain you (te). This follows the rule kriyārthoapapdasya ca karmāṇī sthāninaḥ: when and infinitive of purpose is suppressed (such as “to attain”) the object of the infinite (for instance “you”) is put in the dative case. (Pāṇini 2.3.14)

 

“But you can attain me as Brahman or some other form.” I attain you with a body of blackish color like a fresh dark cloud. Abhra means holding (bibharti) water (apaḥ). You have cloth yellow like lightning.

 

“But the lord of Vaikuṇṭha and others also are similar to that description.” But your face shines with guñja berries and peacock feather decorations all around (pari). You have a garland made of forest flowers and leaves of various colors. With heart attracted to Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes, he points out more particular items. You have yogurt rice in your left hand, a stick and horn under your left arm, and a flute tucked into your waist band. This arrangement is understood from the description in the last chapter. These are special marks. You become beautiful with these marks. You have tender feet. These are feet suitable for a small child.

 

But Brahmā does not say that Kṛṣṇa is just a child, since he has great respect for Kṛṣṇa as his master. He does not mention his limbs painted with minerals, a sign of his playing in Vṛndāvana. At last he mentions the desired object of all these descriptive elements. You are the son of Nanda, king of the cowherds. All the elements are automatically included when the young boy is described with this term. I offer respects to you, to attain you, the child cowherd. Thus, in the beginning of his praise he indicates the goal with the greatest longing.

 

Text 2

asyāpi deva vapuṣo mad-anugrahasya

svecchā-mayasya tanu-bhūta-mayasya ko ’pi

neśe mahi tv avasituṁ manasāntareṇa

sākṣāt tavaiva kim utātma-sukhānubhūteḥ

Translation

Even by controlling the mind, no one can understand the greatness of this form of the Lord of the universe, which manifested in many four-armed forms, but which is actually you, the one form of Svayam Bhagavān, who gave me mercy by you own will, who spreads through the universe in many spiritual forms and possess bliss which can be understood only by yourself.

 

“You offer respects to me, but actually you are simply describing my form.” This verse answers.

 

Though you manifested many forms you are only one form (vapuṣaḥ). Or it could mean any form. That form showed me mercy because you protect my creation by destroying adharma and propagating dharma. Your body is not made of material elements like that of effulgent devatās. It is made of parabrahman (ātma-sukhānubhūteḥ). Or it is direct knowledge (experience of the ātmā as happiness). Because of this, it cannot be understood by the inner mind, what to speak of direct perception. Therefore I have described the form I saw.

 

Or no one can understand the greatness of your cowherd boy form (tava vapuṣaḥ), superior to your form as the lord of Vaikuṇṭha (deva-vapuṣaḥ). Or no one can understand the greatness (mahi) of your (tasya) cowherd form (asya). What to speak of your form as brahman (ātma-sukhānubhūteh). The four armed forms are superior to your form as brahman. But the cowherd boy form is greater than the Vaikuṇṭha forms (divya-vapuṣaḥ).

 

Giving mercy to me, an offender, is your free will (svecchā-mayasya). You give mercy not only to devotees as in Dāmodara pastimes, but to all jīvas.

 

Are you not the cause of all entities (na tu bhūta-mayasya)? Yes, you are the sole shelter of the universe. You have appeared to give benefit to the world. Another version has nanu, easy to understand. Śrīdhara Svāmī accepts this alternate version

 

 Description of the Lord’s form are the highest praise, as in the following:

rūpaṁ yat tat prāhur avyaktam ādyaṁ

brahma jyotir nirguṇaṁ nirvikāram

sattā-mātraṁ nirviśeṣaṁ nirīhaṁ

sa tvaṁ sākṣād viṣṇur adhyātma-dīpaḥ

 

That form which they say is invisible, the cause of all causes, the greatest, self-manifesting, without qualities, without change, pure existence, without variety and without action, is directly you, the Supreme Lord, who manifests our intelligence. SB 10.3.24

 

.

satya-vrataṁ satya-paraṁ tri-satyaṁ

satyasya yoniṁ nihitaṁ ca satye

satyasya satyam ṛta-satya-netraṁ

satyātmakaṁ tvāṁ śaraṇaṁ prapannāḥ

 

The devatās prayed: O Lord, you are true to your promise, truth incarnate, pervading all aspects of time with truth, before the creation, during its existence and after its destruction. You are the revealer of sweet words and truth. We surrender to you, the embodiment of truth. SB 10.2.26

 

Text 3

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

Translation

Those who give up attempts to understand your powers, who live constantly in devotional association, and who pass their lives respecting topics about you and your associates with the ear, by body, mind and words, which they proclaim loudly, bring you under control, though you cannot be controlled by anyone in the three worlds.

Commentary

The devotees, giving up the effort to search for you, hear topics of your form, qualities and pastimes with intense devotion, and by that bring you under control. You are such a person. That is described in this verse. They give up consideration of the powerful aspects of your form (jñāne udapāsya) and out of longing remain in places where there are devotees rather than wandering about on pilgrimage with great suffering to the body. They respect your topics (namantaḥ) by their body, minds and words. At the time of hearing, they respect you with the body by folding their hands. They respect the topics by words by speaking in agreement. They respect the topics by the mind by maintaining faith in your existence. They respect the topics about you or your devotees like Nanda (bhavadīya), which are spoken loudly in order to drive away agitation of the senses and untruth, though generally the devotees remain silent. In this way they pass their lives (jīvanti).

 

Or, hearing those topics, they relish them as their very life (jīvanti). You cannot be attained (ajitaḥ) by the actions of body, mind or words alone, since you are beyond the senses, being self-manifested. But you are attained by your devotees. Or, you are not attainable, but you are attained and controlled by the devotees. This is constantly visible by the actions of their body, mind and words. Or you are attained directly by their bodies, minds and words. Their hands touch your lotus feet. They call you by their words. They decide to see you by their mind. Or you along with your body mind and words are not attained, but you and your body, mind and words are controlled. Your body is brought under control since you stay near the devotees, because of the devotees. Your words are under control since you glorify your devotees. Your mind is controlled since you always think of your devotee.

 

Text 4

śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho

kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye

teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate

nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām

Translation

O Lord! If fools give up bhakti, the all-inclusive path, and suffer to attain realization of ātmā without bhakti, they simply attain suffering and nothing else. They are like fools who beat empty husks.

 

It has been stated that the highests results arise from bhakti. Why should the greatness of bhakti be described as everything? By giving up this bhakti persons engaged in jñāna just suffer greatly. This is explained in this verse.

 

Bhakti produces the best results among all good processes. It includes all results such as jñāna. In spite of bhakti with its sweet topics, some people give up this process, and throw it far away, giving it no respect (udasya).

 

But they suffer to attain realization of the self, devoid of bhakti. They take great effort to observe yamas and niyamas in order to attain understanding of the pure ātmā (kevala-bodha-labdhaye). Or they make efforts in order to attain understanding of ātmā (bodha) unmixed with bhakti (kevala). All they attain is suffering. Svarga and purification of the heart are excluded as results (eva). “But by practicing yoga one can obtain wealth and position.” Other methods give no result (na anyat).

 

A suitable example is given. Fools who beat empty husk become the laughing stock of others. The husk simply becomes finer and gets destroyed. The fool gets sore hands. O Lord, everyone should worship you! They even fall to hell.

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād ātma-prabhavam īśvaram

na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

 

If any of the members of the four varṇas and four āśramas fail to worship the Lord and thus disrespect the Lord, who is the source of their own creation, they will fall down from their āśrama. SB 11.5.3

 

 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

 

“It is seen that others, giving up that type of bhakti, practice jñāna using hearing and contemplation of Upaniṣads in order to realize the greatness of the Lord.” Bhakti produces the best results among all good processes. It includes all results such as jñāna. In spite of bhakti with its sweet topics, some people give up this process, and throw it far away, giving it no respect (udasya). But they suffer to attain realization of the self, devoid of bhakti. They take great effort to observe yamas and niyamas and go here and there to obtain proper hearing and contemplation of Upaniṣads. But all they get is suffering. They do not even (eva) get purification of the heart. “But by practicing yoga one can obtain siddhis.” Other methods give no result.

 

svargāpavargayoḥ puṁsāṁ rasāyāṁ bhuvi sampadām

 

sarvāsām api siddhīnāṁ mūlaṁ tac-caraṇārcanam

 

Devotional service to the Lord’s lotus feet is the root cause of all the perfections a person can find in heaven, in liberation, in the subterranean regions and on earth. SB 10.81.19

 

The Lord himself says:

 

yasyāṁ na me pāvanam aṅga karma

 

sthity-udbhava-prāṇa-nirodham asya

 

līlāvatārepsita-janma vā syād

 

vandhyāṁ giraṁ tāṁ bibhṛyān na dhīraḥ

 

O Uddhava! The wise do not accept useless scriptures in which there are no descriptions of how I create, maintain and destroy the universe, and in which there are no descriptions of my auspicious birth as Kṛṣṇa among all the līlāvatāras. SB 11.11.20

 

A suitable example is given. Fools who beat empty husk become the laughing stock of others. The husk simply becomes finer and gets destroyed. The fool gets sore hands. O Lord, everyone should worship you!

 

Text 5

pureha bhūman bahavo ’pi yoginas

tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā

vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā

prapedire ’ñjo ’cyuta te gatiṁ parām

Translation

O Lord possessing unlimited glory! O Lord who does not fail his devotee! Many yogīs in the past, offering their activities to you and developing realization through devotional activities, easily attained your association.

 

This process is not just words, but was practiced and realized by many in the past. O Lord with unlimited glories (bhūman)! This is a suitable result for bhakti dedicated to you. Even liberated person (yoginaḥ) by hearing and glorifying your topics (te kathopanītayā) offered their activities to you. Or “Bhakti is difficult since it allows one to attain the supreme goal.” It can be done by purification (upanītayā) through hearing and glorifying you or by topcis concerning you which bring about glorification (upanītayā). Those topics are most excellent.

 

O Lord, you do not fail to give the desired results by performance of bhakti (acyuta)! Or by bhakti the yogīs will associate with you. They will attain the outstanding place, Vaikuṇṭha or prema (paraṁ gatim), understanding (vibudhya) it is the highest result.

 

Text 6

tathāpi bhūman mahimāguṇasya te

viboddhum arhaty amalāntar-ātmabhiḥ

avikriyāt svānubhavād arūpato

hy ananya-bodhyātmatayā na cānyathā

Translation

O great Lord! The greatness of one among your qualities may be realized by persons with pure hearts as one ātmā (Brahman) according to his realization by exclusive cultivation and not beyond that, since the Lord is actually beyond perception.

 

How can the glories of your bhakti and the glories of you be described? You are endowed with many qualities. The glory of even one of your qualities cannot be understood in truth.

 

Or though bhakti is glorified, a person engaged in jñāna cannot understand you who are endowed with an ocean of auspicious qualities. Perhaps some person can understand the glory of just one quality.

 

The glory (mahi) of your quality of mercy (mā guṇasya) can be understood. Or the glory of your quality as Rādhā can be understood. Though Kṛṣṇa was still a child, this can be stated in relation to his eternal pastimes. Or your glory can be especially understood (vi-bodhum) by the quality of mercy.

 

The method is given. The quality can be understood by the most merciful Lord (svānubhavāt), by the abundance of mercy in him (sva), which is complete (avikriyāt). The anubhava is further described. It can be characterized as the exclusive object of knowledge, ātmā, being without form. His real form is ultimately indefinable. It is not otherwise. It cannot be understood except through the Lord’s mercy. The Lord’s form as Brahman is indicated.

