SB 4.17.32
nunam batesasya samihitam janais
tan-mayaya durjayayakrtatmabhih
na laksyate yas tv akarod akarayad
yo ’neka ekah paratas ca isvarah
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
My dear Lord, although You are one, by Your inconceivable potencies You have expanded Yourself in many forms. Through the agency of Brahma, You have created this universe. You are therefore directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are not sufficiently experienced cannot understand Your transcendental activities because these persons are covered by Your illusory energy.
Purport: by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
God is one, but He expands Himself in a variety of energies — the material energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy and so forth. Unless one is favored and especially endowed with grace, he cannot understand how the one Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His different energies. The living entities are also the marginal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahma is also one of these living entities, but he is especially empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahma is supposed to be the creator of this universe, actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is its ultimate creator. In this verse the word mayaya is significant. Maya means “energy.” Lord Brahma is not the energetic but is one of the manifestations of the Lord’s marginal energy. In other words, Lord Brahma is only an instrument. Although sometimes plans appear contradictory, there is a definite plan behind all action. One who is experienced and is favored by the Lord can understand that everything is being done according to the Lord’s supreme plan.