Shloka 55

Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

Devanagari script

एवं सकृद् ददर्शाज: परब्रह्मात्मनोऽखिलान् । यस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति सचराचरम् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ sakṛd dadarśājaḥ para-brahmātmano ’khilān yasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti sa-carācaram

Translation

ఇలా బ్రహ్మదేవుడు పరబ్రహ్మను దర్శించాడు; ఆయన తేజస్సుతో ఈ సమస్త చరాచర జగత్తు ప్రకాశిస్తుంది. అదే సమయంలో అన్ని దూడలూ బాలకులూ ప్రభువు విస్తారాలేనని కూడా చూశాడు.

Synonyms

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘thus/in this way’

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘once/at once’

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (Imperfect/past), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada

• ajaḥ: Aja (Brahmā)
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; proper noun—Brahmā

• para-brahma-ātmanaḥ: of him whose very self is the Supreme Brahman
• para-brahma-ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para + brahman + ātman (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen/6th), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः—परं ब्रह्म यस्य आत्मा (of him whose self is the Supreme Brahman)

• akhilān: all (of them)
• akhilān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Bahuvacana; agrees with an implied noun (e.g., rūpān/ānandān etc.)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/napuṁsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen/6th), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• bhāsā: by (his) radiance
• bhāsā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Ekavacana

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga (neuter), Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; used substantively

• idam: this (universe)
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• vibhāti: shines/appears
• vibhāti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• sa-carācaram: with the moving and the non-moving
• sa-carācaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सम्-प्रातिपदिक) + cara + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; द्वन्द्वः (itaretara)—cara + acara, with sa- ‘together with’

Purport

By this incident, Lord Brahmā was able to see how Kṛṣṇa maintains the entire universe in different ways. It is because Kṛṣṇa manifests everything that everything is visible.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna as Parabrahman?

This verse states that Brahmā directly saw everything as expansions of Kṛṣṇa, who is described as Parabrahman and the Self of all, whose radiance makes the entire cosmos manifest.

Why does Brahmā realize the truth about Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 13?

After attempting to test Kṛṣṇa by stealing the calves and cowherd boys, Brahmā witnesses Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable supremacy and understands that Kṛṣṇa alone is the source and basis of all that exists.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

See the world as dependent on the Supreme Lord, cultivate humility like Brahmā, and strengthen devotion by remembering that all brilliance, life, and order ultimately arise from Kṛṣṇa.