Shloka 58
Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys
Brahma-vimohana-līlā
ततोऽर्वाक्प्रतिलब्धाक्ष: क: परेतवदुत्थित: । कृच्छ्रादुन्मील्य वै दृष्टीराचष्टेदं सहात्मना ॥ ५८ ॥
tato ’rvāk pratilabdhākṣaḥ kaḥ paretavad utthitaḥ kṛcchrād unmīlya vai dṛṣṭīr ācaṣṭedaṁ sahātmanā
Brahmā’s external awareness then returned, and he rose up like a dead man come back to life. With great difficulty he opened his eyes and beheld the universe, along with himself.
We actually do not die. At death, we are merely kept inert for some time, just as during sleep. At night we sleep, and all our activities stop, but as soon as we arise, our memory immediately returns, and we think, “Oh, where am I? What do I have to do?” This is called suptotthita-nyāya. Suppose we die. “Die” means that we become inert for some time and then again begin our activities. This takes place life after life, according to our karma, or activities, and svabhāva, or nature by association. Now, in the human life, if we prepare ourselves by beginning the activity of our spiritual life, we return to our real life and attain perfection. Otherwise, according to karma, svabhāva, prakṛti and so on, our varieties of life and activity continue, and so also do our birth and death. As explained by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese’, khāccha hābuḍubu bhāi: “My dear brothers, why are you being washed away by the waves of māyā ?” One should come to the spiritual platform, and then one’s activities will be permanent. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ: this stage is attained after one accumulates the results of pious activities for many, many lives. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate (Cc. Madhya 8.70). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to stop koṭi-janma, repeated birth and death. In one birth, one should rectify everything and come to permanent life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
FAQs
This verse describes Aghāsura reviving as if from death and struggling to open his eyes, then perceiving the situation—indicating the Lord’s overwhelming power during this līlā.
Because Krishna’s presence within him stunned and overpowered him; the text emphasizes that his return to awareness was difficult and unnatural, as though he had been lifeless.
It reminds a seeker that divine intervention can abruptly expose reality and break harmful delusions—so one should cultivate remembrance of Krishna before crises force awakening through suffering.