SB 2.5.9-12

 Text 9: Lord Brahmā said: My dear boy Nārada, being merciful to all (including me) you have asked all these questions because I have been inspired to see into the prowess of the Almighty Personality of Godhead.

Text 10: Whatever you have spoken about me is not false because unless and until one is aware of the Personality of Godhead, who is the ultimate truth beyond me, one is sure to be illusioned by observing my powerful activities.

Text 11: I create after the Lord’s creation by His personal effulgence [known as the brahmajyoti], just as when the sun manifests its fire, the moon, the firmament, the influential planets and the twinkling stars also manifest their brightness.

Text 12: I offer my obeisances and meditate upon Lord Kṛṣṇa [Vāsudeva], the Personality of Godhead, whose invincible potency influences them [the less intelligent class of men] to call me the supreme controller.

Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā

He praises the question. O child, this doubt of yours and the resulting question are proper.Because this is a compassionate question from you. The reason for this is - since I am engaged in revealing the glory of the Lord, therefore, though you are the inquirer, you have indeed shown compassion towards me, is the meaning. (9)

But you yourself have said "You alone create beings" etc., implying that you are the Lord. True. The way you address me as the Lord is not entirely false speech from you, because to that extent I do possess that much power. However, not knowing the Supreme Lord beyond me, I speak with that bias. Hence this is an error due to resemblance, not a deliberate untruth. (10)

Then, who is that Lord? In anticipation of this query, he reverentially names Him in three verses. By whose self-effulgence I make manifest what is already manifest in creation - just as the sun makes visible what is already visible by its light. Thus says the Shruti: "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, these lightnings do not shine - then what to say of this fire? It is He who illumines all, by whose light all this is illumined." (11)

To Him I bow in thought, worshipping Him in mind, is the meaning. To Him by whose Maya even the wise like you are deluded into calling me the world teacher, the cause of the world. (12)

Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā

He says "O child" to express affection. "Resulting from that" means arising from that doubt. The meaning is - "Teachers should always be questioned about even what is already known," as per the saying. Hence, questioning what is doubtful is always proper. Why is it proper? To this he says "Because" - because I am engaged in the supreme dharma of compassion, therefore from that cause, is the meaning. The purport is that by the dialogue of questions and answers, I too shall become supremely purified, as per the maxim stated in the Shrimad Bhagavata: "The dialogue about Krishna's narrations purifies the speaker, the inquirer, and the listener, like the water that has washed His feet." And the glory of the Lord consists in creating the universe etc. (9)

Here he raises an objection - "But" Oh son, "you have said". The objection is that if untruths are spoken deliberately, only then is it a fault, not when spoken unintentionally, because then it approximates truth, is the idea. This means - "to that extent" - the splendor that generates the misconception "This one is directly the Lord" may rightly be spoken about, since not knowing that (higher truth) is the reason for this statement. (10)

That the Lord alone is self-luminous and everything else is illumined by Him - for this he cites a Vedic text with "Thus". The meaning of the Vedic verse is - in that Self-form, that Self, though deluded, shines by itself; thereafter the sun etc. illuminate everything. The "lightnings" refer to meteorological lights etc., the "planets" to Mars etc., and the "stars" to the Pole Star, Arundhati etc. (11)

But there is a well-known notion everywhere that Brahma is the world teacher who creates the universe - to this doubt he says "To Him". By saying "I bow to Him" the idea is that the offense of hearing ill of the Lord should be avoided by bowing to Him; or it means "I meditate on Him". With this verse, the two celebrated mantras of twelve and twenty-four syllables - "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Narayanaya Vidmahe Vasudevaya Dheemahi Tanno Vishnuh Prachodayat" - are indicated as to be constantly recited by Hiranyagarbha (Brahma). (12)

Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā

"We bow in thought" means "We bow to Him in our mind". Thus, the commentary on these thirty-seven verses in the fifth chapter of the first book by the venerable author has been spoken. (12)

Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā

Now, to properly answer the question, Brahma first praises it by saying "Proper". O child, since I am engaged in revealing the glory of the Lord in the form of expounding His powers, your doubt expressed through this question, out of compassion towards me, is proper. (9)

