20211124 Destruction of the Pride of Brahmā Who Came to See the Opulence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Part 1

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 24th November 2021 in Srīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today is the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter today is entitled:

Destruction of the Pride of Brahmā Who Came to See the Opulence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Part 1 Under the section: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.58

‘cira-loka-pāla- śabdera artha:—

ananta brahmāṇḍera yata brahmā-rudra-gaṇa
cira-loka-pāla’-śabde tāhāra gaṇana

Translation: Actually it is very difficult to ascertain the number of universes. Every universe has its separate Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, who are known as permanent governors. Therefore there is also no counting them.

Purport: Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are called cira-loka-pāla, permanent governors. This means that they govern the affairs of the universe from the beginning of the creation to the end. In the next creation, the same living entities may not be present, but because Brahmā and Śiva are existing from the beginning to the end, they are called cira-loka-pāla, permanent governors. Loka-pāla means predominating deities.” There are eight predominating deities of the prominent heavenly planets, and they are Indra, Agni, Yama, Varuṇa, Nirṛti, Vāyu, Kuvera and Śiva.

Jayapatākā Swami: Every universe has Brahmā and Śiva and they remain for entire duration of the universe. The other devas or demigods, their term is usually one manavantara, which is fourteen manavantaras in a day of Brahmā. There are seventy-one catur-yugas so although these devas live for millions of years, they are also temporary, and when a set leaves a new set comes. Brahmā and Śiva are there from the beginning to the end of the universe, therefore they are called as permanent governors.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.59

kṛṣṇaiśvarya-darśanārtha āgata brahmāra darpa-nāśa sambandhe ekaṭī paurāṇika ākhyāna:—

eka-dina dvārakāte kṛṣṇa dekhibāre
brahmā āilā,—dvāra-pāla jānāila kṛṣṇere

Translation: Once, when Kṛṣṇa was ruling Dvārakā, Lord Brahmā came to see Him, and the doorman immediately informed Lord Kṛṣṇa of Brahmā’s arrival.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.60

kṛṣṇa kahena—‘kon brahmā, ki nāma tāhāra?’
dvārī āsi’ brahmāre puche āra bāra

Translation: When Kṛṣṇa was so informed, He immediately asked the doorman, ‘Which Brahmā? What is his name?’ The doorman therefore returned and questioned Lord Brahmā.

Purport: From this verse we can understand that Brahmā is the name of the post and that the person occupying the post has a particular name also. From the Bhagavad-gītā: imaṁ vivasvate yogam. Vivasvān is the name of the present predominating deity of the sun. He is generally called Sūrya, the sun-god, but he also has his own particular name. The governor of the state is generally called rāja-pāla, but he also has his own individual name. Since there are hundreds and thousands of Brahmās with different names, Kṛṣṇa wanted to know which of them had come to see Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Brahmā thought that he was the only one Brahmā, because he didn’t have the information about the other universes. So, he was surprised by this question.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.61

vismita hañā brahmā dvārīke kahilā
‘kaha giyā sanaka-pitā caturmukha āilā’

Translation: When the doorman asked, ‘Which Brahmā?’ Lord Brahmā was surprised. He told the doorman, ‘Please go inform Lord Kṛṣṇa that I am the four-headed Brahmā who is the father of the four Kumāras.’

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.62

kṛṣṇe jānāñā dvārī brahmāre lañā gelā
kṛṣṇera caraṇe brahmā daṇḍavat kailā

Translation: The doorman then informed Lord Kṛṣṇa of Lord Brahmā’s description, and Lord Kṛṣṇa gave him permission to enter. The doorman escorted Lord Brahmā in, and as soon as Brahmā saw Lord Kṛṣṇa, he offered obeisances at His lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all the spiritual and material planets/universes. So, when Brahmā saw Lord Kṛṣṇa and he immediately offered him his prostrate obeisances.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.63

kṛṣṇa mānya-pūjā kari’ tāṅre praśna kaila
‘ki lāgi’ tomāra ihāṅ āgamana haila?’

