FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.5.12

तस्मै नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय धीमहि । यन्मायया दुर्जयया मां वदन्ति जगद्गुरुम् ॥ १२ ॥
tasmai namo bhagavate
[tasmai namo bhagavate]
vāsudevāya dhīmahi
[vaasudevaaya dheemahi]
yan-māyayā durjayayā
[yan-maayayaa durjayayaa]
māṁ vadanti jagad-gurum
[maam vadanti jagad-gurum]
tasmai — unto Him namaḥ — offer my obeisances bhagavate — unto the Personality of Godhead vāsudevāya — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa dhīmahi — do meditate upon Him yat — by whose māyayā — potencies durjayayā — invincible mām — unto me vadanti — they say jagat — the world gurum — the master.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmai namo bhagavate
tasmai
unto Him
namaḥ
offer my obeisances
bhagavate
unto the Personality of Godhead
vāsudevāya dhīmahi
vāsudevāya
unto Lord Kṛṣṇa
dhīmahi
do meditate upon Him
yan-māyayā durjayayā
yat
by whose
māyayā
potencies
durjayayā
invincible
māṁ vadanti jagad-gurum
mām
unto me
vadanti
they say
jagat
the world
gurum
the master.
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.

As will be more clearly explained in the next verse, the illusory potency of the Lord bewilders the less intelligent to accept Brahmājī, or for that matter any other person, as the Supreme Lord. Brahmājī, however, refuses to be called this, and he directly offers his respectful obeisances unto Lord Vāsudeva, or Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, as he has already offered the same respects to Him in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1) :

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

“The Supreme Lord is the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord in His transcendental body, the ultimate cause of all causes. I worship that primeval Lord Govinda.”

Brahmājī is conscious of his actual position, and he knows how less intelligent persons, bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord, whimsically accept anyone and everyone as God. A responsible personality like Brahmājī refuses to be addressed as the Supreme Lord by his disciples or subordinates, but foolish persons praised by men of the nature of dogs, hogs, camels and asses feel flattered to be addressed as the Supreme Lord. Why such persons take pleasure in being addressed as God, or why such persons are addressed as God by foolish admirers, is explained in the following verse.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I meditate on the Supreme Lord Vāsudeva, by whose insurmountable māyā people call me the guru of the universe.
Commentary

But are you not known everywhere as the guru of the universe who creates the worlds? With surprise and derision he speaks.

A truly responsible person refuses worship that doesn't belong to them and directs it to its proper object — Kṛṣṇa. The illusory potency tempts followers to inflate their leaders; integrity is to bow lower, not stand taller.
Reflection Questions
  • When others praise me beyond what I deserve, do I redirect it or quietly accept it?
  • Whom do I bow to when no one is watching?
📝 My note

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