Shloka 21
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
गिरं समाधौ गगने समीरितांनिशम्य वेधास्त्रिदशानुवाच ह । गां पौरुषीं मे शृणुतामरा: पुन-र्विधीयतामाशु तथैव मा चिरम् ॥ २१ ॥
giraṁ samādhau gagane samīritāṁ niśamya vedhās tridaśān uvāca ha gāṁ pauruṣīṁ me śṛṇutāmarāḥ punar vidhīyatām āśu tathaiva mā ciram
While in trance, Lord Brahmā heard Lord Viṣṇu’s words resounding in the sky. He then told the demigods: “O devas, hear from me the command of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supreme Person, and carry it out carefully, without delay.”
It appears that the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be heard in trance by competent persons. Modern science gives us telephones, by which one can hear sound vibrations from a distant place. Similarly, although other persons cannot hear the words of Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā is able to hear the Lord’s words within himself. This is confirmed in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.1) : tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi is Lord Brahmā. In the beginning of the creation, Lord Brahmā received the instructions of Vedic knowledge from Lord Viṣṇu through the medium of the heart ( hṛdā ). The same principle is confirmed herewith. While Brahmā was in trance, he was able to hear the words of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and he carried the Lord’s message to the demigods. Similarly, in the beginning, Brahmā first received the Vedic knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the core of the heart. In both instances the same process was used in transmitting the message to Lord Brahmā. In other words, although Lord Viṣṇu was invisible even to Lord Brahmā, Lord Brahmā could hear Lord Viṣṇu’s words through the heart. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is invisible even to Lord Brahmā, yet He descends to this earth and becomes visible to people in general. This is certainly an act of His causeless mercy, but fools and nondevotees think that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary historical person. Because they think that the Lord is an ordinary person like them, they are described as mūḍha ( avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ ). The causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is neglected by such demoniac persons, who cannot understand the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā and who therefore misinterpret them.
FAQs
This verse shows Brahmā directing the devas to promptly execute the already-decided arrangement—implying Krishna’s advent is a coordinated divine plan to restore dharma and relieve the earth’s burden.
Upon receiving a celestial instruction while in meditation, Brahmā relays it to the devas so they can immediately carry out their roles in facilitating the Lord’s descent and the unfolding of His līlā.
When a duty aligned with dharma is clear, act promptly and decisively—avoid procrastination in spiritual practice, service, and ethical responsibilities.