512 Srimad Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 9
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and therefore this verse aham eva
never indicates anything other than the Supreme Lord, and one should
therefore follow the path of Brahma-sampradaya, or the path of Brahmaji
to Narada, to Vyasadeva, etc., and make it a point in life to realize the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Lord Krsna. This very confiden-
tial instruction to the pure devotees of the Lord was also given to Arjuna
and to Brahma in the beginning of the creation. The demigods like Brahma,
Visnu, Mahesvara, Indra, Candra, Varuna are undoubtedly different forms
of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental
ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also
may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, and one should be attached
to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and
leaves. That in the instruction given in this verse.
TEXT 34
wast aq vata a adh ATA |
ARNT ATT TATSSAT TAT AA: 12
rte’rtham yat pratiyeta
na pratiyeta catmani
tad vidyad atmano mayam
yathabhasc yatha tamah

rte—without; artham—value; yat— which; pratiyeta—appears to be; na—
does not; pratiyeta—appears to be; ca—certainly; dtmani—in My relation;
tat—that; vidyat—must you know; atmanah—Mine; mdyadm—illusory ener-
gy; yatha—as much as; abhdsah—in reflection; yatha—as it is; tamah—
darkness.

TRANSLATION
O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation
to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which
appears to be in darkness.
PURPORT

In the previous verse it has already been concluded that in any stage of

the cosmic manifestation—namely its appearance, its sustenance, its growth,
