Brahmā’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa in the Mohinī Episode

Brahmā’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa is a hymn that Bhagavān Brahmā sang in his mind to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa at the moment when Manmatha (Kāmadeva) overcame him with a combined volley of arrows. It praises Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as the one who pulls a person out of the kāma-sāgara (ocean of desire), who protects from māyā, and who is the supreme master. It says that devotion to His feet is the only way across the ocean of worldly attachment. It is found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 32, inside Brahmā’s long talk on dharma to Mohinī.

The setting

The apsarā Mohinī had received the help and company of Manmatha at Pushkara kshetra. She came to Brahmaloka, where Brahmā sat alone, and danced and sang before him. Brahmā listened to her singing with tears in his eyes and every limb thrilled.

At that moment Manmatha, who knows all the arts of yoga, shot his arrows in one great volley. He shot all five of his pañca-bāṇas (five arrows), together with these:

  • Sammoha (complete infatuation)
  • Samudvega (deep agitation)
  • Srishṭibīja (the seed of creation)
  • Stambhana (making still as stone)
  • Unmatta (madness)
  • Jvalada (burning fever)
  • Caitanya-haraṇa (the stealing of consciousness)

He then sent his helpers to make the effect stronger in Brahmā: Vasanta (Spring), the kokila birds, the bees, and the sweet-smelling southern breeze.

Brahmā’s senses wavered for a moment. He looked at Mohinī and was filled with feeling. But in that instant Brahmā, who knows all (sarvajña), saw what was happening. He gathered his will and at once called on Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa with full devotion. He pictured Bhagavān Kṛshṇa with two hands, in the form of eternal youth (kiśora), adorned with jewelled ornaments, dressed in yellow silk (pītāmbara), playing the flute (murali), dark and beautiful (śyāma-sundara). And he sang this stotra to Him in his mind, with great bhakti.

After he had recovered through devotion to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, Brahmā laid a śāpa (a curse) on Manmatha: “Your pride will be broken.” Manmatha fled with Vasanta. Brahmā then gave his long talk on dharma to Mohinī. In it he explained the nature of dharma, the wrong of adultery, the weight of kāma (desire), the law of karma, and the right conduct for every kind of being.

The stotra

Brahmā’s silent stotra praises Bhagavān Kṛshṇa in the hour of danger with these attributes.

Rescuer from the ocean of desire

Brahmā cries out: “O Śrī Hari! Rescue me, rescue me from the ocean of desire in which I am sinking!” Then he describes the ocean:

  • Its waters are the waters of apakīrti (ill fame).
  • It brings many dangers (aneka-saṃkaṭas).
  • It is impossible to cross (asādhya).
  • It makes a person forget devotion to the feet of Vishṇu (pāda-bhakti).
  • It has steps made of calamities (āpada-sopānas).
  • Its deep current is vishaya-āsakti, attachment to the objects of the senses.
  • Its crocodiles are strī, women, who lead the unwise into danger.
  • It looks like amṛta (nectar) at the beginning and becomes a lair of poison (visha-nilaya) at the end.
  • It leads to the realm of Yama and makes a person forget the path to mukti.

The helmsman of the boat of the mind

Brahmā calls on Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as the kaṇḍhāra, the navigator or helmsman. He steers the intellect (buddhi) that holds jñāna and vijñāna (knowledge and its realisation) like a boat (nāvā) across this ocean of desire. Only an intellect guided by Bhagavān Kṛshṇa can cross it.

Madhusūdana

He is addressed as Madhusūdana, the slayer of the asura Madhu.

Mādhava

He is addressed as Mādhava, the master of Śrī (Lakshmī). All aiśvarya (power and wealth) in the end belongs to Him.

Brahmaloka is not the karmabhūmi

Brahmā says to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa: “This is not the karmabhūmi (the earth, the realm of action). This is Brahmaloka, the realm that is wished for. Even here, desire makes us long for things that go against devotion to Your feet. O Nātha! You are the Īśvara of all the worlds and of all the jīvas in them.”

Parameśvara

Brahmā calls Bhagavān Kṛshṇa Parameśvara, the supreme sovereign, in whom the rule of all the universes rests. Even Brahmā, the maker of worlds, is not truly independent (sva-tantra). He is wholly dependent (paridhīna) on Bhagavān Kṛshṇa.

Ocean of compassion

Brahmā addresses Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as Karuṇā-sāgara (ocean of compassion), Dīna-jana-bandhu (friend of the helpless), and the one who has complete sarvajñatā (all-knowing). He prays: “I am the great and ancient creator, yet I am dīna, helpless. Show me this as a bad dream. Save me. Be gracious to me.”

The phalaśruti

Whoever recites this stotra of Brahmā to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa with bhakti receives these things:

  • Freedom from worldly attachment. The devotee does not sink into vishaya-bhoga, the enjoyment of the senses and worldly ties. This is certain.
  • The highest knowledge. The devotee passes beyond the māyā of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and gains uttama-jñāna, the highest spiritual knowledge.
  • First among devotees. In this very world the devotee becomes bhakta-śreshṭha, the foremost of the devotees of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, with bhakti, jñāna and every good quality.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 32