SB 10.13.44
evam sammohayan visnum
vimoham visva-mohanam
svayaiva mayayajo ’pi
svayam eva vimohitah
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Thus because Lord Brahma wanted to mystify the all-pervading Lord Krsna, who can never be mystified, but who, on the contrary, mystifies the entire universe, he himself was put into bewilderment by his own mystic power.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Brahma wanted to bewilder Krsna, who bewilders the entire universe. The whole universe is under Krsna’s mystic power (mama maya duratyaya), but Brahma wanted to mystify Him. The result was that Brahma himself was mystified, just as one who wants to kill another may himself be killed. In other words, Brahma was defeated by his own attempt. In a similar position are the scientists and philosophers who want to overcome the mystic power of Krsna. They challenge Krsna, saying, “What is God? We can do this, and we can do that.” But the more they challenge Krsna in this way, the more they are implicated in suffering. The lesson here is that we should not try to overcome Krsna. Rather, instead of endeavoring to surpass Him, we should surrender to Him (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja).
Instead of defeating Krsna, Brahma himself was defeated, for he could not understand what Krsna was doing. Since Brahma, the chief person within this universe, was so bewildered, what is to be said of so-called scientists and philosophers? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Krsna. Instead, whatever arrangements He proposes, we should accept. This is always better, for this will make us happy. The more we try to defeat the arrangement of Krsna, the more we become implicated in Krsna’s maya (daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya). But one who has reached the point of surrendering to the instructions of Krsna (mam eva ye prapadyante) is liberated, free from krsna-maya (mayam etam taranti te). The power of Krsna is just like a government that cannot be overcome. First of all there are laws, and then there is police power, and beyond that is military power. Therefore, what is the use of trying to overcome the power of the government? Similarly, what is the use of trying to challenge Krsna?
From the next verse it is clear that Krsna cannot be defeated by any kind of mystic power. If one gets even a little power of scientific knowledge, one tries to defy God, but actually no one is able to bewilder Krsna. When Brahma, the chief person within the universe, tried to bewilder Krsna, he himself was bewildered and astonished. This is the position of the conditioned soul. Brahma wanted to mystify Krsna, but he himself was mystified.
The word visnum is significant in this verse. Visnu pervades the entire material world, whereas Brahma merely occupies one subordinate post.
yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-vila-ja jagadanda-nathah
(Brahma-samhita 5.48)
The word nathah, which refers to Lord Brahma, is plural because there are innumerable universes and innumerable Brahmas. Brahma is but a tiny force. This was exhibited in Dvaraka when Krsna called for Brahma. One day when Brahma came to see Krsna at Dvaraka, the doorman, at Lord Krsna’s request, asked, “Which Brahma are you?” Later, when Brahma inquired from Krsna whether this meant that there was more than one Brahma, Krsna smiled and at once called for many Brahmas from many universes. The four-headed Brahma of this universe then saw innumerable other Brahmas coming to see Krsna and offer their respects. Some of them had ten heads, some had twenty, some had a hundred and some had a million heads. Upon seeing this wonderful exhibition, the four-headed Brahma became nervous and began to think of himself as no more than a mosquito in the midst of many elephants. Therefore, what can Brahma do to bewilder Krsna?