5.72

kvaham tamo-mahad-aham-kha-caragni-var-bhu-

samvestitanda-ghata-sapta-vitasti-kayah

kvedrg-vidhaviganitanda-paranu-carya-

vatadhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam

SYNONYMS

kva—where; aham—I; tamah—material nature; mahat—the total material energy; aham—false ego; kha—ether; cara—air; agni—fire; vah—water; bhu—earth; samvestita—surrounded by; anda-ghata—a potlike universe; sapta-vitasti—seven vitastis; kayah—body; kva—where; idrk—such; vidha—like; aviganita—unlimited; anda—universes; para-anu-carya—moving like the atomic dust; vata-adhva—air holes; roma—of hair on the body; vivarasya—of the holes; ca—also; te—Your; mahitvam—greatness “Where am I, a small creature of seven spans the measure of my own hand? I am enclosed in the universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water and earth.

And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just like particles of dust passing through the opening of a window.”

PURPORT

When Lord Brahma, after having stolen all Krsna’s cows and cowherd boys, returned and saw that the cows and boys were still roaming with Krsna, he offered this prayer (Bhag.10.14.11) in his defeat.

A conditioned soul, even one so great as Brahma, who manages the affairs of the entire universe, cannot compare to the Personality of Godhead, for He can produce numberless universes simply by the spiritual rays emanating from the pores of His body.

Material scientists should take lessons from the utterances of Sri Brahma regarding our insignificance in comparison to God.

In these prayers of Brahma there is much to learn for those who are falsely puffed up by the accumulation of power.