SB 10.13.50-64: The Absolute Truth, Who Is One Without a Second, Assumed the Role of a Child

Hare Krsna,

The Absolute Truth always remains the Absolute Truth irrespective of form, place, time, and circumstances. When Krsna appeared as a child with four arms to Devaki and Vasudeva, He was still the same Absolute Truth. When Krsna was caught stealing butter and bound up by Mother Yasoda, He was still the same Absolute Truth. When Krsna appeared in lower forms such as tortoise and hog, He was still the same Absolute Truth. When Krsna became a charioteer of Arjuna, He was still the same Absolute Truth. When Krsna appeared as Lord Rama and associated with monkey soldiers, He was still the same Absolute Truth. When Krsna appeared as a devotee (Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu), He was still the same Absolute Truth. Similarly, when Krsna assumed the role of a child in a family of cowherd men and standing all alone, just as before, with a morsel of food in His hand, searching everywhere for the calves and His cowherd friends., He was still the same Absolute Truth.

The Absolute Truth taking up any other form still remains the Absolute Truth without a second. Why? It is the oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ principle.

Sri Isopanisad Invocation: “The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.”

The Supreme Personality of Godhead remains as He is, never changing. He is complete.  Even if a complete manifestation is taken away from Him, He continues to be complete. The material creation is manifested by the energy of the Lord, but He is still the same person. His form, entourage, qualities and so on never deteriorate.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his Paramātma-sandarbha, comments regarding the vivarta-vāda as follows: “Under the spell of vivarta-vāda one imagines the separate entities, namely the cosmic manifestation and the living entities, to be one with Brahman. This is due to complete ignorance regarding the actual fact. The Absolute Truth, or Parabrahman, is always one and always the same. He is completely free from all other conceptions of existence. He is completely free from false ego, for He is the full spiritual identity. It is absolutely impossible for Him to be subjected to ignorance and fall under the spell of a misconception (vivarta-vāda). The Absolute Truth is beyond our conception. One must admit that He has unblemished qualities that He does not share with every living entity. He is never tainted in the slightest degree by the flaws of ordinary living beings. Everyone must therefore understand the Absolute Truth to possess inconceivable potencies.” (CC Adi 7.122 Purport)

Brahma could understand that although Kṛṣṇa was not demonstrating His power, He was the same Supreme Person. Although Kṛṣṇa did not manifest anything wonderful, Brahmā could understand that the same wonderful person was present like an ordinary child, although He was the master of the whole creation.

Srila Prabhupada tries to tell us that we should not act like material scientists and try to understand the Absolute Truth with our limited intelligence. Brahma tried to test Krsna and failed miserably. Kṛṣṇa’s intelligence resembles the ocean, for one cannot imagine how vast it is. The best course, therefore, is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

On another note, I was reflecting on the govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ prayer. Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport: “Thus Brahmā prayed, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi: “You are the original person, the cause of everything. I bow down to You.” This was his realization. Tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. This is what is wanted.”

For a second, I was wondering whether Brahma composed the Brahma-samhita prayers in that specific pastime with Krsna in Vrndavana. Then I realized that he actually composed them at the beginning of creation. Srila Prabhupada was mentioning it here as a case in point to highlight Brahma’s realization about the Absolute Truth.

The key takeaway is that instead of getting into all technicalities about the Absolute Truth, it is better to simply surrender unto Him. That would be the most intelligent thing to do.

śrutim apare smṛtim itare

bhāratam anye bhajantu bhava-bhītāḥ

aham iha nandaṁ vande

yasyālinde paraṁ brahma

“Let others study the Vedas, smṛti and Mahābhārata, fearing material existence, but I shall worship Nanda Mahārāja, in whose courtyard is crawling the Supreme Brahman. Nanda Mahārāja is so great that the Parabrahman is crawling in his yard, and therefore I shall worship him.” (Padyāvalī 126)

What a beautiful prayer!

Let us also try to offer prayers to that beautiful son of Nanda Maharaja with great humility, respect, attention and love.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!