Did Krishna summon Brahmas from countless other universes to teach our Brahma a lesson about ego?

Question

Once, Lord Brahma grew very conceited about his creation and started bragging about the various responsibilities he had. Lord Krishna, the Supreme One, smiled at this.

A few moments later another Brahma from another universe, with five heads, came to Krishna and gave him the status-report of his universe. He was followed by 10 headed and 100 headed Brahmas, who alike reported to Krishna about their own universes, and so on. The four headed Brahma of our universe was ashamed at his own conceit. (Brahmavaivarta Purana)

Answer 1

There is a similar instance told in 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚,𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏.𝟓𝟗 onwards

eka-dina dvārakāte kṛṣṇa dekhibāre brahmā āilā, — dvāra-pāla jānāila kṛṣṇere

“Once, when Kṛṣṇa was ruling Dvārakā, Lord Brahmā came to see Him, and the doorman immediately informed Lord Kṛṣṇa of Brahmā’s arrival.

kṛṣṇa kahena — 'kon brahmā, ki nāma tāhāra?' dvārī āsi' brahmāre puche āra bāra

“When Kṛṣṇa was so informed, He immediately asked the doorman, ‘Which Brahmā? What is his name?’ The doorman therefore returned and questioned Lord Brahmā.

vismita hañā brahmā dvārīke kahilā 'kaha giyā sanaka-pitā caturmukha āilā'

“When the doorman asked, ‘Which Brahmā?’ Lord Brahmā was surprised. He told the doorman, ‘Please go inform Lord Kṛṣṇa that I am the four-headed Brahmā who is the father of the four Kumāras.’

kṛṣṇe jānāñā dvārī brahmāre lañā gelā kṛṣṇera caraṇe brahmā daṇḍavat kailā

“The doorman then informed Lord Kṛṣṇa of Lord Brahmā’s description, and Lord Kṛṣṇa gave him permission to enter. The doorman escorted Lord Brahmā in, and as soon as Brahmā saw Lord Kṛṣṇa, he offered obeisances at His lotus feet.

kṛṣṇa mānya-pūjā kari' tāṅre praśna kaila 'ki lāgi' tomāra ihāṅ āgamana haila?'

“After being worshiped by Lord Brahmā, Lord Kṛṣṇa also honored him with suitable words. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa asked him, ‘Why have you come here?’

brahmā kahe, — 'tāhā pāche kariba nivedana eka samśaya mane haya, karaha chedana

“Being questioned, Lord Brahmā immediately replied, ‘Later I shall tell You why I have come. First of all there is a doubt in my mind which I wish You would kindly dissipate.

kon brahmā?' puchile tumi kon abhiprāye? āmā ba-i jagate āra kon brahmā haye?'

“ ‘Why did you inquire which Brahmā had come to see You? What is the purpose of such an inquiry? Is there any other Brahmā besides me within this universe?’

śuni' hāsi' kṛṣṇa tabe karilena dhyāne asaṅkhya brahmāra gaṇa āilā tata-kṣaṇe

“Upon hearing this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa smiled and immediately meditated. Unlimited Brahmās arrived instantly.

daśa-biśa-śata-sahasra-ayuta-lakṣa-vadana koṭy-arbuda mukha kāro, nā yāya gaṇana

“These Brahmās had different numbers of heads. Some had ten heads, some twenty, some a hundred, some a thousand, some ten thousand, some a hundred thousand, some ten million and others a hundred million. No one can count the number of faces they had.

rudra-gaṇa āilā lakṣa koṭi-vadana indra-gaṇa āilā lakṣa koṭi-nayana

“There also arrived many Lord Śivas with various heads numbering one hundred thousand and ten million. Many Indras also arrived, and they had hundreds of thousands of eyes all over their bodies.

dekhi' caturmukha brahmā phāṅpara ha-ilā hasti-gaṇa-madhye yena śaśaka rahilā

“When the four-headed Brahmā of this universe saw all these opulences of Kṛṣṇa, he became very much bewildered and considered himself a rabbit among many elephants.

āsi' saba brahmā kṛṣṇa-pāda-pīṭha-āge daṇḍavat karite mukuṭa pāda-pīṭhe lāge

“All the Brahmās who came to see Kṛṣṇa offered their respects at His lotus feet, and when they did this, their helmets touched His lotus feet.

kṛṣṇera acintya-śakti lakhite keha nāre yata brahmā, tata mūrti eka-i śarīre

“No one can estimate the inconceivable potency of Kṛṣṇa. All the Brahmās who were there were resting in the one body of Kṛṣṇa.

pāda-pīṭa-mukuṭāgra-saṅghaṭṭe uṭhe dhvani pāda-pīṭhe stuti kare mukuṭa hena jāni'

“When all the helmets struck together at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, there was a tumultuous sound. It appeared that the helmets themselves were offering prayers unto Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

yoḍa-hāte brahmā-rudrādi karaye stavana "baḍa kṛpā karilā prabhu, dekhāilā caraṇa

“With folded hands, all the Brahmās and Śivas began to offer prayers unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, saying, ‘O Lord, You have shown me a great favor. I have been able to see Your lotus feet.’

bhāgya, more bolāilā 'dāsa' aṅgīkari' kon ājñā haya, tāhā kari śire dhari'"

“All of them then said, ‘It is my great fortune, Lord, that You have called me, thinking of me as Your servant. Now let me know what Your order is so that I may carry it on my heads.’