Chapter 14: Brahmā's Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa

 

10.14.1

śrī-brahmovāca

naumīḍya te 'bhra-vapuṣe taḍid-ambarāya

guñjāvataḿsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhāya

vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-viṣāṇa-veṇu-

lakṣma-śriye mṛdu-pade paśupāńgajāya

 

śrī-brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said; naumi — I offer praise; īḍya — O most worshipable one; te — unto You; abhra — like a dark cloud; vapuṣe — whose body; taḍit — like lightning; ambarāya — whose garment; guñjā — made of small berries; avataḿsa — with ornaments (for the ears); paripiccha — and peacock feathers; lasat — resplendent; mukhāya — whose face; vanya-sraje — wearing garlands of forest flowers; kavala — a morsel of food; vetra — a stick; viṣāṇa — a buffalo-horn bugle; veṇu — and a flute; lakṣma — characterized by; śriye — whose beauty; mṛdu — soft; pade — whose feet; paśu-pa — of the cowherd (Nanda Mahārāja); ańga-jāya — unto the son.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Brahmā said: My dear Lord, You are the only worshipable Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore I offer my humble obeisances and prayers just to please You. O son of the king of the cowherds, Your transcendental body is dark blue like a new cloud, Your garment is brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of Your face is enhanced by Your guñjā earrings and the peacock feather on Your head. Wearing garlands of various forest flowers and leaves, and equipped with a herding stick, a buffalo horn and a flute, You stand beautifully with a morsel of food in Your hand.

 

10.14.2

asyāpi deva vapuṣo mad-anugrahasya

svecchā-mayasya na tu bhūta-mayasya ko 'pi

neśe mahi tv avasituḿ manasāntareṇa

sākṣāt tavaiva kim utātma-sukhānubhūteḥ

 

asya — of this; api — even; deva — O Lord; vapuṣaḥ — the body; mat-anugrahasya — which has shown mercy to me; sva-icchā-mayasya — which appears in response to the desires of Your pure devotees; na — not; tu — on the other hand; bhūta-mayasya — a product of matter; kaḥ — Brahmā; api — even; na īśe — I am not able; mahi — the potency; tu — indeed; avasitum — to estimate; manasā — with my mind; antareṇa — which is controlled and withdrawn; sākṣāt — directly; tava — Your; eva — indeed; kim uta — what to speak; ātma — within Yourself; sukha — of happiness; anubhūteḥ — of Your experience.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, neither I nor anyone else can estimate the potency of this transcendental body of Yours, which has shown such mercy to me and which appears just to fulfill the desires of Your pure devotees. Although my mind is completely withdrawn from material affairs, I cannot understand Your personal form. How, then, could I possibly understand the happiness You experience within Yourself?

 

10.14.3

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāḿ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāḿ tanu-vāń-manobhir

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

 

jñāne — for knowledge; prayāsam — the endeavor; udapāsya — giving up completely; namantaḥ — offering obeisances; eva — simply; jīvanti — live; sat-mukharitām — chanted by the pure devotees; bhavadīya-vārtām — topics related to You; sthāne — in their material position; sthitāḥ — remaining; śruti-gatām — received by hearing; tanu — with their body; vāk — words; manobhiḥ — and mind; ye — who; prāyaśaḥ — for the most part; ajita — O unconquerable one; jitaḥ — conquered; api — nevertheless; asi — You become; taiḥ — by them; tri-lokyām — within the three worlds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

 

10.14.4

śreyaḥ-sṛtiḿ bhaktim udasya te vibho

kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye

teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate

nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām

 

śreyaḥ — of supreme benefit; sṛtim — the path; bhaktim — devotional service; udasya — rejecting; te — they; vibho — O almighty Lord; kliśyanti — struggle; ye — who; kevala — exclusive; bodha — of knowledge; labdhaye — for the achievement; teṣām — for them; asau — this; kleśalaḥ — botheration; eva — merely; śiṣyate — remains; na — nothing; anyat — other; yathā — just as; sthūla-tuṣa — empty husks; avaghātinām — for those who are beating.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self-realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result. As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization. His only gain is trouble.

 

10.14.5

pureha bhūman bahavo 'pi yoginas

tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā

vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā

prapedire 'ñjo 'cyuta te gatiḿ parām

 

purā — previously; iha — in this world; bhūman — O almighty Lord; bahavaḥ — many; api — indeed; yoginaḥ — followers of the path of yoga; tvat — unto You; arpita — having offered; īhāḥ — all their endeavors; nija-karma — by their prescribed duties; labdhayā — which is achieved; vibudhya — coming to understand; bhaktyā — by devotional service; eva — indeed; kathā-upanītayā — cultivated through hearing and chanting topics about You; prapedire — they achieved by surrender; añjaḥ — easily; acyuta — O infallible one; te — Your; gatim — destination; parām — supreme.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O almighty Lord, in the past many yogīs in this world achieved the platform of devotional service by offering all their endeavors unto You and faithfully carrying out their prescribed duties. Through such devotional service, perfected by the processes of hearing and chanting about You, they came to understand You, O infallible one, and could easily surrender to You and achieve Your supreme abode.

