Shloka 49
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Varṇāśrama’s Purpose, Ritualism’s Fall, and Yuga-Avatāras with Kali-yuga Saṅkīrtana
मापत्यबुद्धिमकृथा: कृष्णे सर्वात्मनीश्वरे । मायामनुष्यभावेन गूढैश्वर्ये परेऽव्यये ॥ ४९ ॥
māpatya-buddhim akṛthāḥ kṛṣṇe sarvātmanīśvare māyā-manuṣya-bhāvena gūḍhaiśvarye pare ’vyaye
കൃഷ്ണനെ സാധാരണ കുഞ്ഞെന്നു കരുതരുത്; അവൻ സർവാത്മാവും അവ്യയനും പരമേശ്വരനായ ഭഗവാനുമാണ്. മായയാൽ മനുഷ്യഭാവം ധരിച്ചു തന്റെ അചിന്ത്യ ഐശ്വര്യം മറച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു।
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all plenary incarnations of the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. His unlimited transcendental opulences are inexhaustible, and thus He very easily brings the entire creation under His personal control. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the eternal well-wisher of every living entity, so there was no need for Vasudeva to be anxious about his future destination, nor that of the other personal associates of Kṛṣṇa, such as the members of the Yadu dynasty. In verse 46 of this chapter, Nārada Muni told Vasudeva, putratām agamad yad vāṁ bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ: “You and your good wife are now glorified throughout the universe because Lord Kṛṣṇa has personally become your son.” In this way Nārada is encouraging Vasudeva to continue to love Kṛṣṇa as his most beloved son, for such ecstatic devotional feelings are never to be given up. But at the same time, Nārada is removing Vasudeva’s doubts about the future by assuring him, “Due to your love for Kṛṣṇa you may think that He is an ordinary human being. You are appearing like a human being, and Lord Kṛṣṇa is simply reciprocating with you. In order to encourage you to love Him as your son, He is placing Himself under your control. And thus, His inconceivable power and opulences are being concealed from you. Don’t assume, however, that there is actually a dangerous situation because of the events of this material world. Although Kṛṣṇa appears to be under your control, He is eternally the supreme controller. Therefore, do not consider Him to be a human being. He is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
FAQs
This verse explains that Kṛṣṇa’s supreme, imperishable majesty is deliberately concealed by His own māyā, so He can enact humanlike pastimes while remaining the Lord of all.
Because Kṛṣṇa is sarvātman and īśvara—the indwelling Self and Controller of everyone—so treating Him as merely a family dependent obscures His true divine position and the proper mood of devotion.
Approach Kṛṣṇa with intimacy but not casualness—cultivate loving devotion while remembering His supreme divinity, so faith remains steady even when His pastimes seem “ordinary.”