Brahma Meditates on Gaurāṅga in Navadvīpa In the Vṛndāvana līlā, after Lord Brahma had stolen the Lord’s calves and cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa, the creator of the whole cosmic creation, expanded Himself as the calves and boys, just to create pleasure both for Brahma and for the mothers of the calves and cowherd boys. Kṛṣṇa can do anything.
He can create the whole cosmic manifestation— He can do anything and everything. He does it with His own style, and He does it in such a way that no one knows that He is doing it. He does it very naturally. Kṛṣṇa was looking for the calves, and when Brahma saw that Kṛṣṇa was away, he stole away all the cowherd boys to show his power and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s power.
Kṛṣṇa came back and was looking everywhere for the boys. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa enters so much into His pastimes that for some time He is just completely absorbed in the pastime. But then immediately He can take advantage of His unlimited knowledge of everything. So then He realized that Brahma took the boys, and He thought, “Okay, Brahma is playing tricks. Alright.” Then He re-manifested all the cowherd boys, and He himself became the cowherd boys and also the calves that Brahma had stolen when Kṛṣṇa was looking for the boys. 
Of course Brahma had already left but then he got worried and came back. In this period one year had passed, and so many things happened. Kṛṣṇa did all this to create pleasure for Brahma and the mothers of the calves and cowherd boys. They all loved Kṛṣṇa. In the village of Vṛndāvana everybody loves their children, but they love Kṛṣṇa more— they can’t stop talking about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the center of everything there. Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, they had the opportunity to become the direct mother and father of Kṛṣṇa, but now Kṛṣṇa is giving everyone the chance to be His parents directly for one year. This is a very special thing. This is how He gave all the mothers of the cowherd boys special pleasure—now they had directly become the mothers of Kṛṣṇa. They were seeing their own child’s form, but the affection they felt for Kṛṣṇa they could now directly shower upon their own child. Even the mothers of the calves, they were able to feed Kṛṣṇa directly their milk and lick Kṛṣṇa as if their own calf. In this one pastime so many amazing things were happening. And this is also giving Brahma pleasure. When Brahma comes back he gets the supreme pleasure. He will realize what is his position in relation to Kṛṣṇa, and that is going to help him to achieve devotional service. Kṛṣṇa creates entire unlimited millions of universes, so what is the difficulty in manifesting some cowherd boys and calves? Nothing is difficult for Him. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—there is no difficulty if He wants to manifest himself in any number of forms. Nothing is out of His reach.
After Brahma was humbled—when he realized that his potency is insignificant compared to the potency of Kṛṣṇa—he went to Navadvīpadhāma, and in the center of Navadvīpa-dhāma he started to meditate. He was told that he should meditate on the holy name of the Lord who will appear in Kali-yuga, so Brahma started to chant, “Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga!” Although Lord Caitanya appeared 500 years ago, He is eternally in Navadvīpa-dhāma. He was there 5000 years ago, He was there 5 million years ago, He is even there today. If you have the good fortune to see Him, you can see Him there today.
Brahma wanted the mercy of the Lord so he was chanting, “Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga Gaurāṅga!” By his chanting again and again Lord Caitanya revealed Himself to him. Brahma jumped up and paid his obeisances. He wanted to speak something but he was so overwhelmed, he had received so much happiness. Kṛṣṇa was giving Brahma happiness by humbling him—now Brahma would really get unlimited happiness by having the darśana (vision) of Lord Caitanya. So Lord Caitanya asked, “What do you want? Why are you calling me?” Then Brahma said, “My dear Lord, I want your mercy. I understand that you are going to come in the future, in Kali-yuga. Already 50% of my life is over and I am still so fallen. I committed an offense. I stole your calves and cowherd boys. When will I become naturally humble and purified, free from all these offenses? Please bless me that I can be free from this offensive mentality, and that I can develop pure love for Kṛṣṇa. You are giving out love of Kṛṣṇa, so please bless me that I can have pure love for Kṛṣṇa, and that when you appear in the world, I can be one of your associates and participate in your pastimes.”
Watching a drama is fun, but playing in the drama is more fun. In Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, the devas are watching from above, but if you can take part in the pastime it is much better. So Brahma wanted to be a part of the pastimes also. Then Lord Caitanya told him, “So be it. You can have what you want.” Then He explained how Brahma will be born in a non-Hindu family, a yavana family, “That is going to teach you humility.” Sometimes being born in a lowly family, in a lowly birth, has disadvantages that teach us humility. Brahma took a lowly birth, even though he is such an exalted personality, just to teach himself humility. Then Lord Caitanya told him that he would chant 300,000 names of Kṛṣṇa every day: “By chanting the holy name you will get purified from all your offenses. You also will be one of my associates. Your name will be Haridāsa.” 
After Brahma received the mercy, Lord Caitanya disappeared, and Brahma returned to Satyaloka and prepared everything for appearing. He had to make arrangements for his duties as Lord Brahma to continue for a short time—a human life is not very long in Brahmaloka time.
Haridāsa ṭhākura is such a special personality—he is Brahma who came down and joined the drama, became one of the actors, and submitted himself to the situations of this world to participate in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
When Kṛṣṇa came down, His pastime was tending cows, having lunch with the cowherd boys in the forest, so many pastimes like that. Lord Caitanya’s pastime is the saṅkīrtana-yajña, establishing the saṅkīrtana-yajña. Yajanti hi su-medhasaù (SB 11.5.32). Those who are very intelligent are taking part in these pastimes—and these pastimes are still going on.
Lord Caitanya predicted that the world would be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma/ sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma: “In every town and village on this earth the glories of my name will be chanted.” (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya 4.126)
All the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are helping Lord Caitanya in fulfilling His prediction, which means that they are part of Lord Caitanya’s pastime. If you take everything as Lord Caitanya’s pastime, then everything is blissful and exciting. Lord Caitanya is also Viśvambhara—He is sustaining and protecting the entire universe. So there is nothing to fear, but we need to remain faithful to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His representatives.
Gauranga – The golden incarnation of divine love- HH Jayapataka Swami