Translation: After being worshiped by Lord Brahmā, Lord Kṛṣṇa also honored him with suitable words. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa asked him, ‘Why have you come here?’

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa wanted to know what Lord Brahmā's purpose was to come and see Him.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.64

brahmā kahe,—‘tāhā pāche kariba nivedana
eka saṁśaya mane haya, karaha chedana

Translation: Being questioned, Lord Brahmā immediately replied, ‘Later I shall tell You why I have come. First of all there is a doubt in my mind which I wish You would kindly dissipate.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.65

‘kon brahmā?’ puchile tumi kon abhiprāye?
āmā ba-i jagate āra kon brahmā haye?’

Translation: ‘Why did you inquire which Brahmā had come to see You? What is the purpose of such an inquiry? Is there any other Brahmā besides me within this universe?’

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Brahmā only knows this universe, he is thinking that he is the only Brahmā. But there are ananta-koṭi, unlimited, millions of universes and each universe has Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. So, they may comes from other universes as well.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.66

śuni’ hāsi’ kṛṣṇa tabe karilena dhyāne
asaṅkhya brahmāra gaṇa āilā tata-kṣaṇe

Translation: Upon hearing this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa smiled and immediately meditated. Unlimited Brahmās arrived instantly.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.67

daśa-biśa-śata-sahasra-ayuta-lakṣa-vadana
koṭy-arbuda mukha kāro, nā yāya gaṇana

Translation: These Brahmās had different numbers of heads. Some had ten heads, some twenty, some a hundred, some a thousand, some ten thousand, some a hundred thousand, some ten million and others a hundred million. No one can count the number of faces they had.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa showed His opulence to the Brahmā of our universe. As our universe is relatively small therefore the four headed Brahmā is sufficient. Depending on the size of the universe, the Brahmā has different number of heads.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.68

rudra-gaṇa āilā lakṣa koṭi-vadana
indra-gaṇa āilā lakṣa koṭi-nayana

Translation: There also arrived many Lord Śivas with various heads numbering one hundred thousand and ten million. Many Indras also arrived, and they had hundreds of thousands of eyes all over their bodies.

Purport: It is said that Indra, the King of heaven, is very lusty. Once he had sexual intercourse with the wife of a great sage, and when the sage learned about this, he cursed lusty Indra with a curse that put vaginas all over his body. Being very much ashamed, Indra fell down at the lotus feet of the great sage and begged his pardon. Being compassionate, the sage turned the vaginas into eyes; therefore Indra possesses hundreds and thousands of eyes all over his body. Just as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva have many faces, the King of heaven, Indra, has many eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here the history of Indra is mentioned.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.69

dekhi’ caturmukha brahmā phāṅpara ha-ilā
hasti-gaṇa-madhye yena śaśaka rahilā

Translation: When the four-headed Brahmā of this universe saw all these opulences of Kṛṣṇa, he became very much bewildered and considered himself a rabbit among many elephants.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Brahmā, he was overwhelmed by the great opulence of Kṛṣṇa. Seeing all these Brahmās much greater than himself, he became very ashamed and bewildered.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.70

āsi’ saba brahmā kṛṣṇa-pāda-pīṭha-āge
daṇḍavat karite mukuṭa pāda-pīṭhe lāge

Translation: All the Brahmās who came to see Kṛṣṇa offered their respects at His lotus feet, and when they did this, their helmets touched His lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Lord Brahmā is the guna-avatāra, of each universe, they all are empowered by Lord Kṛṣṇa, so they offered their obeisances prostrate, to Lord Kṛṣṇa and touched their head to His lotus feet.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.71

kṛṣṇera acintya-śakti lakhite keha nāre
yata brahmā, tata mūrti eka-i śarīre

Translation: No one can estimate the inconceivable potency of Kṛṣṇa. All the Brahmās who were there were resting in the one body of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Lord Kṛṣṇa appearing like human being, His transcendental body contains all the univreses and therefore He could bring all the Brahmās presenṭ.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.72

pāda-pīṭa-mukuṭāgra-saṅghaṭṭe uṭhe dhvani
pāda-pīṭhe stuti kare mukuṭa hena jāni’

Translation: When all the helmets struck together at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, there was a tumultuous sound. It appeared that the helmets themselves were offering prayers unto Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: The helmets on the different heads of Brahmā were striking the ground causing tumultuous sound.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.73

yoḍa-hāte brahmā-rudrādi karaye stavana
baḍa kṛpā karilā prabhu, dekhāilā caraṇa

Translation: With folded hands, all the Brahmās and Śivas began to offer prayers unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, saying, ‘O Lord, You have shown me a great favor. I have been able to see Your lotus feet.’