 

10.14.6

tathāpi bhūman mahimāguṇasya te

viboddhum arhaty amalāntar-ātmabhiḥ

avikriyāt svānubhavād arūpato

hy ananya-bodhyātmatayā na cānyathā

 

tathā api — nevertheless; bhūman — O limitless one; mahimā — the potency; aguṇasya — of Him who has no material qualities; te — of You; viboddhum — to understand; arhati — one is able; amala — spotless; antaḥ-ātmabhiḥ — with mind and senses; avikriyāt — not based on material differentiations; sva-anubhavāt — by perception of the Supreme Soul; arūpataḥ — without attachment to material forms; hi — indeed; ananya-bodhya-ātmatayā — as self-manifested, without the help of any other illuminating agent; na — not; ca — and; anyathā — otherwise.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nondevotees, however, cannot realize You in Your full personal feature. Nevertheless, it may be possible for them to realize Your expansion as the impersonal Supreme by cultivating direct perception of the Self within the heart. But they can do this only by purifying their mind and senses of all conceptions of material distinctions and all attachment to material sense objects. Only in this way will Your impersonal feature manifest itself to them.

 

10.14.7

guṇātmanas te 'pi guṇān vimātuḿ

hitāvatīṛnasya ka īśire 'sya

kālena yair vā vimitāḥ su-kalpair

bhū-pāḿśavaḥ khe mihikā dyu-bhāsaḥ

 

guṇa-ātmanaḥ — of the possessor of all superior qualities; te — You; api — certainly; guṇān — the qualities; vimātum — to count; hita-avatīrṇasya — who have descended for the benefit of all living entities; ke — who; īśire — are able; asya — of the universe; kālena — in due course of time; yaiḥ — by whom; vā — or; vimitāḥ — counted; su-kalpaiḥ — by great scientists; bhū-pāḿśavaḥ — the atoms of an earthly planet; khe — in the sky; mihikāḥ — the particles of snow; dyu-bhāsaḥ — the illumination of stars and planets.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In time, learned philosophers or scientists might be able to count all the atoms of the earth, the particles of snow, or perhaps even the shining molecules radiating from the sun, the stars and other luminaries. But among these learned men, who could possibly count the unlimited transcendental qualities possessed by You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have descended onto the surface of the earth for the benefit of all living entities?

 

10.14.8

tat te 'nukampāḿ su-samīkṣamāṇo

bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaḿ vipākam

hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te

jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

 

tat — therefore; te — Your; anukampām — compassion; su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ — earnestly hoping for; bhuñjānaḥ — enduring; eva — certainly; ātma-kṛtam — done by himself; vipākam — the fruitive results; hṛt — with his heart; vāk — words; vapurbhiḥ — and body; vidadhan — offering; namaḥ — obeisances; te — unto You; jīveta — lives; yaḥ — anyone who; mukti-pade — to the position of liberation; saḥ — he; dāya-bhāk — the rightful heir.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.

 

10.14.9

paśyeśa me 'nāryam ananta ādye

parātmani tvayy api māyi-māyini

māyāḿ vitatyekṣitum ātma-vaibhavaḿ

hy ahaḿ kiyān aiccham ivārcir agnau

 

paśya — just see; īśa — O Lord; me — my; anāryam — contemptible behavior; anante — against the unlimited; ādye — the primeval; para-ātmani — the Supersoul; tvayi — You; api — even; māyi-māyini — for the masters of illusion; māyām — (my) illusory potency; vitatya — spreading; īkṣitum — to see; ātma — Your; vaibhavam — power; hi — indeed; aham — I; kiyān — how much; aiccham — I desired; iva — just like; arciḥ — a small spark; agnau — in comparison to the whole fire.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! To test Your power I tried to extend my illusory potency to cover You, the unlimited and primeval Supersoul, who bewilder even the masters of illusion. What am I compared to You? I am just like a small spark in the presence of a great fire.

 

10.14.10

ataḥ kṣamasvācyuta me rajo-bhuvo

hy ajānatas tvat-pṛthag-īśa-māninaḥ

ajāvalepāndha-tamo-'ndha-cakṣuṣa

eṣo 'nukampyo mayi nāthavān iti

 

ataḥ — therefore; kṣamasva — please excuse; acyuta — O infallible Lord; me — me; rajaḥ-bhuvaḥ — who have taken birth in the mode of passion; hi — indeed; ajānataḥ — being ignorant; tvat — from You; pṛthak — separate; īśa — a controller; māninaḥ — presuming myself; aja — the unborn creator; avalepa — the covering; andha-tamaḥ — by such darkness of ignorance; andha — blinded; cakṣuṣaḥ — my eyes; eṣaḥ — this person; anukampyaḥ — should be shown mercy; mayi — Me; nātha-vān — having as his master; iti — thus thinking.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, O infallible Lord, kindly excuse my offenses. I have taken birth in the mode of passion and am therefore simply foolish, presuming myself a controller independent of Your Lordship. My eyes are blinded by the darkness of ignorance, which causes me to think of myself as the unborn creator of the universe. But please consider that I am Your servant and therefore worthy of Your compassion.

 

10.14.11

kvāhaḿ tamo-mahad-ahaḿ-kha-carāgni-vār-bhū-

saḿveṣṭitāṇḍa-ghaṭa-sapta-vitasti-kāyaḥ

kvedṛg-vidhāvigaṇitāṇḍa-parāṇu-caryā-

vātādhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam

 

kva — where; aham — I; tamaḥ — the material nature; mahat — the total material energy; aham — false ego; kha — ether; cara — air; agni — fire; vāḥ — water; bhū — earth; saḿveṣṭita — surrounded by; aṇḍa-ghaṭa — a potlike universe; sapta-vitasti — seven spans; kāyaḥ — body; kva — where; īdṛk — such; vidhā — like; avigaṇita — unlimited; aṇḍa — universes; para-aṇu — like the atomic dust; caryā — moving; vāta-adhva — airholes; roma — of hair on the body; vivarasya — of the holes; ca — also; te — Your; mahitvam — greatness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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

 

10.14.12

utkṣepaṇaḿ garbha-gatasya pādayoḥ

kiḿ kalpate mātur adhokṣajāgase

kim asti-nāsti-vyapadeśa-bhūṣitaḿ

tavāsti kukṣeḥ kiyad apy anantaḥ

 

utkṣepaṇam — the kicking; garbha-gatasya — of a child in the womb; pādayoḥ — of the legs; kim — what; kalpate — amounts to; mātuḥ — for the mother; adhokṣaja — O transcendental Lord; āgase — as an offense; kim — what; asti — it exists; na asti — it does not exist; vyapadeśa — by the designations; bhūṣitam — decorated; tava — Your; asti — there is, kukṣeḥ — of the abdomen; kiyat — how much; api — even; anantaḥ — external.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord Adhokṣaja, 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 abdomen?

 

10.14.13

jagat-trayāntodadhi-samplavode

nārāyaṇasyodara-nābhi-nālāt

vinirgato 'jas tv iti vāń na vai mṛṣā

kintv īśvara tvan na vinirgato 'smi

 

jagat-traya — of the three worlds; anta — in the dissolution; udadhi — of all the oceans; samplava — of the total deluge; ude — in the water; nārāyaṇasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa; udara — growing from the abdomen; nābhi — from the navel; nālāt — out of the lotus stem; vinirgataḥ — came out; ajaḥ — Brahmā; tu — indeed; iti — thus speaking; vāk — the words; na — are not; vai — certainly; mṛṣā — false; kintu — thus; īśvara — O Lord; tvat — from You; na — not; vinirgataḥ — specifically emanated; asmi — am I.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, it is said that when the three planetary systems are merged into the water at the time of dissolution, Your plenary portion, Nārāyaṇa, lies down on the water, gradually a lotus flower grows from His navel, and Brahmā takes birth upon that lotus flower. Certainly, these words are not false. Thus am I not born from You?

 

10.14.14

nārāyaṇas tvaḿ na hi sarva-dehinām

ātmāsy adhīśākhila-loka-sākṣī

nārāyaṇo 'ńgaḿ nara-bhū-jalāyanāt

tac cāpi satyaḿ na tavaiva māyā

 

nārāyaṇaḥ — the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa; tvam — You; na — not; hi — whether; sarva — of all; dehinām — embodied living beings; ātmā — the Supersoul; asi — You are; adhīśa — O supreme controller; akhila — of all; loka — planets; sākṣī — the witness; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Śrī Nārāyaṇa; ańgam — the expanded plenary portion; nara — from the Supreme Personality; bhū — originating; jala — of the water; ayanāt — because of being the manifesting source; tat — that (expansion); ca — and; api — indeed; satyam — true; na — not; tava — Your; eva — at all; māyā — illusory energy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Are You not the original Nārāyaṇa, O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Nārāyaṇa is Your expansion, and He is called Nārāyaṇa because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of Your illusory Māyā.

 

10.14.15

tac cej jala-sthaḿ tava saj jagad-vapuḥ

kiḿ me na dṛṣṭaḿ bhagavaḿs tadaiva

kiḿ vā su-dṛṣṭaḿ hṛdi me tadaiva

kiḿ no sapady eva punar vyadarśi

 

tat — that; cet — if; jala-stham — situated upon the water; tava — Your; sat — real; jagat — sheltering the entire universe; vapuḥ — the transcendental body; kim — why; me — by me; na dṛṣṭam — was not seen; bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; tadā eva — at that very time; kim — why; vā — or; su-dṛṣṭam — perfectly seen; hṛdi — within the heart; me — by me; tadā eva — just then; kim — why; na — not; u — on the other hand; sapadi — suddenly; eva — indeed; punaḥ — again; vyadarśi — was seen.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, if Your transcendental body, which shelters the entire universe, is actually lying upon the water, then why were You not seen by me when I searched for You? And why, though I could not envision You properly within my heart, did You then suddenly reveal Yourself?

 

10.14.16

atraiva māyā-dhamanāvatāre

hy asya prapañcasya bahiḥ sphuṭasya

kṛtsnasya cāntar jaṭhare jananyā

māyātvam eva prakaṭī-kṛtaḿ te

 

atra — in this; eva — indeed; māyā-dhamana — O subduer of Māyā; avatāre — in the incarnation; hi — certainly; asya — of this; prapañcasya — created material manifestation; bahiḥ — externally; sphuṭasya — which is visible; kṛtsnasya — entire; ca — and; antaḥ — within; jaṭhare — Your abdomen; jananyāḥ — unto Your mother; māyātvam — Your bewildering potency; eva — indeed; prakaṭī-kṛtam — has been demonstrated; te — by You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, in this incarnation You have proved that You are the supreme controller of Māyā. Although You are now within this universe, the whole universal creation is within Your transcendental body — a fact You demonstrated by exhibiting the universe within Your abdomen before Your mother, Yaśodā.

 

10.14.17

yasya kukṣāv idaḿ sarvaḿ

sātmaḿ bhāti yathā tathā

tat tvayy apīha tat sarvaḿ

kim idaḿ māyayā vinā

 

yasya — of whom; kukṣau — within the abdomen; idam — this cosmic manifestation; sarvam — all; sa-ātmam — including Yourself; bhāti — is manifested; yathā — as; tathā — so; tat — that; tvayi — within You; api — although; iha — here externally; tat — that cosmic manifestation; sarvam — whole; kim — what; idam — this; māyayā — the influence of Your inconceivable energy; vinā — without.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just as this entire universe, including You, was exhibited within Your abdomen, so it is now manifested here externally in the same exact form. How could such things happen unless arranged by Your inconceivable energy?

 

10.14.18

adyaiva tvad ṛte 'sya kiḿ mama na te māyātvam ādarśitam

eko 'si prathamaḿ tato vraja-suhṛd-vatsāḥ samastā api

tāvanto 'si catur-bhujās tad akhilaiḥ sākaḿ mayopāsitās

tāvanty eva jaganty abhūs tad amitaḿ brahmādvayaḿ śiṣyate

 

adya — today; eva — just; tvat ṛte — apart from You; asya — of this universe; kim — what; mama — to me; na — not; te — by You; māyātvam — the basis in Your inconceivable potency; ādarśitam — shown; ekaḥ — alone; asi — You are; prathamam — first of all; tataḥ — then; vraja-suhṛt — Your cowherd boyfriends of Vṛndāvana; vatsāḥ — and the calves; samastāḥ — all; api — even; tāvantaḥ — of the same number; asi — You became; catuḥ-bhujāḥ — four-handed forms of Lord Viṣṇu; tat — then; akhilaiḥ — by all; sākam — together with; mayā — myself; upāsitāḥ — being worshiped; tāvanti — of the same number; eva — also; jaganti — universes; abhūḥ — You became; tat — then; amitam — the unlimited; brahma — Absolute Truth; advayam — one without a second; śiṣyate — You now remain.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Have You not shown me today that both You Yourself and everything within this creation are manifestations of Your inconceivable potency? First You appeared alone, and then You manifested Yourself as all of Vṛndāvana's calves and cowherd boys, Your friends. Next You appeared as an equal number of four-handed Viṣṇu forms, who were worshiped by all living beings, including me, and after that You appeared as an equal number of complete universes. Finally, You have now returned to Your unlimited form as the Supreme Absolute Truth, one without a second.

 

10.14.19

ajānatāḿ tvat-padavīm anātmany

ātmātmanā bhāsi vitatya māyām

sṛṣṭāv ivāhaḿ jagato vidhāna

iva tvam eṣo 'nta iva trinetraḥ

 

ajānatām — to persons who are in ignorance; tvat-padavīm — of Your transcendental position; anātmani — in the material energy; ātmā — Yourself; ātmanā — by Yourself; bhāsi — appear; vitatya — expanding; māyām — Your inconceivable energy; sṛṣṭau — in the matter of creation; iva — as if; aham — I, Brahmā; jagataḥ — of the universe; vidhāne — in the maintenance; iva — as if; tvam eṣaḥ — Yourself; ante — in the annihilation; iva — as if; tri-netraḥ — Lord Śiva.

 

TRANSLATION

 

To persons ignorant of Your actual transcendental position, You appear as part of the material world, manifesting Yourself by the expansion of Your inconceivable energy. Thus for the creation of the universe You appear as me [Brahmā], for its maintenance You appear as Yourself [Viṣṇu], and for its annihilation You appear as Lord Trinetra [Śiva].

 

10.14.20

sureṣv ṛṣiṣv īśa tathaiva nṛṣv api

tiryakṣu yādaḥsv api te 'janasya

janmāsatāḿ durmada-nigrahāya

prabho vidhātaḥ sad-anugrahāya ca

 

sureṣu — among the demigods; ṛṣiṣu — among the great sages; īśa — O Lord; tathā — as well as; eva — indeed; nṛṣu — among the human beings; api — and; tiryakṣu — among animals; yādaḥsu — among aquatics; api — also; te — of You; ajanasya — who never takes material birth; janma — the birth; asatām — of the nondevotees; durmada — the false pride; nigrahāya — for the purpose of subduing; prabho — O master; vidhātaḥ — O creator; sat — to the faithful devotees; anugrahāya — for the purpose of showing mercy; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Lord, O supreme creator and master, You have no material birth, yet to defeat the false pride of the faithless demons and show mercy to Your saintly devotees, You take birth among the demigods, sages, human beings, animals and even the aquatics.

