Instead of defeating Krsna, Brahma himself was defeated, for he could not understand what Krsna was doing. Since Brahma, the chief person within this universe, was so bewildered, what is to be said of so-called scientists and philosophers? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Krsna. Instead, whatever arrangements He proposes, we should accept. This is always better, for this will make us happy. The more we try to defeat the arrangement of Krsna, the more we become implicated in Krsnas maya (daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya). But one who has reached the point of surrendering to the instructions of Krsna (mam eva ye prapadyante) is liberated, free from krsna-maya (mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). The power of Krsna is just like a government that cannot be overcome. First of all there are laws, and then there is police power, and beyond that is military power. Therefore, what is the use of trying to overcome the power of the government? Similarly, what is the use of trying to challenge Krsna?

From the next verse it is clear that Krsna cannot be defeated by any kind of mystic power. If one gets even a little power of scientific knowledge, one tries to defy God, but actually no one is able to bewilder Krsna. When Brahma, the chief person within the universe, tried to bewilder Krsna, he himself was bewildered and astonished. This is the position of the conditioned soul. Brahma wanted to mystify Krsna, but he himself was mystified.

The word visnum is significant in this verse. Visnu pervades the entire material world, whereas Brahma merely occupies one subordinate post.