Shloka 2
Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys
Brahma-vimohana-līlā
सतामयं सारभृतां निसर्गो यदर्थवाणीश्रुतिचेतसामपि । प्रतिक्षणं नव्यवदच्युतस्य यत् स्त्रिया विटानामिव साधुवार्ता ॥ २ ॥
satām ayaṁ sāra-bhṛtāṁ nisargo yad-artha-vāṇī-śruti-cetasām api prati-kṣaṇaṁ navya-vad acyutasya yat striyā viṭānām iva sādhu vārtā
This is the very nature of the saints who have embraced life’s essence: even their speech, hearing, and mind are aimed at Acyuta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. At every moment they cling to kṛṣṇa-vārtā as ever new, just as worldly people cling to talk of women and sensual pleasure.
The word sāra-bhṛtām means paramahaṁsas. The haṁsa, or swan, accepts milk from a mixture of milk and water and rejects the water. Similarly, the nature of persons who have taken to spiritual life and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, understanding Kṛṣṇa to be the life and soul of everyone, is that they cannot give up kṛṣṇa-kathā, or topics about Kṛṣṇa, at any moment. Such paramahaṁsas always see Kṛṣṇa within the core of the heart ( santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti ). Kāma (desires), krodha (anger) and bhaya (fear) are always present in the material world, but in the spiritual, or transcendental, world one can use them for Kṛṣṇa. Kāmaṁ kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇe . The desire of the paramahaṁsas, therefore, is to act always for Kṛṣṇa. Krodhaṁ bhakta-dveṣi jane. They use anger against the nondevotees and transform bhaya, or fear, into fear of being deviated from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way, the life of a paramahaṁsa devotee is used entirely for Kṛṣṇa, just as the life of a person attached to the material world is used simply for women and money. What is day for the materialistic person is night for the spiritualist. What is very sweet for the materialist — namely women and money — is regarded as poison by the spiritualist.
FAQs
Because pure devotees naturally relish Acyuta’s names, qualities, and pastimes at every moment; the Lord is unlimited, so His topics never become stale and continually deepen devotion.
In the context of Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja pastimes (leading into the Brahmā-vimohana līlā), Śukadeva highlights that even the most spiritually focused saints are irresistibly drawn to hearing and speaking about Kṛṣṇa.
Make daily time for śravaṇa and kīrtana—listen to Bhagavatam, discuss Krishna-katha with devotees, and notice how consistent hearing gradually makes spiritual topics feel “new” and joyful rather than routine.