 

10.14.21

ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman

yogeśvarotīr bhavatas tri-lokyām

kva vā kathaḿ vā kati vā kadeti

vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām

 

kaḥ — who; vetti — knows; bhūman — O supreme great one; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; para-ātman — O Supreme Soul; yoga-īśvara — O master of mystic power; ūtīḥ — the pastimes; bhavataḥ — of Your Lordship; tri-lokyām — in the three worlds; kva — where; vā — or; katham — how; vā — or; kati — how many; vā — or; kadā — when; iti — thus; vistārayan — expanding; krīḍasi — You play; yoga-māyām — Your spiritual energy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing these innumerable pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your spiritual energy acts.

 

10.14.22

tasmād idaḿ jagad aśeṣam asat-svarūpaḿ

svapnābham asta-dhiṣaṇaḿ puru-duḥkha-duḥkham

tvayy eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanāv anante

māyāta udyad api yat sad ivāvabhāti

 

tasmāt — therefore; idam — this; jagat — cosmic manifestation; aśeṣam — entire; asat-svarūpam — whose existence is unreal in the sense of temporary; svapna-ābham — like a dream; asta-dhiṣaṇam — wherein awareness becomes covered over; puru-duḥkha-duḥkham — full of repeated miseries; tvayi — within You; eva — indeed; nitya — eternal; sukha — happy; bodha — conscious; tanau — whose personal appearances; anante — who is unlimited; māyātaḥ — by the illusory energy; udyat — coming forth; api — although; yat — which; sat — real; iva — as if; avabhāti — appears.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore this entire universe, which like a dream is by nature unreal, nevertheless appears real, and thus it covers one's consciousness and assails one with repeated miseries. This universe appears real because it is manifested by the potency of illusion emanating from You, whose unlimited transcendental forms are full of eternal happiness and knowledge.

 

10.14.23

ekas tvam ātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

satyaḥ svayaḿ-jyotir ananta ādyaḥ

nityo 'kṣaro 'jasra-sukho nirañjanaḥ

pūrṇādvayo mukta upādhito 'mṛtaḥ

 

ekaḥ — one; tvam — You; ātmā — the Supreme Soul; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; purāṇaḥ — the oldest; satyaḥ — the Absolute Truth; svayam-jyotiḥ — self-manifested; anantaḥ — without end; ādyaḥ — without beginning; nityaḥ — eternal; akṣaraḥ — indestructible; ajasra-sukhaḥ — whose happiness cannot be obstructed; nirañjanaḥ — devoid of contamination; pūrṇa — complete; advayaḥ — without a second; muktaḥ — free; upādhitaḥ — from all material designations; amṛtaḥ — deathless.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You are the one Supreme Soul, the primeval Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth — self-manifested, endless and beginningless. You are eternal and infallible, perfect and complete, without any rival and free from all material designations. Your happiness can never be obstructed, nor have You any connection with material contamination. Indeed, You are the indestructible nectar of immortality.

 

10.14.24

evaḿ-vidhaḿ tvāḿ sakalātmanām api

svātmānam ātmātmatayā vicakṣate

gurv-arka-labdhopaniṣat-sucakṣuṣā

ye te tarantīva bhavānṛtāmbudhim

 

evam-vidham — as thus described; tvām — You; sakala — of all; ātmanām — souls; api — indeed; sva-ātmānam — the very Soul; ātma-ātmatayā — as the Supersoul; vicakṣate — they see; guru — from the spiritual master; arka — who is like the sun; labdha — received; upaniṣat — of confidential knowledge; su-cakṣuṣā — by the perfect eye; ye — who; te — they; taranti — cross over; iva — easily; bhava — of material existence; anṛta — which is not real; ambudhim — the ocean.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Those who have received the clear vision of knowledge from the sunlike spiritual master can see You in this way, as the very Soul of all souls, the Supersoul of everyone's own self. Thus understanding Your original personality, they are able to cross over the ocean of illusory material existence.

 

10.14.25

ātmānam evātmatayāvijānatāḿ

tenaiva jātaḿ nikhilaḿ prapañcitam

jñānena bhūyo 'pi ca tat pralīyate

rajjvām aher bhoga-bhavābhavau yathā

 

ātmānam — Yourself; eva — indeed; ātmatayā — as the Supreme Soul; avijānatām — for those who do not understand; tena — by that; eva — alone; jātam — is generated; nikhilam — the entire; prapañcitam — material existence; jñānena — by knowledge; bhūyaḥ api — once again; ca — and; tat — that material existence; pralīyate — disappears; rajjvām — within a rope; aheḥ — of a snake; bhoga — of the body; bhava-abhavau — the apparent appearance and disappearance; yathā — just as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A person who mistakes a rope for a snake becomes fearful, but he then gives up his fear upon realizing that the so-called snake does not exist. Similarly, for those who fail to recognize You as the Supreme Soul of all souls, the expansive illusory material existence arises, but knowledge of You at once causes it to subside.

