Shloka 38

Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime

Devanagari script

जानन्त एव जानन्तु किं बहूक्त्या न मे प्रभो । मनसो वपुषो वाचो वैभवं तव गोचर: ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

jānanta eva jānantu kiṁ bahūktyā na me prabho manaso vapuṣo vāco vaibhavaṁ tava go-caraḥ

Translation

Mögen jene, die sagen: „Ich weiß alles über Kṛṣṇa“, so denken. Wozu viele Worte? O Herr, Deine Herrlichkeiten liegen jenseits der Reichweite meines Geistes, meines Leibes und meiner Rede; mehr kann ich nicht sagen.

Synonyms

• jānantaḥ: those who know
• jānantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• jānantu: let them know
• jānantu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• kim: what (need)?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/exclamatory particle (प्रश्न/विस्मय-निपात)

• bahu-uktyā: by much talk
• bahu-uktyā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu + ukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (बह्वी उक्तिः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• manasaḥ: of the mind
• manasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vapuṣaḥ: of the body/form
• vapuṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vācaḥ: of speech
• vācaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vaibhavam: power/majesty
• vaibhavam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaibhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• go-caraḥ: within reach (of)
• go-caraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; of vaibhavam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: go + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (गोचरः = within range/reach)

Purport

This translation is quoted from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twenty-one, text 27.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.38 say about knowing Krishna?

It teaches that Kṛṣṇa’s true glory is beyond the full reach of mind, body, and speech; claims of completely “knowing” Him are limited, and the proper stance is humble devotion.

Why did Brahmā say this to Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 14?

After being bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja-līlā and witnessing His unmatched potency, Brahmā offers prayers admitting his inability to adequately comprehend or describe the Lord’s greatness.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

Adopt humility in spiritual learning: instead of intellectual pride, approach God and scripture with reverence, steady practice, and devotion, recognizing the limits of ego and language.