Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.13.16
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Search Was a Dramatic Performance
“Thereafter, when Kṛṣṇa was unable to find the calves, He returned to the bank of the river, but there He was also unable to see the cowherd boys. Thus He began to search for both the calves and the boys, as if He could not understand what had happened.”
What the purport teaches
- When Kṛṣṇa returned to the riverbank, the cowherd boys were also missing. He searched for both the boys and the calves.
- Kṛṣṇa could immediately understand that Brahmā had taken them away. Yet He searched like an innocent child, concealing His māyā from Brahmā.
- The purport compares this to a dramatic performance. An actor knows what is happening but plays his part so that others do not understand him.
Try this today
Reread the verse alongside the purport and note the difference between Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and His knowledge.
Ask yourself
How does the actor comparison help you understand Kṛṣṇa’s apparent uncertainty?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.