 

10.14.26

ajñāna-saḿjñau bhava-bandha-mokṣau

dvau nāma nānyau sta ṛta-jña-bhāvāt

ajasra-city ātmani kevale pare

vicāryamāṇe taraṇāv ivāhanī

 

ajñāna — manifesting from ignorance; saḿjñau — which designations; bhava-bandha — bondage to material existence; mokṣau — and liberation; dvau — the two; nāma — indeed; na — not; anyau — separate; staḥ — are; ṛta — true; jña-bhāvāt — from knowledge; ajasra-citi — whose awareness is unimpeded; ātmani — the spirit soul; kevale — who is separate from matter; pare — who is pure; vicāryamāṇe — when he is properly distinguished; taraṇau — within the sun; iva — just as; ahanī — day and night.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The conception of material bondage and the conception of liberation are both manifestations of ignorance. Being outside the scope of true knowledge, they cease to exist when one correctly understands that the pure spirit soul is distinct from matter and always fully conscious. At that time bondage and liberation no longer have any significance, just as day and night have no significance from the perspective of the sun.

 

10.14.27

tvām ātmānaḿ paraḿ matvā

param ātmānam eva ca

ātmā punar bahir mṛgya

aho 'jña-janatājñatā

 

tvām — You; ātmānam — the real self; param — something else; matvā — thinking; param — something else; ātmānam — Yourself; eva — indeed; ca — also; ātmā — the Supreme Self; punaḥ — again; bahiḥ — outside; mṛgyaḥ — must be searched out; aho — oh; ajña — ignorant; janatā — of persons; ajñatā — the ignorance.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just see the foolishness of those ignorant persons who consider You to be some separated manifestation of illusion and who consider the self, which is actually You, to be something else, the material body. Such fools conclude that the supreme soul is to be searched for somewhere outside Your supreme personality.

 

10.14.28

antar-bhave 'nanta bhavantam eva

hy atat tyajanto mṛgayanti santaḥ

asantam apy anty ahim antareṇa

santaḿ guṇaḿ taḿ kim u yanti santaḥ

 

antaḥ-bhave — within the body; ananta — O unlimited Lord; bhavantam — Yourself; eva — indeed; hi — certainly; atat — everything separate from You; tyajantaḥ — rejecting; mṛgayanti — search out; santaḥ — the saintly devotees; asantam — unreal; api — even; anti — present nearby; ahim — (the illusion of) a snake; antareṇa — without (negating); santam — real; guṇam — the rope; tam — that; kim u — whether; yanti — appreciate; santaḥ — persons who are spiritually situated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O unlimited Lord, the saintly devotees seek You out within their own bodies by rejecting everything separate from You. Indeed, how can discriminating persons appreciate the real nature of a rope lying before them until they refute the illusion that it is a snake.

 

10.14.29

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaḿ bhagavan-mahimno

na cānya eko 'pi ciraḿ vicinvan

 

atha — therefore; api — indeed; te — Your; deva — my Lord; pada-ambuja-dvaya — of the two lotus feet; prasāda — of the mercy; leśa — by only a trace; anugṛhītaḥ — favored; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; jānāti — one knows; tattvam — the truth; bhagavat — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahimnaḥ — of the greatness; na — never; ca — and; anyaḥ — another; ekaḥ — one; api — although; ciram — for a long period; vicinvan — speculating.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.

 

10.14.30

tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo

bhave 'tra vānyatra tu vā tiraścām

yenāham eko 'pi bhavaj-janānāḿ

bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam

 

tat — therefore; astu — may it be; me — my; nātha — O master; saḥ — that; bhūri-bhāgaḥ — greatest good fortune; bhave — in the birth; atra — this; vā — or; anyatra — in some other birth; tu — indeed; vā — or; tiraścām — among the animals; yena — by which; aham — I; ekaḥ — one; api — even; bhavat — or Your; janānām — devotees; bhūtvā — becoming; niṣeve — I may fully engage in serving; tava — Your; pāda-pallavam — lotus feet.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, I therefore pray to be so fortunate that in this life as Lord Brahmā or in another life, wherever I take my birth, I may be counted as one of Your devotees. I pray that wherever I may be, even among the animal species, I can engage in devotional service to Your lotus feet.

 

10.14.31

aho 'ti-dhanyā vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ

stanyāmṛtaḿ pītam atīva te mudā

yāsāḿ vibho vatsatarātmajātmanā

yat-tṛptaye 'dyāpi na cālam adhvarāḥ

 

aho — oh; ati-dhanyāḥ — most fortunate; vraja — of Vṛndāvana; go — the cows; ramaṇyaḥ — and the gopīs; stanya — the breast-milk; amṛtam — which is like nectar; pītam — has been drunk; atīva — fully; te — by You; mudā — with satisfaction; yāsām — of whom; vibho — O almighty Lord; vatsatara-ātmaja-ātmanā — in the form of the calves and the sons of the cowherd women; yat — whose; tṛptaye — for the satisfaction; adya api — even until now; na — not; ca — and; alam — sufficient; adhvarāḥ — the Vedic sacrifices.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O almighty Lord, how greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vṛndāvana, the nectar of whose breast-milk You have happily drunk to Your full satisfaction, taking the form of their calves and children! All the Vedic sacrifices performed from time immemorial up to the present day have not given You as much satisfaction.

 

10.14.32

aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaḿ

nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām

yan-mitraḿ paramānandaḿ

pūrṇaḿ brahma sanātanam

 

aho — what great; bhāgyam — fortune; aho — what great; bhāgyam — fortune; nanda — of Mahārāja Nanda; gopa — of the other cowherd men; vraja-okasām — of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi; yat — of whom; mitram — the friend; parama-ānandam — the supreme bliss; pūrṇam — complete; brahma — the Absolute Truth; sanātanam — eternal.

 

TRANSLATION

 

How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend.

 

10.14.33

eṣāḿ tu bhāgya-mahimācyuta tāvad āstām

ekādaśaiva hi vayaḿ bata bhūri-bhāgāḥ

etad-dhṛṣīka-caṣakair asakṛt pibāmaḥ

śarvādayo 'ńghry-udaja-madhv-amṛtāsavaḿ te

 

eṣām — of these (residents of Vṛndāvana); tu — however; bhāgya — of the good fortune; mahimā — the greatness; acyuta — O infallible Supreme Lord; tāvat — so much; āstām — let it be; ekādaśa — the eleven; eva hi — indeed; vayam — we; bata — oh; bhūri-bhāgāḥ — are most fortunate; etat — of these devotees; hṛṣīka — by the senses; caṣakaiḥ — (which are like) drinking cups; asakṛt — repeatedly; pibāmaḥ — we are drinking; śarva-ādayaḥ — Lord Śiva and the other chief demigods; ańghri-udaja — of the lotus feet; madhu — the honey; amṛta-āsavam — which is a nectarean, intoxicating beverage; te — of You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Yet even though the extent of the good fortune of these residents of Vṛndāvana is inconceivable, we eleven presiding deities of the various senses, headed by Lord Śiva, are also most fortunate, because the senses of these devotees of Vṛndāvana are the cups through which we repeatedly drink the nectarean, intoxicating beverage of the honey of Your lotus feet.

 

10.14.34

tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāḿ

yad gokule 'pi katamāńghri-rajo-'bhiṣekam

yaj-jīvitaḿ tu nikhilaḿ bhagavān mukundas

tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva

 

tat — that; bhūri-bhāgyam — the greatest good fortune; iha — here; janma — the birth; kim api — any whatsoever; aṭavyām — in the forest (of Vṛndāvana); yat — which; gokule — in Gokula; api — even; katama — of any (of the devotees); ańghri — of the feet; rajaḥ — by the dust; abhiṣekam — bathing; yat — whose; jīvitam — life; tu — indeed; nikhilam — whole; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mukundaḥ — Lord Mukunda; tu — but; adya api — even until now; yat — whose; pāda-rajaḥ — dust of the feet; śruti — by the Vedas; mṛgyam — sought after; eva — certainly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras.

 

10.14.35

eṣāḿ ghoṣa-nivāsinām uta bhavān kiḿ deva rāteti naś

ceto viśva-phalāt phalaḿ tvad-aparaḿ kutrāpy ayan muhyati

sad-veṣād iva pūtanāpi sa-kulā tvām eva devāpitā

yad-dhāmārtha-suhṛt-priyātma-tanaya-prāṇāśayās tvat-kṛte

 

eṣām — to these; ghoṣa-nivāsinām — residents of the cowherd community; uta — indeed; bhavān — Your Lordship; kim — what; deva — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; rātā — will give; iti — thinking thus; naḥ — our; cetaḥ — mind; viśva-phalāt — than the supreme source of all benedictions; phalam — a reward; tvat — than You; aparam — other; kutra api — anywhere; ayat — considering; muhyati — becomes bewildered; sat-veṣāt — by disguising herself as a devotee; iva — indeed; pūtanā — the demoness Pūtanā; api — even; sa-kulā — along with her family members, Bakāsura and Aghāsura; tvām — You; eva — certainly; deva — O Lord; āpitā — was made to attain; yat — whose; dhāma — homes; artha — wealth; suhṛt — friends; priya — dear relatives; ātma — bodies; tanaya — children; prāṇa — life air; āśayāḥ — and minds; tvat-kṛte — dedicated to You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My mind becomes bewildered just trying to think of what reward other than You could be found anywhere. You are the embodiment of all benedictions, which You bestow upon these residents of the cowherd community of Vṛndāvana. You have already arranged to give Yourself to Pūtanā and her family members in exchange for her disguising herself as a devotee. So what is left for You to give these devotees of Vṛndāvana, whose homes, wealth, friends, dear relations, bodies, children and very lives and hearts are all dedicated only to You?

 

10.14.36

tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenās

tāvat kārā-gṛhaḿ gṛham

tāvan moho 'ńghri-nigaḍo

yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ

 

tāvat — for that long; rāga-ādayaḥ — material attachment and so on; stenāḥ — thieves; tāvat — for that long; kārā-gṛham — a prison; gṛham — one's home; tāvat — for that long; mohaḥ — the bewilderment of family affection; ańghri — upon their feet; nigaḍaḥ — shackles; yāvat — as long as; kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; na — do not become; te — Your (devotees); janāḥ — any persons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, until people become Your devotees, their material attachments and desires remain thieves, their homes remain prisons, and their affectionate feelings for their family members remain foot-shackles.

