Shloka 20
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime
सुरेष्वृषिष्वीश तथैव नृष्वपि तिर्यक्षु याद:स्वपि तेऽजनस्य । जन्मासतां दुर्मदनिग्रहाय प्रभो विधात: सदनुग्रहाय च ॥ २० ॥
sureṣv ṛṣiṣv īśa tathaiva nṛṣv api tiryakṣu yādaḥsv api te ’janasya janmāsatāṁ durmada-nigrahāya prabho vidhātaḥ sad-anugrahāya ca
O Lord, O supreme creator and master! Though You are unborn in matter, to curb the arrogant pride of the faithless asuras and to bestow mercy upon Your saintly bhaktas, You appear in birth among the devas, the sages, human beings, animals, and even the aquatic creatures.
Among the demigods Lord Kṛṣṇa appears in such forms as Vāmanadeva, among the sages as Paraśurāma, among human beings as Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself and as Lord Rāmacandra, and among animals as the boar incarnation. Lord Kṛṣṇa appears among the aquatics as Matsya, the gigantic fish. Indeed, the plenary expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are innumerable, as the Lord relentlessly comes down within the universes to smash the false pride of the atheists and show mercy to the saintly devotees.
FAQs
This verse explains that the Lord’s appearances are divine arrangements: to restrain the pride of the impious and to grant mercy and protection to the saintly devotees.
After being humbled by the Brahmā-vimohana līlā (Brahmā’s bewilderment), Brahmā realizes Kṛṣṇa’s supreme position and praises Him as the unborn Lord who descends for cosmic rectification and devotee-anugraha.
It teaches humility and trust: arrogance leads to downfall, while sincerity and devotion attract divine grace; one should avoid pride and seek the Lord’s guidance through dharma and bhakti.