Shloka 9
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime
पश्येश मेऽनार्यमनन्त आद्ये परात्मनि त्वय्यपि मायिमायिनि । मायां वितत्येक्षितुमात्मवैभवं ह्यहं कियानैच्छमिवार्चिरग्नौ ॥ ९ ॥
paśyeśa me ’nāryam ananta ādye parātmani tvayy api māyi-māyini māyāṁ vitatyekṣitum ātma-vaibhavaṁ hy ahaṁ kiyān aiccham ivārcir agnau
My Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! To test Your power I tried to spread my illusory potency to cover You—the unlimited, primeval Paramātmā who bewilders even the masters of illusion. What am I compared to You? I am only a tiny spark before a great fire.
A great fire produces many sparks, which are insignificant in comparison to it. Indeed, if one of the small sparks were to try to burn the original fire, the attempt would be simply ludicrous. Similarly, even the creator of the entire universe, Lord Brahmā, is an insignificant spark of the potency of God, and therefore Brahmā’s attempt to bewilder the Supreme Lord was certainly ludicrous.
FAQs
It declares that Kṛṣṇa is māyimāyī—the controller of māyā—so even great beings like Brahmā cannot measure His glory by their own power.
After attempting to test Kṛṣṇa by stealing the calves and cowherd boys, Brahmā realized Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited opulence and offered prayers admitting his mistake and insignificance.
It encourages humility: instead of trying to control or “test” the Divine with ego or intellect, one should approach with reverence, surrender, and sincere devotion.