Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 21.60
Brahmā Is a Post, Not One Individual
“When Kṛṣṇa was so informed, He immediately asked the doorman, ‘Which Brahmā? What is his name?’ The doorman therefore returned and questioned Lord Brahmā.
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa asked which Brahmā had come and what his name was. Brahmā is the name of a post, and its occupant also has a particular name.
- The present predominating deity of the sun is generally called Sūrya, but his particular name is Vivasvān. Similarly, a governor called rāja-pāla also has an individual name.
- There are hundreds and thousands of Brahmās with different names. Kṛṣṇa therefore wanted to know which one had come to see Him.
Try this today
Write a short note distinguishing the title Sūrya from the particular name Vivasvān.
Ask yourself
How does distinguishing a post from its occupant help you understand Kṛṣṇa’s question?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.