 

Or when does the mercy manifest? One cannot say because it is self-manifesting (ananya-bodhātmatayā). Or why can one not realize just the greatness of one quality by the mercy of Lakṣmī? The reason is given. Because the greatness is unlimited (bhūman). The quality has the form of Viṣṇu (arūpataḥ). The quality and possessor of the quality are non-different. It is not otherwise. It is not a lie. Yamunācārya says upary upary abja-bhuvo puruṣān: desiring to measure one of your transcendental qualities, the words of the Vedas again and again multiply by a hundred the qualities of Brahmā.

 

Text 7

guṇātmanas te ’pi guṇān vimātuṁ

hitāvatīṛnasya ka īśire ’sya

kālena yair vā vimitāḥ su-kalpair

bhū-pāṁśavaḥ khe mihikā dyu-bhāsaḥ

Translation

In time, skilled people might be able to count all the atoms of the earth, the particles of snow, or perhaps even the photons in the sky. But who could possibly count the unlimited transcendental qualities possessed by you, the vitalizer of all qualities, who have descended to display those qualities for the benefit of all living entities?

 

Particularly one cannot understand the extent of your qualities when you appear in the world. Qualities which were previously latent and unmanifest are revealed by you now. You are the life-giver of qualities (guṇātmanaḥ). Being manifest they should be measurable. Who can in detail enumerate your qualities (vi-matum)? No one can, because you have appeared in the world to give benefit all the jīvas. The meaning is this. The Lord reveals qualities suitable for the benefit of that jīva. The jīvas are unlimited and their natures are unlimited. And their conditions are unlimited. Thus your qualities that your reveal for each of them are unlimited. It is not possible to count them. No one can count them. The particles of earth, snow and light are progressively finer.

 

Text 8

tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo

bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam

hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te

jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

Translation

One who earnestly waits for you to bestow your mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and passes his life by offering you respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is the rightful claimant of you, the shelter of liberation.

 

The person waits patiently (su-samīṣamānaḥ) for mercy while he experiences his self-produced suffering, results of karma (vipākam). The word eva should be used with words in the sentence as necessary. He does not give regard for his happiness or suffering. He offers respects with mind words and body. This shows attachment (āsakti) only to the Lord and not to others, to the abode of liberation (mukti-pade) or mahākālapuram, or the place which is the very form of liberation, Vaikuṇṭha, or the lord’s lotus feet. Or the word can be taken as amukti-pade: the feet of he who does not give liberation to the devotees. By drowning in the ocean of the Lord’s sweet qualities, they reject the drop of salt water known as liberation.

 

This person becomes the giver (bhāk) of wealth (dāya). Just by his mind, making decisions, he gives mukti-pada to others. By his words alone and by the touch of his body, he delivers others.

 

Text 9

paśyeśa me ’nāryam ananta ādye

parātmani tvayy api māyi-māyini

māyāṁ vitatyekṣitum ātma-vaibhavaṁ

hy ahaṁ kiyān aiccham ivārcir agnau

Translation

My Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! To test your power I tried to extend my māyā over you, the unlimited power, my father, the master of māyā. What am I compared to you? I am just like a small spark in the presence of a great fire.

 

Brahmā reveals his offensive actions. O lord (īśa)! You are my master. Furthermore you have unlimited glories (ananta). Furthermore you are my father (ādye). Furthermore you are the supreme guru (parātmani) since you reveal the Vedas in my heart. You are the master of māyā. You are Kṛṣṇa (tvayi). Calling him the distributor of māyā would be unsuitable. The order of terms is with increasing significance.