He dispels the notion that it could be an untruth by saying "Not false at all". O Narada, when you ask me as a son "You alone create beings" etc., even that statement of yours is not entirely false, but said out of ignorance of the Lord beyond me. He states the reason for this ignorance - to the extent of this power and greatness of mine comes from that Supreme Cause; speaking without knowing that Supreme Lord beyond me, is the meaning. (10)

Then, anticipating the query "Who is that Lord?", he says with devotion, intending to bow to Him - "By whose". The sun etc. shine by borrowing a fraction of that Lord's radiance; considering itself to be self-luminous, it illuminates the universe, is the idea. The Vedic text "There the sun does not shine" is to be followed here. (11)

"To Him, to Vasudeva, I bow in thought" - or the remainder may be added "I meditate". Brahma and other gods, humans and animals deluded by the insurmountable Maya of that Lord, speak of me as the world teacher, not the truly wise. Thus, by the logic that they are shrouded in the great darkness of delusion caused by Vishnu's Maya, they speak of me as the world teacher. (12)

Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā

Intending to dispel Narada's doubt, he praises what was asked by saying "Proper". Since I am prompted to reveal the glory of the Lord Hari, characterized by creation etc., therefore your doubt is proper and fitting. By saying "compassionate", he implies that this is beneficial for the people. (9)

First, he raises an objection as the previous view. "Not false" - when you speak to me as "You alone create", is that not false? Surely your statement is false, for when I hear "alas" in your words expressing sorrow, compassion, satisfaction, and wonder, I become distressed. And that I do not know of any Lord superior to me, so I did not state "I do not know anything greater than you" - that too is not false, how so? He uses "api" because it is highly censurable. "Api" implies doubt, assumption, alternative, accumulation according to rules. Therefore, why do you raise this objection against my statement? To this, he says "To this extent" - the word "hi" implies certainty. My greatness extends only to illuminating what is illuminated by His radiance, not more than that, is the implied meaning. (10)

He clarifies this further by saying "By whose". He cites the proof with "As" - Everything shines by reflecting the radiance emanating from the sun, which illuminates the entire universe, according to the Vedic text. (11)

With the feeling that the offense caused by hearing improper things and cherishing wrong notions should be dispelled by bowing to the Lord, he bows to Him by saying "To Him". The meaning is: "To that Lord Vasudeva, we bow, we meditate on Him." This indicates the two mantras always to be practiced by Hiranyagarbha - the twelve-syllable "Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya" and the twenty-four-syllable "Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya namah, tanno vishnu prachodayat". Alternatively, it means: When you speak to me in a manner like "You alone create" without knowing the Supreme beyond me, that statement referring to that manner alone is false, not any other like "In whatever form", etc. Why is that false? He answers "Not" because it contradicts the scripture. Since the rule is that "na" is used in absence and non-contradiction, this view is considered admissible, so he says "api". "Bata" is used as it is the cause of agitation. As to why it is false, he says "To this extent" - it is well-known that Vishnu's power is limited, so how can it be well-known? He clarifies this by saying "By whose". This shows that Hari is the agent and you are the instrument, not an independent agent of Hari. Apprehending this, he clarifies it by expressing the attitude of a servant through "I bow". Just as in statements like "The arrow released by Rama killed Ravana", the instrumental case implies primary agentship, here too the use of the instrumental case does not diminish anything. If so, then how can the scriptural statement of your agentship be explained here? He answers "Whose Maya". Maya is threefold - the first is Hari's own free will; the second is the dependent Prakriti; the third is the souls' capacity to bind themselves, which is most dependent. Among them, the insurmountable Maya is that under Vishnu's will, which cannot be conquered by those devoid of Hari's devotion. (12)

Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā

Or, he states that your very ignorance itself is false by saying "Not false". (10)

The meaning is: Just as the sun etc. illuminates what is illuminated by it, similarly I too illumine by being illuminated by Him. (11)

He says two things with "To Him". By His inscrutable Maya, we deluded fools conceive of our defective self as the primordial mass of existence-consciousness-bliss, being embarrassed to be in the presence of His faultless being. (12-14)

Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā

He commends the question: "O child, your doubt is fitting." "Of the compassionate" means by you asking thus, even though all-knowing, compassion alone was shown to me, the father, for the statement "Know Me" is suggestive. I was prompted to perceive the glory of the Lord consisting of the creation of the universe etc., hence the joy of perceiving it even mentally for a moment. (9)

