Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.9

pasyesa me 'naryam ananta adye

paratmani tvayy api mayi-mayini

mayam vitatyekshitum atma-vaibhavam

hy aham kiyan aiccham ivarcir agnau

SYNONYMS

pasya -- just see; isa -- O Lord; me -- my; anaryam -- contemptible behavior; anante -- against the unlimited; adye -- the primeval; para-atmani -- the Supersoul; tvayi -- You; api -- even; mayi-mayini -- for the masters of illusion; mayam -- (my) illusory potency; vitatya -- spreading; ikshitum -- to see; atma -- Your; vaibhavam -- power; hi -- indeed; aham -- I; kiyan -- how much; aiccham -- I desired; iva -- just like; arcih -- a small spark; agnau -- in comparison to the whole fire.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! To test Your power I tried to extend my illusory potency to cover You, the unlimited and primeval Supersoul, who bewilder even the masters of illusion. What am I compared to You? I am just like a small spark in the presence of a great fire.

PURPORT

A great fire produces many sparks, which are insignificant in comparison to it. Indeed, if one of the small sparks were to try to burn the original fire, the attempt would be simply ludicrous. Similarly, even the creator of the entire universe, Lord Brahma, is an insignificant spark of the potency of God, and therefore Brahma's attempt to bewilder the Supreme Lord was certainly ludicrous.

Brahma here addresses Lord Krishna as isa, which indicates that Krishna is not only the supreme master of everyone but is also specifically the master of Brahma, who creates the universe directly under the guidance of the Lord and who, indeed, is born directly from the Lord's own body.

Brahma felt ashamed of his impudent attempt at deluding Lord Krishna, and he was therefore perfectly willing to be punished or forgiven by the Lord, according to His decision. If Lord Krishna does not mercifully punish His devotees when they act improperly, their foolishness will simply increase and gradually completely overwhelm their devotional sentiments. Therefore Lord Krishna kindly disciplines His devotees and maintains them on the progressive path back home, back to Godhead.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari