SB 11.13.19
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 19
- sa mām acintayad devaḥ
- praśna-pāra-titīrṣayā
- tasyāhaṁ haṁsa-rūpeṇa
- sakāśam agamaṁ tadā
SYNONYMS
saḥ—he (Lord Brahmā); mām—Me; acintayat—remembered; devaḥ—the original demigod; praśna—of the question; pāra—the end, conclusion (the answer); titīrṣayā—with a desire to attain, understand; tasya—unto him; aham—I; haṁsa-rūpeṇa—in My form of Haṁsa; sakāśam—visible; agamam—became; tadā—at that time.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā desired to attain the answer to the question that was puzzling him, and thus he fixed his mind on Me, the Supreme Lord. At that time, in My form of Haṁsa, I became visible to Lord Brahmā.
PURPORT
Haṁsa means "swan," and the specific ability of the swan is to separate a mixture of milk and water, extracting the rich, milky portion. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Haṁsa, or the swan, in order to separate the pure consciousness of Lord Brahmā from the modes of material nature.