Moreover, O child, even your addressing me as "You alone create beings" etc., identifying me as the Lord, is not false. For, without knowing the Supreme Lord superior even to me, my being "to this extent" would be possible. Here the suffix ktva though implying many agents, follows the Vedic tradition. Or else, the remaining words are: "The people say my being is to this extent", not knowing Me to be superior. Though you are all-knowing, you speak imitating them only to instruct them. But in the interpretation "Not knowing the superior beyond me, you speak", it would be improper for Brahma to consider Narada as ignorant. (10)

But in reality, who am I? By whose radiance alone I am illuminated, by that Supreme Lord, like the process of pounding grain, I manifest creation, illumine everything illuminated by Him, just as the sun etc. illumines only what is illuminated by it. The Shruti declares: "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor these lightnings - how then this fire? Everything shines after the Shining One, by His radiance all this is illumined." (11)

However, since Brahma, the world teacher, creates the universe, surprised by your widespread fame, he exclaims with delight: "To Him I bow, on Him I meditate." (12)

Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ

He commends the question by saying "Fitting". O child, your endeavor in the form of this doubt-resolving question is fitting, since I have been prompted and impelled towards perceiving the glory of the Lord and revealing His prowess owing to your compassionate nature which laments everywhere. (9)

O child, even your statement "You alone create" etc. is not false. The reason for that is "without knowing". For without knowing the Supreme Lord's supremacy over me, just as you address me as the Supreme Lord as per your wish, considering my role as the creator etc. (10)

He describes Him who is superior to himself through three verses beginning "By whom". By the radiant effulgence which is His inherent nature, that Supreme Lord whose effulgence I am illuminated by, I too illumine, not being able to do anything independently. The Vedas illustrate this by stating: "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor these lightnings - how then this fire? Everything shines after the Shining One, by His radiance all this is illumined." (11)

"To that Vasudeva I bow, on Him I meditate", whose inscrutable Maya deludes even yogis unable to receive His grace. The Smrtis declare that Vishnu's Maya is a vast, blindingly dense darkness which deludes all beings - from Brahma the world teacher down to animals. (12)

Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā

Now, to answer the first question among all questions, he declares their oneness - "Correctly." The answer to all questions is the Lord Himself. He is the source of knowledge itself. Within that, there are twelve divisions. They will culminate from the perspective of the skandhas (Categories of Existence). Anticipating the question "How is that?", he says, "Since I am inspired by the power of the Lord to see (attain) knowledge." If the Lord Himself is to be spoken of as the answer to all questions, then it accords with that. However, the Lord takes on various forms to answer different questions. Those forms will be described later. Hence, the approbation of that question. Otherwise, anger would have to be expressed. But there is no such thing since the powers of the Lord are presented to be spoken about. "That you ask this question is out of your compassion. By this pretext, I am to be made complete by liberating all from the cycle of existence." The idea is that otherwise, ignorance would not be possible for you, the supreme devotee. "O son!" – an affectionate address. Just as a son is born from a mother's womb, so the Lord's biography is born from Brahma's heart, he indicates. "Considered, deliberated, or desired to be known." (9)

Having spoken the approbation of the question with satisfaction and established his authority to speak, he gives the final answer - "Not 'I do not know' - but 'It is not false.'" Your statement that there is no one greater than you is not false. 'False' means knowing one thing and saying another, not born of ignorance. That is the common understanding of 'speaking falsely.' Even if there is equivalence in terms of being unauthoritative, in such a statement there is no fault of falsity. Just as you declare "You alone are great," (the Lord says) "But it is not true - without knowing the Supreme beyond Me." The meaning is, without knowing the controller superior to Me, this statement (is made). Anticipating "Who is that?", he says, "To the extent that - 'from Me.'" All the exalted qualities described by you in Me have indeed arisen in Me by virtue of that Lord. (10)

