Brahma’s delusion cleared

Krishna states in the Gita that none can cross His Maya

easily. This truth is established in the episode related in the
Bhagavata Purana when Brahma attempts to exercise his
divine power to cast a spell on Krishna to try and confuse
Him, pointed out Kidambi Sri Narayanan in a discourse. The
incident also proves the Lord’s omniscience, omnipresence
and omnipotence.

Brahma and other celestial beings are steeped in wonder

at the idyllic and happy life Krishna leads as a simple
cowherd mingling with the calves and other gopas in
Brindavan. On one occasion, when Krishna and others share
their lunch with one another, Brahma, bent on testing the
Lord’s powers, hides away all the calves. The cowherd boys
are worried that the calves have disappeared. Krishna then
goes in search of them. In actuality, the Lord divines
Brahma’s plan and wishes it to be carried out. Brahma uses
this opportunity to hide the cowherd boys as well. By virtue
of His Maya, Krishna then assumes the form of the lost
calves, the cowherd boys and also their equipment such as
slings, flute, blow-horns, and sports in the woods as usual
and then returns to Vraja in the evening. The cows find the
calves special and the Vraja women find the cowherd boys
exceptional since it is the very Lord who is now present in
these forms.

One year later, which according to Brahma’s calculation of

time is one moment, Brahma comes back to the scene and
finds Krishna as usual playing with his retinue of boys and
calves. Brahma is confused and is unable to guess which of
the two sets of boys and calves is genuine. Brahma is shown
the truth and in great humility he sings in praise of the
superiority of the Lord’s Maya by which the entire creation is manifested