 

10.14.37

prapañcaḿ niṣprapañco 'pi

viḍambayasi bhū-tale

prapanna-janatānanda-

sandohaḿ prathituḿ prabho

 

prapañcam — that which is material; niṣprapañcaḥ — completely transcendental to material existence; api — although; viḍambayasi — You imitate; bhū-tale — on the surface of the earth; prapanna — who are surrendered; janatā — of people; ānanda-sandoham — the great variety of different kinds of ecstasies; prathitum — in order to spread; prabho — O master.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear master, although You have nothing to do with material existence, You come to this earth and imitate material life just to expand the varieties of ecstatic enjoyment for Your surrendered devotees.

 

10.14.38

jānanta eva jānantu

kiḿ bahūktyā na me prabho

manaso vapuṣo vāco

vaibhavaḿ tava go-caraḥ

 

jānantaḥ — persons who think they are aware of Your unlimited potency; eva — certainly; jānantu — let them think like that; kim — what is the use; bahu-uktyā — with many words; na — not; me — my; prabho — O Lord; manasaḥ — of the mind; vapuṣaḥ — of the body; vācaḥ — of the words; vaibhavam — opulences; tava — Your; go-caraḥ — within the range.

 

TRANSLATION

 

There are people who say, "I know everything about Kṛṣṇa." Let them think that way. As far as I am concerned, I do not wish to speak very much about this matter. O my Lord, let me say this much: As far as Your opulences are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words.

 

10.14.39

anujānīhi māḿ kṛṣṇa

sarvaḿ tvaḿ vetsi sarva-dṛk

tvam eva jagatāḿ nātho

jagad etat tavārpitam

 

anujānīhi — please give leave; mām — to me; kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarvam — everything; tvam — You; vetsi — know; sarva-dṛk — all-seeing; tvam — You; eva — alone; jagatām — of all the universes; nāthaḥ — the master; jagat — universe; etat — this; tava — to You; arpitam — is offered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Kṛṣṇa, I now humbly request permission to leave. Actually, You are the knower and seer of all things. Indeed, You are the Lord of all the universes, and yet I offer this one universe unto You.

 

10.14.40

śrī-kṛṣṇa vṛṣṇi-kula-puṣkara-joṣa-dāyin

kṣmā-nirjara-dvija-paśūdadhi-vṛddhi-kārin

uddharma-śārvara-hara kṣiti-rākṣasa-dhrug

ā-kalpam ārkam arhan bhagavan namas te

 

śrī-kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; vṛṣṇi-kula — of the Yadu dynasty; puṣkara — to the lotus; joṣa — pleasure; dāyin — O You who bestow; kṣmā — of the earth; nirjara — the demigods; dvija — the brāhmaṇas; paśu — and of the animals; udadhi — of the great oceans; vṛddhi — the increase; kārin — O You who cause; uddharma — of atheistic principles; śārvara — of the darkness; hara — O dispeller; kṣiti — upon the earth; rākṣasa — of the demons; dhruk — the opponent; ā-kalpam — until the end of the universe; ā-arkam — as long as the sun shines; arhan — O supremely worshipable Deity; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances; te — unto You.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Śrī Kṛṣṇa, You bestow happiness upon the lotuslike Vṛṣṇi dynasty and expand the great oceans consisting of the earth, the demigods, the brāhmaṇas and the cows. You dispel the dense darkness of irreligion and oppose the demons who have appeared on this earth. O Supreme Personality of Godhead, as long as this universe exists and as long as the sun shines, I will offer my obeisances unto You.

 

10.14.41

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity abhiṣṭūya bhūmānaḿ

triḥ parikramya pādayoḥ

natvābhīṣṭaḿ jagad-dhātā

sva-dhāma pratyapadyata

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; abhiṣṭūya — offering praise; bhūmānam — to the unlimited Supreme Lord; triḥ — three times; parikramya — circumambulating; pādayoḥ — at His feet; natvā — bowing down; abhīṣṭam — desired; jagat — of the universe; dhātā — the creator; sva-dhāma — to his personal abode; pratyapadyata — returned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus offered his prayers, Brahmā circumambulated his worshipable Lord, the unlimited Personality of Godhead, three times and then bowed down at His lotus feet. The appointed creator of the universe then returned to his own residence.

 

10.14.42

tato 'nujñāpya bhagavān

sva-bhuvaḿ prāg avasthitān

vatsān pulinam āninye

yathā-pūrva-sakhaḿ svakam

 

tataḥ — then; anujñāpya — giving permission; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sva-bhuvam — to His own son (Brahmā); prāk — from before; avasthitān — situated; vatsān — the calves; pulinam — to the shore of the river; āninye — He brought; yathā-pūrva — just as before; sakham — where the friends were present; svakam — His own.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After granting His son Brahmā permission to leave, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took the calves, who were still where they had been a year earlier, and brought them to the riverbank, where He had been taking His meal and where His cowherd boyfriends remained just as before.

 

10.14.43

ekasminn api yāte 'bde

prāṇeśaḿ cāntarātmanaḥ

kṛṣṇa-māyāhatā rājan

kṣaṇārdhaḿ menire 'rbhakāḥ

 

ekasmin — one; api — although; yāte — having passed; abde — year; prāṇa-īśam — the Lord of their lives; ca — and; antarā — without; ātmanaḥ — of themselves; kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; māyā — by the illusory potency; āhatāḥ — covered; rājan — O King; kṣaṇa-ardham — half a moment; menire — they thought; arbhakāḥ — the boys.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, although the boys ha