Having spoken the final question and answer, he states the first question and answer with "By which" (yena). "The Lord is knowledge; the form by which (He is knowledge) is described. For knowledge, self-luminous, illumines everything, it even illumines a lamp, therefore being the illuminator of all, that self-luminous consciousness is the form of the Lord, that is knowledge." By which Lord? "With His own radiance (svarocisha), self-luminous, He shines by Himself or illumines His own self" – that is svarocisha. The universe was illuminated by Him. Having been absorbed in the unmanifest, the universe became manifest by His radiance. Then, He manifested as Brahma in gross form. He says this - "I illuminate." Just as a fire situated in a great piece of wood becomes manifest by friction with small sticks, and does not suddenly become manifest by small sticks, in that context he cites a Vedic example - "Just as the sun is fire." Others, however, are inert, not self-luminous. But the brilliant (tejas) is indeed self-luminous. And if that too were to be illumined by the Lord, then what doubt would there be regarding anything else being illumined by Him? The Vedic statement is - "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and the stars, these lightnings do not shine, what to speak of this fire. Everything shines after that shining One, by whose light all this is illumined." There, since those (sun etc.) are sometimes causes, their inclusion (as examples of illuminators) is not accepted. Just as the sun illumines what is known through knowledge and illumines itself, from the statement "The brilliant that is in the sun," even there it is the brilliant of the Lord that illuminates. So too in Me - is the meaning. In this way, fire and other luminaries like the sun and horse (Ashvini) and the planets like Mercury, Venus etc. are the other stars. (11)

Having thus established the Lord as the embodiment of knowledge, since there is no other duty to be performed, he offers obeisance with devotion - "To That, obeisance, O Lord." That (Tat) is the term well-known in the world and the Vedas to denote Him. In calling Him "Bhagavān," this knowledge is not presented as a virtue or a defect. But the purpose is indeed liberation. He states this - "To Vāsudeva" - the obeisance is devotion. "May we meditate" - the inner means. Or, "Obeisance to That." Having described knowledge thus, to prevent any contradiction with the ignorance of all others, he says "That by whose māyā." "The power called māyā which is under the control of that Lord of the knowledge form." But this universe is different from Me. Delusion alone is the result of this māyā. But the creation of the universe by her is under the command of the Lord. There he states the power of māyā - "Difficult to overcome." Her conquest is impossible for any being. This very māyā is prayed in the Vedas to be destroyed, for they (Vedas) give knowledge while she deludes. Her effect is seen even in great ones, he says - "They call Me the world teacher." Since the power of action is dependent on another, He is called the 'world teacher.' (12)

Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ

He commends the question saying "Excellent!" (samyag). "O dear son (vatsa)! This curiosity of yours, in the form of a question, free from doubt, is excellent, since I am prompted to reveal the glory and power of the Lord out of compassion for all beings everywhere." (9)

"O dear one (bho vatsa)! Your statement 'He alone creates' and so on is also not false. The reason for that is 'not knowing' (avijñāya). Since not knowing My true nature of being the creator etc., you speak to Me as the Supreme Lord according to your wish." (10)

He then describes Him who is superior to himself, with the three words "By which" (yeneti tribhih). "I illuminate, manifest, by the radiance of that Supreme Lord who is My own nature. I am not able to do anything independently, just as the sun and others illuminate only what is illumined by the Lord." With this, he has answered the question "In what form?" From the Shruti: "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and the stars, these lightnings do not shine, what to speak of this fire. Everything shines after that shining One, by whose light all this is illumined." (11)

"To That Vāsudeva, obeisance, may we meditate, by whose māyā even yogis are deluded without His grace, overcome by the insurmountable māyā. They call Me the world teacher - Brahmā and all the devas, humans and animals, enveloped by the great delusion, the dense darkness of Vishnu's māyā, so it is said in the Smriti." (12)

Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā

Now, to state the first and the last question and answer, he says the questions are one after the other - "Excellent!" (samyag). The Lord alone is the answer to all questions. He alone is the source of knowledge, etc. There are twelve divisions within that itself. They will culminate as the meaning of the divisions (skandhārthatvena paryavasānam prāpsyanti). When there is an expectation of "How is that?", he says: "I am prompted to reveal the glory of the Lord for the sake of knowledge." (yad aham preritah bhagavad-vīryasya darśane jñānārtham) If the Lord has to be stated as the answer by all questions, then it comes together like that. However, the Lord takes the form of the particular question and answer. Those forms will be stated later. Therefore, there is the commendation of that question. Otherwise, there should be condemnation. And since the glories of the Lord are presented to be spoken, there is no deficiency. "This curiosity of yours is of the Compassionate One." With this pretext, "I have to liberate all from the cycle of birth and death and become successful." Otherwise, it would mean ignorance on the part of the supreme devotee, which is not possible. "O dear son!" (vatsa) – an affectionate address. It indicates that the sublime character of the Lord has emerged from the heart of Brahma, like the navel-cord from the mother. "Curiosity" means "to be known" or "to be considered." (vicikitsitam) (9)

Having stated the commendation of the question and established the authority to speak, he gives the final answer to "I do not know" (nāham veda) - "It is not false" (nānṛtam). "Your statement 'There is no one greater than you' is not false." "False" means speaking otherwise after knowing otherwise. Not out of ignorance. In the world, it is well-known as "speaking without knowledge." Even though there is similarity in terms of lack of authority, in such a statement there is no fault of speaking falsehood. "As you speak of Me as the greatest." But that is not true, he says - "Not knowing the superior than Myself" (avijñāya param mattah). The meaning is: "This statement is made without knowing the controller superior to Me." In anticipation of "Who is that?", he says - "Since all the excellent attributes in Me, stated by you, have indeed arisen in Me in relation to That Lord." (10)

Having stated the final question and answer, he states the first question and answer with "By which" (yena). "The Lord is knowledge; the form by which is stated. Knowledge, being self-luminous, illuminates everything, illuminating even a lamp, because it illuminates everything. Therefore, that consciousness, which is the self-luminous form of the Lord, is knowledge." (yena bhagavatā svarocishā svaprakāśena svayameva rocate, svātmānam vā rocayati iti svarocih) The universe is illuminated by Him alone. The universe, merged in the unmanifest, became manifested by His radiance. Then it becomes manifest in a gross form. He says this - "I make it shine" (rocayāmy aham). Just as the fire in a large piece of wood becomes manifest by churning, and is made to blaze with small pieces of wood, but it does not become manifest suddenly by small pieces of wood, he cites a Vedic example that is well-established by perception - "Just as the sun is fire." (yathā'rko'gnir) However, others are inert and not self-luminous. But the brilliant is indeed self-luminous. If that has to be illuminated by the Lord, then what doubt is there about anything else being illuminated by that? There is a Vedic statement - "There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and the stars; these lightnings do not shine, then what to speak of this fire. Everything shines after That shining Being, by whose light all this is lighted." (na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakam nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto'yamagnin, tameva bhāntamanubhāti sarvam tasya bhāsā sarvamidām vibhāti) There is no need to comprehend that, since it is sometimes an agent. "Just as the sun, illuminated by knowledge, illuminates itself and is also self-illuminated." From the statement "The brilliant that is in the sun" (yadādityagatam tejo), it is the brilliant of the Lord alone that illuminates there as well. It is the same for Me too – this is the meaning. Similarly for fires, stars, planets like Mars, Mercury, etc., and other stars. (11)

Having thus established the Lord as the embodiment of knowledge, and there being no other duty due to the absence of anything else to be done, he offers obeisance with devotion - "Obeisance to That Lord" (tasmai namo bhagavate). That which is well-known in the world and the Vedas is referred to by the word "That." "Bhagavate" means that knowledge is neither a virtue nor a defect. However, the purpose is liberation. He says this - "For Vāsudeva" (vāsudevāya). Obeisance is devotion. "May we meditate" (dhīmahi) is the internal means. Or it means "Obeisance to That." Having described knowledge in this way, to remove the contradiction that it would then be appropriate for all to be ignorant of it, he says "Whose deluding power" (yan-māyayā). "The power called Māyā, which is under the control of the Lord, who is of the nature of knowledge – the universe is different from Me. Its only result is delusion. However, its agency or creatorship in the universe is by the command of the Lord." He speaks of the prowess of Māyā - "Difficult to overcome" (durjayayā). "The conquest of that Māyā is impossible for any being." Therefore, in the Vedic eulogy, Māyā is prayed to be killed. For they (the Vedas) impart knowledge, while Māyā deludes. He says that her effect is seen even in the great ones - "They call Me the world teacher." (mām bruvanti jagad-gurum) Since the power of action is dependent on another, it is said "the world teacher." (12)

Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ

"Samyag (rightly) here means 'otherwise' (anyatha), due to the exaggeration and from the context of the question." (9)

For "By which" (yena), the meaning is "thus" (evam). Since the Lord's transcendence has already been stated, the question about the means of realization also needs to be answered. Therefore, "That knowledge" (sarveti ādi) etc. By this, it is indicated that the knowledge which is the cause of the practice of the state of a knower, is none other than the Lord, who is of the nature of Consciousness. He manifests Himself out of His own will in whichever ways, but Maya does not delude those. Then they are called "knowers" having attained the Self. (11)

For "Obeisance to That" (tasmai namo), the meaning is "with devotion" (bhaktyā), i.e., with affection born of knowledge of His greatness. In the commentary, it is said "devotion" (bhaktir) to avoid the interpretation of "non-devotion" (abhaktir). "May we meditate" (nididhyāsanam) means knowledge with a specific object of contemplation. "Or obeisance to That" (tan-namo vā) means "May we meditate on that very obeisance."

"For the absence of contradiction" (virodha-abhāvāya) – in this context, it means "for the absence of contradiction." In the commentary, they speak of "this" (iyam) etc., apprehensive that in following the Vedas, she (Maya) would be conquered.

Here, for "Whose deluding power" (yan-māyayā), it should be understood that "she" (sā) is derived from "the goddess indeed" (devī hyete). "Even in the great ones" (mahatsvapi) means "even in such beings." "The world teacher" (jagad-gurum) means "the giver of knowledge," not the giver of His own actions or inactions. By this, it is indicated that even though one knows the lack of ability to bestow such actions in Me, the notion of My being the Supreme is for that very purpose. (12)

Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī

Then Brahma praises the question as it is about to be answered - "Samyak (rightly)." Addressing Narada affectionately, he says - "O child (he vatsa)!" "Your doubt which has been expressed as this question - that is meant by 'samyak'." Indicating that your question will describe the greatness of the Lord, by which many will be liberated from samsara, and he too will be successful, he says - "Of the compassionate one (karunikasya)." He clarifies this further - "Since (yadi)," i.e. since I have been prompted by you to expound the prowess and greatness of the Lord. Therefore, addressing him as dear, he says - "O gentle one (he saumya)!" (9)

Thus praising the question, regarding what was said "You alone create (ekah srjasi)," he says - "No (na iti)." To make him understand properly without agitation, he addresses - "O (bho)," "O Narada (bho narada)," the idea is - the statement you made to me, describing my Lordship as "You alone create beings" etc., that statement of yours is also not false. Anticipating the doubt "Why?", he says - "For (hi)," since my being of this much greatness, of this much glory, comes from the Supreme Lord. Not knowing Him who is higher than me, you have described me as the Supreme Lord - this is the connection. (10)

Then, in anticipation of the question "Who is that Lord?", paying obeisance to Him with devotion, he answers "The form (yad rupam)" in three verses - "By which (yena)" etc. The meaning is - Obeisance to that Lord by whose Self-effulgence the entire universe is illuminated, and by whom I too illumine it. He gives an example of that illumination - "Just as (yatha)" etc., i.e. just as the sun etc. illumine the universe illuminated by the Lord's radiance, so do I. And thus is the Sruti - "There the sun does not shine..." etc. Riksas means stars like Ashvini. Grahas means planets like Budha (Mercury) etc. (11)

"By whose Maya, deluded, you all speak of Me as the world teacher, the venerable Lord - to that Lord Vasudeva, let us pay obeisance." Anticipating the doubt "How can even Narada and others be deluded by Maya?", he dispels it - "Which is difficult to overcome (durjayaya)" - without taking refuge in the Lord and listening to His stories, it is impossible to transcend that Maya, as per the statement "Only those who take refuge in Me cross over this Maya of Mine." (12)

Hindī Anuvāda

Brahma said - O son Narada! You have asked this excellent question, imbued with the feeling of compassion for beings, because from this I have received the inspiration to describe the virtues of the Lord. (9) What you have said about me is also not untrue. Because until the truth higher than me - who is the Lord Himself - is realized, my influence appears like this only. (10)

Just as the sun, fire, moon, planets, stars and other luminaries illuminate the world by being illuminated by His radiance, in the same way, I too illuminate the world by being illumined by the self-effulgent consciousness of that Lord. (11) I pay obeisance and also meditate upon that Lord Vasudeva, by whose difficult-to-overcome Maya deluded, people call me the world teacher. (12)