187 The Nectar of Devotion

Lord Siva, please sit down on this bench and wait. My dear Indra,
please desist from reading your prayers. This is creating a disturbance.
Please wait silently. My dear Varuna, please go away. And my dear
demigods, do not waste your time uselessly. Krsna is very busy; He
cannot see You!”

50. Supreme Controller

There are two kinds of controllers, or lords: one who is indepen-
dent is called controller, and one whose orders cannot be neglected
by anyone is called controller.

Regarding Krsna’s complete independence and lordship, Srimad-
Bhagavatam says that although Kaliya was a great offender, Krsna
still favored him by marking his head with His lotus feet, whereas
Lord Brahma, although having prayed to Krsna with so many won-
derful verses, still could not attract Him.

This contradictory treatment by Krsna is just befitting His posi-
tion, because in all the Vedic literature He is described as the com-
plete independent. In the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam the
Lord is described as svardt, which means completely independent.
That is the position of the supreme absolute truth. The absolute
truth is not only sentient, but He is also completely independent.

As for Krgna’s orders not being neglected by anyone, in Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Third Canto, 2nd Chapter, 21st verse, Uddhava tells
Vidura: “Lord Krsna is the master of the three modes of material
nature. He is the enjoyer of all opulences, and therefore there is no
one equal to or greater than Him.” All the great kings and emperors
used to come before Him, offer their gifts and pay obeisances with
their helmets at the feet of the Lord. One devotee said, “‘My dear
Krsna, when You order Brahma—‘Now you may create the universe,’
—and when You order Lord Siva—‘Now you dissolve this material
manifestation, —You are in this way creating and dissolving the ma-
terial creation Yourself. Simply by Your orders and by Your partial
representation as Visnu, You are maintaining the universes. In this
way, O Krsna, O enemy of Kamsa, there are so many Brahmas and
Sivas who are simply carrying out Your orders.”