 

By spreading my māyā I desired to see your greatness (ātma-vaibhavam).

ambhojanma-janis tad-antara-gato māyārbhakasyeśitur

draṣṭuṁ mañju mahitvam anyad api tad-vatsān ito vatsapān

nītvānyatra kurūdvahāntaradadhāt khe ’vasthito yaḥ purā

dṛṣṭvāghāsura-mokṣaṇaṁ prabhavataḥ prāptaḥ paraṁ vismayam

 

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit! Brahmā, who was born from Viṣṇu’s lotus navel, who resides in the sky, and who had become astonished on seeing Kṛṣṇa liberate Aghāsura, came to Vṛndāvana. Taking the boys and calves to another place in order to see some other power of the Lord, who was a boy with bewildering power, Brahmā then disappeared. SB 10.13.15

 

Hi indicates certainty or lamentation. Though this will not be an offense to you, I am such a low person (kiyān).

 

Text 10

ataḥ kṣamasvācyuta me rajo-bhuvo

hy ajānatas tvat-pṛthag-īśa-māninaḥ

ajāvalepāndha-tamo-’ndha-cakṣuṣa

eṣo ’nukampyo mayi nāthavān iti

Translation

Therefore, O infallible Lord, kindly excuse my offenses. I have taken birth in the mode of passion, ignorant, presuming myself a controller independent of you. My eyes are blinded by pride and ignorance, which causes me to think of myself as the unborn creator of the universe. You should think, “Since Brahmā is my servant, dedicated to me, he is worthy of my compassion.”

 

Because you are so great and I am so small you should forgive me. He shows his insignificance: I am born in passion, ignorant etc. Hi means certainly and is to be used with each term. You never fail at any time, in any way, from your glories (Acyuta). You forgive all offenses in a person who surrenders to you. “He is worthy of my mercy. He is a servant (nāthavān).” Why should Brahmā be a servant? He is a servant to me (mayi), bhagavān. By being a servant I attain you. An alternative to Śrīdhara Svāmī’s explanation is “My eyes are blinded by dense darkness by being spread with māyā.”

 

Text 11

kvāhaṁ tamo-mahad-ahaṁ-kha-carāgni-vār-bhū-

saṁveṣṭitāṇḍa-ghaṭa-sapta-vitasti-kāyaḥ

kvedṛg-vidhāvigaṇitāṇḍa-parāṇu-caryā-

vātādhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam

Translation

What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand, enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, fire, water and earth? And what is your glory, when unlimited universes pass through the pores of your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window when you create and destroy?

 

“How can I whom am so insignificant forgive you who are so great?” The universe is like a pot, insignificant compared to the Lord’s glory. What is your greatness! Therefore you should forgive me.

 

Text 12

utkṣepaṇaṁ garbha-gatasya pādayoḥ

kiṁ kalpate mātur adhokṣajāgase

kim asti-nāsti-vyapadeśa-bhūṣitaṁ

tavāsti kukṣeḥ kiyad apy anantaḥ

Translation

O controller of the senses! Does a mother take offense when the child within her womb kicks with his legs? And is there anything in existence — whether designated by various philosophers as real or as unreal — that is actually outside your form known as Hiraṇyagarbha antaryāmī?

 

Moreover the offense I committed does not affect you. O Lord who appeared as if born again under the axel of the cart! This is explained in Hari-vaṁśa, by Nārada:

 

adho ‘nena śayānena śakaṭāntara cāriṇā

 

rākṣasī nihatā raudrā śakuṇī-veśa-dhāriṇī

 

pūtanā nāma ghorā sā mahākāyā mahābalā

 

visa-dagdhaṁ stanaṁ kṣudrā prayacchantī janaṛdane

 

dadṛśur nihatāṁ tatra rākṣasīṁ vana-gocarāḥ

 

punar jāto ‘yam ityāhur uktas tasmaḍ adhokṣajaḥ

 

An angry Rākṣasī, entering the cart, was killed as Kṛṣṇa slept beneath the cart’s axel. Fierce Pūtanā with great strength and huge body, dressing herself auspiciously, gave her poisonous breast to Kṛṣṇa. Seeing that she was killed, the cowherds said “He has been born again.” Therefore he was called Adhokṣaja (beneath the axe –adhokṣa and born again — ja).