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Brahmās and Śivas present felt blessed that they could see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.74

bhāgya, more bolāilā ‘dāsa’ aṅgīkari’
kon ājñā haya, tāhā kari śire dhari’”

Translation: All of them then said, ‘It is my great fortune, Lord, that You have called me, thinking of me as Your servant. Now let me know what Your order is so that I may carry it on my heads.’

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Brahmā' were filled with intense desire to serve the Lord.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.75

kṛṣṇa kahe,—tomā-sabā dekhite citta haila
tāhā lāgi’ eka ṭhāñi sabā bolāila

Translation: Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, ‘Since I wanted to see all of you together, I have called all of you here.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, He showed His opulence to the four headed Brahmā, who felt very small compared to other Brahmāṣ.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.76

sukhī hao sabe, kichu nāhi daitya-bhaya?
tārā kahe,—‘tomāra prasāde sarvatra-i jaya

Translation: ‘All of you should be happy. Is there any fear from the demons?’

Jayapatākā Swami: They replied, ‘By Your mercy, we are victorious everywhere.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.77

samprati pṛthivīte yebā haiyāchila bhāra
avatīrṇa hañā tāhā karilā saṁhāra’

Translation: ‘Whatever burden was upon the earth You have taken away by descending to that planet.’

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.78

dvārakādi—vibhu, tāra ei ta pramāṇa
‘āmāra-i brahmāṇḍe kṛṣṇa’ sabāra haila jñāna

Translation: This is the proof of Dvārakā’s opulence: all the Brahmās thought, ‘Kṛṣṇa is now staying in my jurisdiction.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Each Brahmā taught that He had come to his universe. In every universe there is Vraja, Mathurā and Dvārakā, so Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are going on eternally. Just like the sun in some place its raising and one hour later later later some place it is setting. So, like that in different universes Kṛṣṇa is in Dvārakā at the same time. So these Brahmās came to see Kṛṣṇa, but they thought Kṛṣṇa is in my universe

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.79

kṛṣṇa-saha dvārakā-vaibhava anubhava haila
ekatra milane keha kāho nā dekhila

Translation: Thus the opulence of Dvārakā was perceived by each and every one of them. Although they were all assembled together, no one could see anyone but himself.

Purport: The four-headed Brahmā perceived the opulence of Dvārakā-dhāma, where Kṛṣṇa was staying, and although there were Brahmā’s present having ten to ten million heads, and although many Lord Śiva’s were also assembled, only the four-headed Brahmā of this universe could see all of them. By the inconceivable potency of Kṛṣṇa, the others could not see one another. Although all the Brahmā's and Śiva’s were assembled together, due to Kṛṣṇa’s energy they could not meet or talk among themselves individually.

Jayapatākā Swami: The four-headed Brahmā could see all of them but the others only saw themselves and Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 21.80

tabe kṛṣṇa sarva-brahmā-gaṇe vidāya dilā
daṇḍavat hañā sabe nija ghare gelā

Translation: Lord Kṛṣṇa then bade farewell to all the Brahmās there, and after offering their obeisances, they all returned to their respective homes.

Jayapatākā Swami: The four headed Brahmā of our universe could see all of them, then he understood why Kṛṣṇa had asked him, ‘which Brahmā’. So, in this way Kṛṣṇa had unlimited opulence and sweetness, we cannot even begin to understand the greatness.

Thus ends the Part 1 of the chapter entitled, Destruction of the Pride of Brahmā Who Came to See the Opulence of Lord Kṛṣṇa,

Under the section: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa