twam siddhis twam svadhaa svahaa
        sudhaa twam loka pavavani
      sandhya ratrih prabha bhutir
        medha sradha sarasvati

This is spoken to Laxmi Devi by lord Indra, "You are 'siddhi', nectar, 'Swaha' and 'Swadhha', Oh purifier of the worlds. You are twilight, night, effulgence, oppulence, intelligence, faith, and Sarasvati."(Vishnu Purana 7:9:3.).

[Different accounts of Brahma with apparent differences in 'lila' are due to different Brahmas or different creations of Brahma being described. But basic principles are always the same; e.g. Brahma always performs 'tapasya'. Sometimes (as in A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami's Srimad Bhagavatam 2:9:30 purport) Brahma is described as being in 'sakhya-rasa'; in Brahma-samhita he is shown to be in 'madhurya-rasa'].
 Let us take a brief look at the words of Brahmaji through his Brahma Samhita. It is said that to understand a person one should hear him/them speak then his/her/their heart, nature is revealed.

Sri Brahma Samhita.
  ...........of Prajapati Brahma 5th chapter.

1. Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the Origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the Prime Cause of all causes.

2. (The spiritual place of transcendental pastimes of Krsna is portrayed in the 2nd verse.) The super-excellent station of Krsna, which is known as Gokula has thousands of petals and a corolla like that of a lotus sprouted from a part of His Infinitary aspect, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of Krsna.

3. The whorl of that transcendental lotus is the realm wherein dwells Krsna. It is a hexagonal figure, the abode of the indwelling predominated and predominating aspect of the Absolute. Like a diamond the central supporting figure of Self-luminous Krsna stands as the transcendental Source of all potencies. The holy name consisting of Eighteen Transcendental Letters is manifested in a hexagonal Figure with six-fold divisions.

4. The whorl of that Eternal Realm Gokula is the hexagonal Abode of Krsna. It's Petals are the Abode of Gopas who are part and parcel of Krsna to Whom they are most lovingly devoted and are similar in essence. The petals shine beautifully like so many walls. The extended leaves of that lotus are the garden-like dhama, i.e., spiritual abode of Sri Radhika, the most beloved of Krsna.

5. (The surrounding external plane of Gokula is described in this verse.) There is a mysterious quadrangular place named "sveta-dvipa" surrounding the outskirts of Gokula. Sveta-dvipa is divided into four parts on all sides. The abode of Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are separately located in each of these four parts. These four divided abodes are enveloped by the four-fold human requirements such as piety, wealth, passion and liberation as also by the four Vedas viz., 'Rik', 'Sama', 'Yajus' and 'Artharva', which deal with the mantram and which are the bases of achievements of the four-fold mundane requirements. Ten tridents are fixed in the ten directions, including the Zenith and Nadir. The eight directions are decorated with the eight jewels of "Mahapadma", "Padma", "Sankhya", "Makara", "Kacchapa", "Mukunda", "Kunda", and "Neela". There are ten protectors ('dikpalas') of the directions in the form of 'mantram'. The associates of the hue of blue, yellow, red and white and the extraordinary potencies bearing the names "Bimala", etc., shine on all sides.

6. The Lord of Gokula is the Transcendental Supreme Godhead, the Own Self of Eternal Ecstasies. He is Superior to all superiors and is busily engaged in the enjoyment's of the Transcendental Realm and has no other association with His mundane Potency.

7. Krsna never consorts with His illusory energy, still her connection is not cut off from the Absolute Truth. When He intends to create the material world, the amorous pastime, in which He engages by consorting with His own spiritual ('Chit') potency Ramaa by casting His glance at the Deluding energy in the shape of sending His time energy, is an auxiliary activity.

8. (The secondary process of association with 'Maya' is described.)  Ramaadevi, the spiritual ('Chit') potency, beloved consort of the Supreme Lord, is the Regulatrix of all entities. The Divine Plenary Portion of Krsna creates the mundane world. At creation there appears a Divine Halo of the Nature of His own subjective portion. This Halo is divine Shambhu, the masculine symbol of manifested emblem of the Supreme Lord. This Halo is the dim twilight reflection of the Supreme eternal effulgence. This masculine symbol is the Subjective portion of Divinity who functions as progenitor of the mundane world, subject to the supreme Regulatrix ('Niyati'). The conceiving potency in regard to mundane creation makes her appearance out of the supreme Regulatrix. She is 'Maya', the limited, non-Absolute potency, the symbol of mundane productivity. The intercourse of these two brings forth the faculty of perverted cognition, the reflection of the seed of the procreative desire of the Supreme Lord.

9. All offspring of the consort of the Great Lord (Mahesvara) of this mundane world, are of the nature of the embodiment of the mundane masculine and feminine generative organs.

10. The person embodying the material causal principle, viz., the great Lord of this mundane world (Mahesvara) Shambhu, in the form of the male generating organ, is joined to his female consort the limited energy ('maya') as the efficient causal principle. The Lord of the world Maha Visnu is manifest in him by His subjective portion in the form of His glance.

11. The Lord of the mundane world, Maha Visnu, possesses thousands and thousands of heads, eyes and hands. He is the Source of thousands and thousands of Avatars in His thousands and thousands of Subjective Portions. He is the Creator of thousands and thousands of individual souls.

12. The same Maha-Visnu is spoken of by the name of "Narayana" in this mundane world. From that Eternal Person has sprung the vast expanse of water of the spiritual causal ocean. The Subjective Portion of Sankarsana who abides in 'Paravyoma', the above Supreme Purusa with thousands of Subjective Portions, reposes in the state of Divine Sleep ('Yoganidra') in the waters of the spiritual causal Ocean.

13. The spiritual seeds of Sankarsana existing in the pores of skin of Maha-Visnu are born as so many golden sperms. These sperms are covered with five great elements.

14. The same Maha-Visnu entered into each universe as His own separate Subjective Portions. The Divine Portions, that entered into each universe are possessed of His majestic Extension, i.e., they are the eternal universal soul of Maha-Visnu, possessing thousands and thousands of heads.

15. The same Maha-Visnu created Visnu from His left limb, Brahma, the first progenitor of beings, from His right limb, and, from the space between His two eyebrows, Shambhu, the divine masculine halo.

16. The function of Shambhu in relation to Jivas is that this universe enshrining the mundane egotistic principle has originated from Shambhu.

17. Thereupon the same Great Personal Godhead, assuming the three-fold forms of Visnu, Prajapati (Brahma) and Shambhu, entering into the mundane universe, plays the pastimes of preservation, creation and destruction of this world. This pastime is contained in the mundane world. Hence, it being perverted, the Supreme Lord, identical with Maha-Visnu, prefers to consort with the Goddess Yoganidra, the Constituent of His own Spiritual ('Chit') potency full of the ecstatic Trance of eternal Bliss appertaining to His own Divine Personality.

18. When Visnu, lying in the Ocean of milk, wills to create this universe, a golden lotus springs from His Navel-pit. The golden lotus with its' stem is the abode of Brahma representing Brahmaloka or Satyaloka.

19. Before their conglomeration the primary elements in their nescient state remained originally separate entities. Non-application of the conglomerating process is the cause of their separate existence. Divine Maha-Visnu, Primal Godhead, through association with His Own Spiritual ('Chit') Potency, moved Maya and by the application of the conglomerating principle created those different entities in their state of co-operation. And after that He Himself consorted with Yoganidra by way of His eternal Dalliance with His Spiritual (Cit) Potency.

20. By conglomerating all those separate entities He manifested the innumerable mundane universes and Himself entered into the inmost recess of every extended conglomerate. At that time those Jivas who had lain dormant during the Cataclysm were awakened.

21. The same Jiva is eternal and is for eternity and without a beginning joined to the Supreme Lord by the tie of eternal kinship. He is transcendental spiritual potency.

22. The divine lotus which springs from the navel-pit of Visnu is in every way related by the spiritual tie with all souls and is the origin of four-faced Brahma versed in the four Vedas.

23. On coming out of the lotus, Brahma, being guided by the Divine potency turned his mind to the act of creation under the impulse of previous impressions. But he could see nothing but darkness in every direction.

24. Then the Goddess of learning Sarasvati, the Divine Consort of the Supreme Lord, said this to Brahma who saw nothing but gloom in all directions, "O Brahma this mantra viz., 'Klim krsnaya govindaya gopijanavallabhaya svaha' will assuredly fulfil your heart's desire."

25. "O Brahma, do thou practice spiritual association by means of this 'mantra'; then all your desires will be fulfilled."

26. Brahma, being desirous of satisfying Govinda, practiced the cultural acts for Krsna in Goloka, Lord of Svetadvipa, for a long time. His meditation ran thus, "There exists a Divine Lotus of a thousand petals, augmented by millions of filaments, in the transcendental Land of Goloka. On its whorl, there exists a great Divine Throne on which is seated Sri Krsna, the Form of Eternal Effulgence of transcendental bliss, playing on His Divine Flute resonant with the Divine Sound with His Lotus Mouth. He is worshipped by His amorous milkmaids with their respected subjective portions and extensions and also by His External Energy (who stays outside) embodying all mundane qualities."

27. The Gayatri, mother of the Vedas, being manifest, i.e., imparted by the Divine Sound of the Flute of Sri Krsna, entered into the lotus mouth of Brahma, born from Himself, through His eight ear-holes. The Lotus-born Brahma, having received the Gayatri, sprung from the Flute-song of Sri Krsna, attained the status of the twice-born, having been initiated by the Supreme Primal Preceptor Godhead Himself.

28. Enlightened by the recollection of that Gayatri, embodying the three Vedas, Brahma became acquainted with the expanse of the Ocean of Truth. Then he worshipped Sri Krsna, the Essence of all Vedas, with this hymn.

29. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, the First Progenitor Who is tending the cows, yielding all desires, in Abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of Purpose-trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of Laksmis or Gopis.

30. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus-petals, with head bedecked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of cupids.

31. I worship Govinda, The Primeval Lord, round Whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the Moon-locket, Whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jewelled ornaments, Who always revels in the pastimes of love, Whose graceful three-fold-bending form of Syamasundara is eternally manifest.

32. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendour. Each of the limbs of that Transcendental Figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.

33. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, Who is without a second, Who is not subject to decay and is without a beginning, Whose form is endless, Who is the beginning, and the eternal Purusa; yet He is a Person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.

34. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, only the Tip of the Toe of whose lotus feet is approached by the 'yogis' who aspire after the transcendental and betake themselves to 'pranayama' by drilling the respiration; or by the jnanins why try to search out the non-differentiated Brahman by the process of elimination of the mundane extending over thousands of millions of years.

35. He is an undifferentiated Entity as there is no distinction between Potency and Possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remain inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His Fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered through the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the Primeval Lord Whom I adore.

36.  I adore the same Govinda, the Primeval Lord, in Whose praise men, who are imbued with devotion, sing the 'mantra-suktas' contained in the Vedas, by gaining their appropriate beauty, greatness, thrones, conveyances and ornaments.

37. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, resembling His own spiritual Figure, the Embodiment of the Ecstatic Potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities in the company of Her confidants ('sakhis'), embodiments of the extensions of her body, permeated and vitalised by His Ever-Blissful Spiritual 'rasa'.

38. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Who is Syamasundara, Krsna Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, Whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.

39. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Who is manifested Himself Personally as Krsna and the different Avataras in the world in the Forms of Rama, Nrsimha, Vamana, etc., as His subjective Portions.

40. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Whose Effulgence is the source of the non-differentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upanishads, being differentiated from the infinity of the mundane universe, appears as the Indivisible, Infinite and Limitless Truth.

41. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Who is the Absolute Substantive Principle being the ultimate Entity in the Form of the Support of all existence, Whose external potency embodies the three-fold mundane qualities, viz., 'sattva', 'rajas', and 'tamas' and diffuses the Vedic knowledge regarding the mundane world.

42. I worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord, Whose glory every triumphantly dominates the mundane world by the activity of His own pastimes, being reflected in the minds of recollecting souls as the Transcendental Entity of ever-blissful Cognitive 'Rasa'.

43. Lowest of all is located 'Devi-dhama' (mundane world); next above it is 'Mahesha-dhama' (Abode of Mahesha); above Mahesha-dhama is placed 'Hari-dhama' (Abode of Hari) and above them all is located Krsna's Own Realm named 'Goloka'. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, Who has allotted their respective authorities to the Rulers of those graded realms.

44. The external potency 'Maya' who is of the nature of the shadow of the 'Chit' Potency, is worshipped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda in accordance with Whose will Durga conducts herself.

45. Just as milk is transformed into curd (yogurt) by the actions of acids, but yet the effect "curd" is neither the same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda of Whom the state of Shambhu is transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.

46. The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda Who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various Manifestations.

47. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda Who assumes His own great subjective form, Who bears the name of Sesa. Replete with the All-accommodating Potency, and reposing in the Causal ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, He enjoys creative sleep ('Yoga-nidra').

48. Brahma and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Maha-Visnu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the Latter (Maha-Visnu). I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda of Whose subjective personality Maha-Visnu is a Portion of Portion.

49. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda from Whom the separated subjective portion Brahma receives his power for the regulation of the mundane world, just as the Supreme manifests some portion of His own light in all effulgent gems that bear the names of Surya-kanta, etc.

50. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, Whose lotus feet are always held by Ganesa upon a pair of tumuli protruding from his elephant head in order to obtain power for his function of destroying all the obstacles on the path of progress of the three worlds.

51. The three worlds are composed of nine elements, viz., fire, earth, ether, water, air, direction, time, soul and mind. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda from Whom they originate, in Whom they exist and into Whom they enter at the time of the Universal Cataclysm.

52. The sun, who is the king of all planets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the good soul, is the eye of this world. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda in pursuance of Whose order the sun performs his journey mounting the wheel of time.

53. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, by Whose conferred power are maintained the manifested potencies that are found to exist in all virtues, in the Vedas, in the penances and in all Jivas from Brahma down to the meanest insect.

54. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, Who burns up to their roots all fruitive activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one's activities, of all those who walk in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of 'Indragopa' than in that of Indra, king of the devas.

55. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda, the meditators of Whom, by meditating upon Him under the sway of wrath, amorous passion, natural friendly love, fear, parental affection, delusion, reverence and willing service, attain to bodily forms befitting the nature of their contemplation.

56. I worship the transcendental seat, known as Sveta-dvipa where as loving consorts the Laksmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krsna as their only Lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose-tree; where the soil is the purpose-gem, water is nectar, every word is a song; every gait is a dance; the flute is the favourite attendant; effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk-cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the duration of half a moment. That Realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realised souls in this world.

57. On hearing these hymns containing the essence of the Truth, the Supreme Lord Krsna said to Brahma, "Brahman, if you experience the inclination to create offspring by being endowed with the real knowledge of the Glory of Godhead, listen My beloved, from Me, this science set forth in the following five 'slokas'."

58. When the pure spiritual experience is excited by means of cognition and service ('bhakti'), super-excellent unalloyed devotion characterised by love of Godhead is awakened towards Krsna, the Beloved of all souls.

59. The highest devotion is attained by slow degrees by the method of constant endeavour for self-realisation with the help of scriptural evidence, theistic conduct and perseverance in practice.

60. Thus preliminary practices of devotion ('sadhana-bhakti') are conducive to the realisation of loving devotion, ('sadhya-bhakti'). (Loving devotion) - than whom there is no superior well-being, who goes hand in hand with the attainment of the exclusive state of supreme bliss and who can lead to Myself.

61. Abandoning all meritorious performances serve Me with faith. The realisation will correspond to the nature of one's faith. The people of the world act ceaselessly in pursuance of some ideal. By meditating on Me by means of those deeds one will obtain devotion characterised by love in the shape of the supreme service.

62. Listen, O Vidhi! I am the seed, i.e., the fundamental Principle, of this world of animate and inanimate objects, I am the 'Pradhana' (the substance of matter), I am 'Prakrti' (material cause), and I am 'Purusha' (efficient cause). This fiery energy that belongs especially to the 'Brahman', that inheres in you, has also been conferred by Me. It is by bearing this fiery energy that you regulate this phenomenal world of animate and inanimate objects.
 Being freed from all materialistic desires to enjoy in the material world, Lord Brahma, the devotee, is a willing recipient of the Lord's mercy.
 Sri Brahma ji thought to himself, "By the recollection of the 'Kama Gayatri mantra' it seems to me that I am the eternal maidservant of Krsna." Thus all the truths of the Vedas were consequently revealed to him by the Lord from within.
 The Lord imparted this Vedic knowledge from within the heart of Brahma as stated in the first verse of Srimad Bhagavatam - 'tene brahma hrdaya adi kavaye'. In this way Brahma handed down knowledge of the Supreme Person through the chain of devotees of the Lord known now as the Brahma Sampradaya.
 To be more specific, painting the picture somewhat, another verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam 12:13.:10., can be used. It says:
       idam bhagavata purvam
         brahmane nabhi pankaje
       sthitaya bhava bhitaya
         karunyat samprakasitam

"It was to Lord Brahma that the Supreme Personality of Godhead first revealed the Srimad Bhagavatam in full. At the time, Brahma, frightened by material existence, was sitting on the lotus flower that had grown from the Lord's navel."(Srimad Bhagavatam 12:13:10.)
 In the Brahma-saàhitä the Lord’s senses are described as omnipotent; i.e., with any sense He can perform the activities of the other senses. One who has limited senses cannot believe that the Lord can eat by His transcendental power of hearing and can perform the act of sex life simply by seeing. The controlled living entity cannot even dream of such sense activities in his conditional life. But simply by the activities of bhakti-yoga, he can understand that the Lord and His activities are always transcendental. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18:55), bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù: one cannot know even a fraction of the activities of the Lord if he is not a pure devotee of the Lord.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam SB 3:3:23., purport.)
 Brahmä is also a devotee of the Lord, but he is an ordinary devotee subject to following regulative principles. He prays to Kåñëa to give him the chance to take birth in Våndävana so that he might be elevated to the platform of spontaneous love.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Krsna Book., KB 14th Chapter.)

Revaténandana: It’s in Volume One, when Brahmä kidnaps the cowherd boys. When I went to Paris, they had gotten all confused. Someone was thinking that Brahmä, Lord Brahmä is not a pure devotee, because...
Prabhupäda: In one sense, not. In one sense (is).
Revaténandana: By his behavior sometimes...
Prabhupäda: No, no, behavior... Because he is in the material world, he wants to lord it over. But a pure devotee has no such desire.
Haàsadüta: But at the same time, he appeared as Öhäkura Haridäsa in this world. So Brahmä, he appears as Öhäkura Haridäsa with Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Prabhupäda: But Brahmä, it does not mean Brahmä cannot be pure devotee.
Revaténandana: Does he become a pure devotee? Otherwise how he can see Kåñëa and reveal Brahma-saàhitä? Also he’s the head of our disciplic succession. That’s why I said, “No. He’s a pure devotee.” How can he be the head of our disciplic succession if he’s not a pure devotee?(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 17th August 1971. Room Conversation.)

Tamäla Kåñëa: I’ve always been confused as to... It says here that a pure devotee like Haridäsa Öhäkura would not fall victim to Mäyädevé’s temptations, but even Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva, might fall victim. I always thought that they were pure devotees of the Lord.
Prabhupäda: No. They are pure devotees, but they are guëävatära. Just like Lord Brahmä is the supreme personality within this material universe. He’s the father of all living entities. So they are... Of course, if we very scrutinizingly study, Haridäsa Öhäkura is, in devotional service, in greater position than Brahmä. Although he is considered the incarnation of Brahmä, Brahmä Haridäsa. So we should not be disturbed when we see Lord Brahmä and Lord Çiva is captivated in that way. We should take this instruction, that is Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva becomes victim of mäyä sometimes, what to speak of us? Therefore we shall be very, very careful. There is chance of falldown even in the status of Brahmä and Çiva, what to speak of ordinary persons. Therefore we should be very strongly inclined to Kåñëa consciousness like Haridäsa Öhäkura. Then we shall be able very easily to overcome the allurement of mäyä. That is to be understood. Not that “Brahmä showed that,” what is called, “weakness. He is weak or he is less.” No. That is for our instruction. Yes. Or first of all, his. Yes.
Devotee: It is said that once you achieve the Godhead, once you go back to Kåñëa, that you don’t fall down. But it is also said that we come from there originally. If we came from there, how did we fall if we were already there?
Prabhupäda: Yes. Just like this example that personalities like Brahmä and Çiva, they also sometimes become victims of mäyä. So our, I mean to say, potency of falling down is always there, potency. And because we are part and parcel of God and because we are now in the material world, it is to be understood that we have fallen down. But you cannot trace out the history when you have fallen down. That is impossible. But our position is marginal. At any moment, we can fall down. That tendency is there. Therefore we are called marginal. But one... Just like it is very simple to understand. Everyone is prone to fall diseased. Is it not? Now when you are diseased, there is no necessity of finding out the history when you became diseased. You are diseased, make your treatment, that’s all. Similarly, we are in the material condition of life. Just go on treating it, and as soon as you are cured, be careful not to fall down again. But there is chance of falling down, again becoming diseased. Not that because you once become cured, there is no chance of becoming diseased again. There is chance. Therefore we shall be very much careful. Yes(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 19th December 1968. Los Angeles. Bhagavad Gita lecture 2.)
  Similarly, anyone, beginning from Brahmä down to the germ in the stool, they’re all sinful. All sinful. People will be surprised that “Brahmä is also sinful?” Yes. Brahmä has also desired that “I shall be the supreme creature within this brahmäëòa, whole universe.” A little or more.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 16th August 1974. Srimad Bhagavatam Class 1:5:25., Vrindavana).
 Prabhupäda: The demigods are not pure devotees. They are devotees. Just like Brahmä is the best of the demigods but he has a material desire that “I shall be the controller of the universe.” Therefore he is not a pure devotee. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has said, kéöa janma hau, jathä tuä däsa, bahir-mukha brahma-janme, nähi mora äça. Is not that?((A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 16th January 1971. Srimad Bhagavatam Class  SB 6:2:11., Allahabad).

Devotee (1): So how is it that Lord Brahmä is a pure devotee...
Prabhupäda: No, he is not pure devotee.
Devotee (1): He’s not.
Prabhupäda: Anyone who is in the material world, he is not pure devotee. He has to become a pure devotee. But there are pure devotees. They come. They are not subjected to all this. They come for the deliverance of the fallen souls. They are above Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva.
Devotee (2): So, Çréla Prabhupäda, isn’t Lord Brahmä the original spiritual master in our sampradäya?
Prabhupäda: Yes. But we should take that it was his lélä to show that “Even I am subjected. How much you should take risk here.” We should take like that because he’s our guru. We should not take him that he was subjected to lusty desires, but he made a show that “Even I am also subjected.” And he gave up this, changed the body for that. Therefore we should not observe if there is a show of fault of the guru. We should take a different way. Tejéyasäà na doñäya. Just like the sun is soaking water from urine, but we should not imitate that, that “We also, let us take urine.” Then you’ll die. He can do so. Tejéyasäà na doñäya. The sun can do that. Still he is not affected. Everyone knows the sun soaks water from the urine. But should you imitate that: “Oh, let me take urine”? No. It is not for you. That is advised. Éçvaranam, those who are éçvaras, the controllers, there is no fault. You should not imitate them; simply you should imitate their instruction.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 11th May 1975. Morning Walk. Perth.)

The following is an example of what happened when one devotee became rather ambitious, going from one person to another, intellectualising, and even irritating the spiritual master over weeks before, minimising his position, and infering that he too could become 'guru' too with that mentality.

Akñayänanda: I was recently told by one devotee that the äcärya does not have to be a pure devotee.
Prabhupäda: What?
Akñayänanda: That the äcärya does not have to be a pure devotee.
Prabhupäda: Who is that rascal?
Akñayänanda: Well, he said it. Who said it?
Prabhupäda: Who said? Who is that rascal? The äcärya does not require to be a pure devotee?
Akñayänanda: He said it. Nitäi said it. He said it in this context. He said that Lord Brahm is the äcärya in the Brahma-sampradäya, but yet he is sometimes afflicted by passion. So therefore he is saying that it appears that the äcärya does not have to be a pure devotee. So it does not seem right.
Prabhupäda: So who is that rascal? I want to know who has said.
Akñayänanda: Nitäi. Nitäi däsa.
Harikeça: Nitäi said that?
Prabhupäda: Who is Nitäi däsa?
Harikeça: Our Nitäi.
Akñayänanda: Nitäi.
Prabhupäda: Oh, our Nitäi? Oh.
Akñayänanda: He said he couldn’t understand it, but he thought, he said that he thought...
Prabhupäda: He manufactured his idea. Therefore he’s a rascal. Therefore he’s a rascal. Nitäi has become an authority?
Akñayänanda: No, actually he said that he thought...
Prabhupäda: He thought something rascaldom, and he is expressing that. Therefore he is more rascal. These things are going on. As soon as he reads some books, he becomes an äcärya, whatever rascal he may be.
Akñayänanda: So there’s no doubt that Lord Brahma is a pure devotee?
Prabhupäda: Whatever he may be, he is äcärya. So you... Then Kåñëa is also passionate. Kåñëa is also passionate. Kåñëa danced with so many gopés; therefore He is passionate. They... These things are to be seen in this way, that “Such exalted person, he sometimes become passionate, so how much we shall be careful.” This is the instruction. Then we petty things, petty persons, how much we shall be careful. It is not that “Äcärya has become passionate, therefore I shall become passionate. I am strict followers of äcärya.”(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 10th December 1975. Morning Walk. Vrindavan.)

Prabhupäda:  .............This sex life in this material world is so strong, even in the heavenly planets. Big, big åñis. Sex life with animals also there is... Sex life is so strong. Man cohabiting with animal. It makes blind. Vyäsadeva  made one of her (his) students pregnant, what to speak of ourselves. Vyäsadeva was born, Satyavaté. She was low class. Although she was born by a king, but her mother was a low-class fisherwoman. And the fisherman raised her as daughter. And Paräçara Muni became attracted. And Vyäsadeva was born. Sex affairs, just see, in the highest circle. Båhaspati, the spiritual master of the devatäs, he became so much mad for his brother’s wife who was pregnant, and forcibly they had sex. Just see. These are examples. Brahmä became attracted with his daughter. Lord Çiva became attracted with the beauty of Mohiné-mürti, even in the presence of his wife. So this sex life can be controlled only by becoming Kåñëa conscious. Otherwise there is no... The Bhägavata has discussed all this because in this material world there is no escape unless we become Kåñëa conscious, from the sex impulse. It is not possible. Yad-avadhi mama cetaù kåñëa... When one is fully Kåñëa conscious, then he’ll reject all this nonsense: “What is this?” Bhavati mukha-vikäraù suñöhu. He’ll spite (spit):  “Eh! Get out. Is that enjoyment?” It is possible for a Kåñëa conscious... No other can do it. And that is the bondage. He’ll have to work hard for maintaining sex issues. And so long you are bound up by the karmas, you have to accept another body and then continue. Who knows this how we are bound up and conditioned? If you talk in the modern society they will laugh: “What nonsense this man is... ‘By sex life one becomes conditioned.’ ” They cannot understand. Hare Kåñëa... (japa) This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyäsés. And those sannyäsés who have fallen, you get them married, live like a... No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that “We shall not fall down again,” that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gåhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date gentlemen with tilaka and çikhä are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gåhastha? I was gåhastha, päkä caliber gåhastha. My Guru Mahäräja was brahmacäré, This is ever... Just see his character. Caitanya Mahäprabhu was gåhastha, but when He took sannyäsa: “Oh, I am now...” For sober person. That is wanted. That is ideal. He married twice. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura married twice. Caitanya Mahäprabhu married twice. What is the wrong there? One has to become pure devotee, that’s all. Other things, of course, are circumstantially favorable, either a gåhastha, brahmacäré or vänaprastha or sannyäsa. Kibä vipra kibä çüdra nyäsé kene naya, yei kåñëa-tattva-vettä sei ‘guru’ haya. You must know the science of Kåñëa consciousness. That makes you guru, not this dress.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. 07th January 1977. Room Conversation. Bombay.)

 Spritual life isn't cheap by any means, and one has to pay the price for the attainment of it. We see that Brahma set that example, seated amid the torid ocean in the darkness he prepared to pay the price through austerities. We all have to pay the price. The price that you have to pay may be slightly different from that of the price I have and had (and am) to pay. Like a tree this 'parampara' grows in the heart of the aspirant after the seed is planted by the 'guru' (the 'bhakti lata bijam'). Knowing the heart and inclination of the aspirant the 'guru' gives the process, as Krishna did to Brahma by which he may attain spiritual advancement.
 "The Bhagavad-gita says that Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul. Then how was it possible for him to impart the Vedas to a non-conditioned soul - Narada Muni?" So, Lord Brahma is a conditioned soul means that due to his desire to become the creator of the material manifestation he had to take birth within the material world. But although he was conditioned by such desire, still he is a great devotee of Lord Krsna. He has written Brahma-samhita which is pure Vaisnava literature describing the Supreme Personality of godhead. Lord Brahma was the first created being within the universe and the first spiritual master, as he received knowledge from within his heart from Lord Krsna. Narada appeared as the son of Brahma and therefore he had to accept Lord Brahma as his spiritual master.(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 9th May 1973. Los Angeles. Letter to Chaturbhuja dasa.)

 It is not that the disciple has to have some wonderful qualities or has to be materially qualified to enter into the 'guru parampara', and even himself become a 'guru' in time. As we mentioned in the three general categories of 'jivas' ('nitya sauris' / 'nitya siddhas', 'nitya samsarins', and 'nitya baddhas' / 'tamo samsarins')('jivataratamya') 'gurus' can appear from the most unlikely places.
 One may be a pure unalloyed devotee to become the head of the 'sampradaya', or one may not. One may be a pure unalloyed devotee to be 'guru' or one may not. The criterion for lord Brahma being the head of our sampradaaya according to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad was that he was a devotee. And when disciples pushed him further for answers if Brahmaji was a pure devotee, or not, again he reiterated that he was a devotee, and that's what counts. He was properly situated at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
 This not only indicates that this is a fact by supporting Brahma's statements, but here in this verse, by the word 'purvam' or first, it indicates that Brahma was enlightened by the Lord from within before Brahma began his service of creation.
 The challenge, so to speak is outlined below:

"A kaniñöha-adhikäré guru, one who is simply attached to performing religious ceremonies and worshiping the Deity, without appreciation for other Vaiñëavas, especially those who are preaching the message of the Lord, will especially appeal to persons interested in the dry cultivation of knowledge. As a living entity develops mundane piety, he proudly devotes himself to regulated work and nobly tries to detach himself from the fruits of his work. Through such regulated detached work, knowledge or wisdom gradually arises. As knowledge or wisdom becomes prominent, the pious materialist becomes attracted to altruistic and charitable work and gives up gross sinful activities. If he is fortunate, he then becomes favorable to the transcendental devotional service of the Lord. Desiring a mere intellectual understanding of devotional service, such a pious materialist may seek shelter at the feet of a kaniñöha-adhikäré. If able to advance to the madhyama qualification, he then becomes attracted to a Vaiñëava actively engaged in preaching Kåñëa consciousness. And when fully mature on the platform of intermediate devotion, he becomes attracted to the mahä-bhägavata level and is awarded a glimpse of the exalted position of the mahä-bhägavata spiritual master by the grace of Kåñëa within his heart. If one gradually goes on in the devotional service of the Lord, one becomes established as a paramahaàsa mahä-bhägavata. At this stage all of his actions. movements and engagements in preaching are dedicated solely to the satisfaction of Kåñëa. The illusory potency, mäyä, has no power to throw or cover such a purified living entity. In Upadeçämåta (5) Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has described this stage of life as bhajana-vijïam ananyam anya-nindädi-çünya-hådam.
A mahä-bhägavata, being empowered by the Supreme Lord, Yogeçvara, is endowed with the supernatural power to inspire and give success to the madhyama-adhikäré who follows in his footsteps and to elevate a kaniñöha-adhikäré gradually to the intermediate platform. Such devotional power springs automatically from the ocean of mercy found within the heart of a pure devotee. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura points out that a mahä-bhägavata has no desire to inflict punishment on the enemies of the Lord. Rather, he engages the madhyama-adhikärés and kaniñöha-adhikärés in preaching work to purify the polluted mentality of the inimical souls, who are falsely imagining the material world to be separate from Kåñëa"(Hridayananda dasa Goswami. Srimad Bhagavatam 11:2:45. purport.)

Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada days before he left this world for the Lord's spiritual abode spoke the following which is an excerpt of his purport to the Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10:13:61., "Thus Brahma prayed, 'govindam adi purusham tam aham bhajami': 'You are the original person, the cause of everything. I bow down to You .' This was his realisation. 'Tam aham bhajami'. This is what is wanted. 'Vedesu durlabham': one cannot reach Krsna merely by Vedic knowledge. 'Adurlabham atma bhaktau': but when one becomes a devotee, then one can realise Him. Brahma, therefore, became a devotee." He realised his own frail position and that here is the actual Lord of the Universe before me, and that I am an insignificant agent of Him."
 These wonderful prayers of Lord Brahma were presented to Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He visited the Adi-Keshava temple at Tiruvattar near Trivandrum in South India during His tour of South India. They are available with explanatory commentaries of Sriyuts Srila Jiva Goswami and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada in a book compiled and published by Iskcon BBT.

The meaning of the syllable om is contained in the Gayatri, and the meaning of the Gayatri is explained in the Catuhsloki,...which were handed down from Isvara to Brahma, from Brahma to Narada, and from Narada to Vyasa...(Jiva Goswami's Tattwa Sandarbha, translation by Stuart Elkman, 1986. page 14. Motilal Banarsidas;[refers to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's discussion with Prakasananda Saraswati]:)

In ‘krishnamruta maharnava’ Sripad Madhwacarya states: "Even once in our lifetime if you/we surrender to the Lord heartily our job is done and we can be rest assured he will not forget us".

