Shloka 62
Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys
Brahma-vimohana-līlā
दृष्ट्वा त्वरेण निजधोरणतोऽवतीर्य पृथ्व्यां वपु: कनकदण्डमिवाभिपात्य । स्पृष्ट्वा चतुर्मुकुटकोटिभिरङ्घ्रियुग्मं नत्वा मुदश्रुसुजलैरकृताभिषेकम् ॥ ६२ ॥
dṛṣṭvā tvareṇa nija-dhoraṇato ’vatīrya pṛthvyāṁ vapuḥ kanaka-daṇḍam ivābhipātya spṛṣṭvā catur-mukuṭa-koṭibhir aṅghri-yugmaṁ natvā mud-aśru-sujalair akṛtābhiṣekam
Melihat itu, Brahmā segera turun dari wahana angsanya, menjatuhkan tubuhnya ke bumi seperti tongkat emas, menyentuh kaki teratai Śrī Kṛṣṇa dengan hujung mahkota pada keempat-empat kepalanya, lalu bersujud dan memandikan kaki itu dengan air mata kegembiraan sebagai abhiṣeka.
Lord Brahmā bowed down like a stick, and because Lord Brahmā’s complexion is golden, he appeared to be like a golden stick lying down before Lord Kṛṣṇa. When one falls down before a superior just like a stick, one’s offering of obeisances is called daṇḍavat. Daṇḍa means “stick,” and vat means “like.” It is not that one should simply say “ Daṇḍavat. ” Rather, one must fall down. Thus Brahmā fell down, touching his foreheads to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and his crying in ecstasy is to be regarded as an abhiṣeka bathing ceremony of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.
FAQs
This verse shows Brahmā prostrating like a staff, touching Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with the tips of his crowns and ‘anointing’ them with tears—teaching that even the highest cosmic creator becomes humble before the Supreme Lord.
After realizing Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable supremacy in the episode where Brahmā tried to test Him by stealing the calves and boys, Brahmā returned repentant and offered full surrender and reverence at Kṛṣṇa’s feet.
It teaches to drop pride in one’s position or knowledge, seek forgiveness when mistaken, and approach God (and saints) with sincere reverence—letting genuine devotion soften the heart, like tears that ‘bathe’ the Lord’s feet.