Shloka 19
Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys
Brahma-vimohana-līlā
यावद् वत्सपवत्सकाल्पकवपुर्यावत् कराङ्घ्र्यादिकं यावद् यष्टिविषाणवेणुदलशिग् यावद् विभूषाम्बरम् । यावच्छीलगुणाभिधाकृतिवयो यावद् विहारादिकं सर्वं विष्णुमयं गिरोऽङ्गवदज: सर्वस्वरूपो बभौ ॥ १९ ॥
yāvad vatsapa-vatsakālpaka-vapur yāvat karāṅghry-ādikaṁ yāvad yaṣṭi-viṣāṇa-veṇu-dala-śig yāvad vibhūṣāmbaram yāvac chīla-guṇābhidhākṛti-vayo yāvad vihārādikaṁ sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ giro ’ṅga-vad ajaḥ sarva-svarūpo babhau
In His Vāsudeva feature, Śrī Kṛṣṇa simultaneously expanded Himself into exactly as many calves and cowherd boys as had disappeared—matching their bodies, hands, feet and every limb, their sticks, horns and flutes, their lunch bags, their garments and ornaments arranged in distinct ways, their names, ages, forms, qualities, natures and pastimes. Thus the beautiful Kṛṣṇa made manifest the truth that the entire universe is viṣṇumaya, pervaded by Lord Viṣṇu.
As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) :
FAQs
This verse states that every detail of the calves and boys—their bodies, limbs, ornaments, names, qualities, ages, and activities—became Viṣṇu-maya, revealing to Brahmā that Kṛṣṇa had expanded as all of them.
To show the theological point of Brahma-vimohana-līlā: Kṛṣṇa is non-different from Viṣṇu and can manifest unlimited forms, so Brahmā’s illusion was dispelled by directly seeing the Lord’s all-pervading supremacy.
The takeaway is to cultivate God-centered vision: recognize the Lord’s presence behind all situations and beings, which reduces pride and anxiety and strengthens steady devotion (bhakti).