The Madhwa line and the Gaudiya Madhwa line show some differences in regards to Lord Brahma. There was an incident recorded in the Srimad Bhagavatam 10th canto 13th chapter, regarding Lord Brahmas' becoming illusioned. Rather than me trying to word things let us use the words of Srila Prabhupada taken from the purport of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta 9:11., wherein he says, "Actually the disciplic succession of Madhwacarya is known as the Brahma-Vaisnava sect; that is the sect coming down from Lord Brahma. Consequently the Tattwavadis, or followers of Madhwacarya, do not accept the incident of Lord Brahma's illusion, which is recorded in the tenth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Madhwacarya has purposefully avoided commenting on that portion of the Srimad Bhagavatam in which the 'brahma-mohana', the illusion of Lord Brahma, is mentioned."
 We can look objectively at this from various views. We can view the whole incident as the Supreme Lord's transcendental pastime, like a dramatic actor, simply to prove that He is supreme and totally independent. We can also view the reactions of Lord Brahma who due to feeling himself the creator became a little proud. But when Lord Krsna showed him his actual position as dependant on the primary creator He Himself. Then Lord Brahma acted as only a devotee would to rectify himself after the incident. He accepted total subservience to Krsna and offered so many nice prayers. This can be read for your own appraisal of the situation in Srimad Bhagavatam 10th Canto, 13th chapter through to the end of chapter 14., of that same 10th Canto. In brief what happened was that after the killing of the Aghasura demon Lord Krsna and His cowherd friends went for a picnic in the forest. because of the lush sweet grasses in the forest the cows also had a feast and wandered away from the cowherd boys. Then just to examine the potency of Krsna Brahma stole away all the calves and cowherd boys and put them in a cave. Sri Krsna could immediately understand that this was the trick of Brahma, and to please Brahma as well as the mothers, fathers and relatives of the calves and boys Lord Krsna replaced them all with His own expansions. Everyone was amazed at how attractive their sons and calves had become, but little did they know actually it was Krsna that they were again attracted to. Thus Krsna found another wonderful pastime to enjoy. In fact He kept this pastime going for one year until Brahma returned, and did he get a surprise. Instead of seeing Krsna alone as he expected, he saw Krsna surrounded with all the cowherd boys and calves. He thought to himself, "How is this possible, I have them all secured in a secluded place," he didn't know that they were expansions of Krsna. Then Krsna showed all of them as having four armed Visnu forms. Now Brahma changed his attitude, he dropped to his knees and offered prayers to try to appease his Lord and master Sri Krsna, glorifying Krsna like anything. Catur Mukha four headed Brahma now felt humbled before Lord Krsna, and Brahma prayed humbly to take birth as a blade of grass or anything in the Holiest of Holy places Sri Vrindavan the place of Lord Krsnas' eternal pastimes. Lord Brahma prays as follows, "Your appearance as a cowherd child is for the benefit of the devotees, and although I have committed offences at Your lotus feet by stealing away Your cows, boys and calves, I can understand that You are now showing me Your mercy. That is Your transcendental quality: You are very affectionate toward Your devotees. Yet in spite of Your affection for me, I cannot estimate the potency of Your bodily activities. It is to be understood that when I, Lord Brahma, the supreme personality of this universe, cannot estimate the childlike body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then what to speak of others? And if I cannot estimate the spiritual potency of Your childlike body, then what can I understand about Your transcendental pastimes......?" Lord Brahma humbly addresses Lord Krsna as Lord and Master, Nathan, Controller, Isha and Adhoksaja one who has no bounds.
 In principle it is only natural for the chaste followers of the head of any institution, 'sampradaya' to faithfully follow and support it's leaders, despite their ocassional exhibition of faults. It's only in an uncultured society that everyone takes it upon themselves to attack each other for the slightest problem or fault. "Airing dirty washing on the clothes line for all to see," (with no shame) as they say in the West. To what advantage is there for anyone to find the faults in devotees who have had difficulties? Better we learn from that, humbly pray that we also don't fall to that, and render service and assistance where we can. Better are the Vaisnava principles of forgive and encourage (but we learn from the experiences of others, so as not to forget) that to think we are so above the material realm, which like thin ice can break under our feet at any moment. This more adheres to the principles of Bhagavad Gita 9:30., where Krsna Himself tells Arjuna that this kind of incident shouldn't be taken too seriously, rather if the devotee again becomes rectified, as Brahma did, and engages in service to the Lord again he is again rightfully situated. Later we know that Lord Brahma even appeared in Lord Caitanya's pastimes as the Namacarya Srila Hari dasa Thakura, the greatest among devotees.

"When one is advanced in devotional service, it is natural that many persons will come to the devotee for becoming his disciples and will offer him some material gains.  So if a person becomes attracted by the increased number of disciples and the material conveniences offered by the disciples, and forgets his duty as a bona fide Spiritual Master, that is another disturbance in the growth of the plant of devotional service. It may be that, by taking advantage of material convenience, one becomes addicted to enjoy the material comforts of life." (A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, 1st Ed., Ch. 1, page. 28.)

"Not only must one come to the stage of pure Krsna consciousness, but one must also be very careful. Any inattentiveness or carelessness may cause falldown. This falldown is due to false ego. From the status of pure consciousness, the false ego is born because of misuse of independence. We cannot argue about why false ego arises from pure consciousness. Factually, there is always the chance that this will happen, and therefore one has to be very careful." (Srimad Bhyagavatam 3:26:23-24).

Sripad Madhwacarya's impecable example is in every way very good for all of us to follow. We can learn a lot from the dealings of these great 'acaryas' in many respects.
Generally in the material world it is said a man is know by what he associates with. So if we simply spend all of our time during which our problems, and those of others are dwelt upon, possibly even actually enjoying them in a perverted manner, as seen done by the gosip mongers and tale carriers, it will not help us very much. The Vaisnavas who are fixed in their conclusion and mission deal with the aspects of their service and nothing else. Madhwa didn’t even comment on but a third of the verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam and avoided the issue of Brahma vimoha (Brahma’s illusion, or falldown) entirely. At Madhwacarya's point in time there was no reason to address this situation and create unnecessary discention in the home camp, when there was so much service to do in addressing the nonsense philosophies of the 'mayavadis'. There is a saying, "One who is busy rowing the boat doesn't have time or inclination to rock it."