Devanagari
तत: कृष्णो मुदं कर्तुं तन्मातृणां च कस्य च ।
उभयायितमात्मानं चक्रे विश्वकृदीश्वर: ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
tataḥ kṛṣṇo mudaṁ kartuṁ
tan-mātṝṇāṁ ca kasya ca
ubhayāyitam ātmānaṁ
cakre viśva-kṛd īśvaraḥ
Synonyms
tataḥ
—
thereafter
;
kṛṣṇaḥ
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
;
mudam
—
pleasure
;
kartum
—
to create
;
tat
—
mātṝṇām ca — of the mothers of the cowherd boys and calves
;
kasya ca
—
and (the pleasure) of Brahmā
;
ubhayāyitam
—
expansion, both as the calves and as the cowherd boys
;
ātmānam
—
Himself
;
cakre
—
did
;
viśva
—
kṛt īśvaraḥ — it was not difficult for Him, for He is the creator of the whole cosmic manifestation .
Translation
Thereafter, just to create pleasure both for Brahmā and for the mothers of the calves and cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa, the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation, expanded Himself as calves and boys.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Thereafter, just to create pleasure both for Brahmā and for the mothers of the calves and cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa, the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation, expanded Himself as calves and boys.
KB 10.13.18
Therefore in order to satisfy the mothers of His friends, as well as to convince Brahmā of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead, He immediately expanded Himself as the cowherd boys and calves.
Purport
Although Brahmā was already entangled in bewilderment, he wanted to show his power to the cowherd boys; but after he took away the boys and their calves and returned to his abode, Kṛṣṇa created further astonishment for Brahmā, and for the mothers of the boys, by establishing the lunch pastimes in the forest again and replacing all the calves and boys, just as they had appeared before. According to the
Vedas, ekaṁ bahu syām:
the Personality of Godhead can become many, many millions upon millions of calves and cowherd boys, as He did to bewilder Brahmā more and more.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
While Brahma, bewildered by the Lord’s energy, believed he had bewildered Krsna, Krsna returned home and began performing his pastimes such as eating, as if not bewildered by Brahma, along with the calves and boys. This is not at all astonishing. In order to show his power of illusion of all people even up to Balarama, in order to fulfill the desires of the gopas and gopis to have Krsna as their own son, in order to bewilder Brahma and throw him into the ocean of dismay, in order to show him thousands of forms of Vasudeva, the object of brahma’s devotion, having taught him the Bhagavatam, Krsna took the form of all the calves and boys. To give bliss to Lord Brahma (ka) and the mothers, he expanded himself into both the calves and boys (ubhayayitam). He could do this because he is the master of the mahat tattva which creates the universe (visvakrt isvara).
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
He expanded himself for all the other mothers who constantly desired Kṛṣṇa to be their own son. The word ca indicates that for some days he also kept safely the cowherd boys, who could not tolerate even a moment’s separation from him, just as he kept the Yādavas safely in Dvārakā since he feared some other disturbances such their entrance into Agha’s stomach, while he was absorbed in pastimes. Thus, because the boys were sleeping due to Brahmā’s māyā, they would not experience suffering from separation. And by seeing the boys (which Kṛṣṇa produced), Kṛṣṇa would not feel extreme separation from them.
Another goal is stated. He wanted to give joy to Brahmā since Brahmā worships him with the eighteen syllable mantra. It should be understood that the boys were bewildered by the will of Kṛṣṇa, not by the power of Brahmā’s māyā. The Lord’s pastimes are not understood by ordinary vision. Kṛṣṇa performed actions (cakre) like the calves and the boys. Because of their extreme difference (jīva and īśvāra) he did not become the boys and calves. He could do this quickly since he was the lord of Mahā-viṣṇu and his expansions (viśva-kṛd īśvāraḥ). He was svayam avatārī.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Kṛṣṇa made second forms of the calves and boys because he was attracted to the devotees’ affection (kṛṣṇaḥ). This means that all these forms he created were full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. “How would it be possible to see forms which are beyond māyā?” He was the lord of Brahmā (viśva-krḍ-īṣvaraḥ). He gives all powers. Nothing is impossible for the Lord. Otherwise he would equated with Brahmā who creates the material world.