TEXT 12
tasmai namo bhagavate
vasudevaya dhimahi
yan-mayaya durjayaya
mam vadanti jagad-gurum
SYNONYMS
tasmaiunto Him; namahoffer my obeisances; bhagavateunto the Personality of Godhead; vasudevayaunto Lord Krsna; dhimahido meditate upon Rim; yatby whose; mayayapotencies; durjayayainvincible; mamunto me; vadantithey say; jagatthe world; gurumthe master.
TRANSLATION
I offer my obeisances and meditate upon Lord Krsna [Vasudeva], the Personality of Godhead, whose invincible potency influences them [the less intelligent class of men] to call me the supreme controller.
PURPORT
As will be more clearly explained in the next verse, the illusory potency of the Lord bewilders the less intelligent to accept Brahmaji, or for that matter any other person, as the Supreme Lord. Brahmaji, however, refuses to be called this, and he directly offers his respectful obeisances unto Lord Vasudeva, or Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, as he has already offered the same respects to Him in the Brahma-samhita (5.1):
"The Supreme Lord is the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, the primeval Lord in His transcendental body, the ultimate cause of all causes. I worship that primeval Lord Govinda."
Brahmaji is conscious of his actual position, and he knows how less intelligent persons, bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord, whimsically accept anyone and everyone as God. A responsible personality like Brahmaji refuses to be addressed as the Supreme Lord by his disciples or subordinates, but foolish persons praised by men of the nature of dogs, hogs, camels and asses feel flattered to be addressed as the Supreme Lord. Why such persons take pleasure in being addressed as God, or why such persons are addressed as God by foolish admirers, is explained in the following verse.

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