Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.6.29
सैषा विष्णोर्महामायाबाध्ययालक्षणा यया ।
मुह्यन्त्यस्यैवात्मभूता भूतेषु गुणवृत्तिभि: ॥ २९ ॥
saiṣā viṣṇor mahā-māyā-
[saishaa vishnor mahaa-maayaa-]
bādhyayālakṣaṇā yayā
[baadhyayaalakshanaa yayaa]
muhyanty asyaivātma-bhūtā
[muhyanty asyaivaatma-bhootaa]
bhūteṣu guṇa-vṛttibhiḥ
[bhooteshu guna-vrittibhih]
Word-for-word
sā eṣā
—
this very
viṣṇoḥ
—
of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu
mahā-māyā
—
the illusory material energy
abādhyayā
—
by her who cannot be checked
alakṣaṇā
—
indiscernible
yayā
—
by whom
muhyanti
—
become bewildered
asya
—
of the Lord
eva
—
indeed
ātma-bhūtāḥ
—
the part-and-parcel spirit souls
bhūteṣu
—
within their material bodies
guṇa
—
of the modes of nature
vṛttibhiḥ
—
by the functions.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
saiṣā viṣṇor mahā-māyā-
sā eṣā
this very
viṣṇoḥ
of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu
mahā-māyā
the illusory material energy
bādhyayālakṣaṇā yayā
muhyanty asyaivātma-bhūtā
abādhyayā
by her who cannot be checked
alakṣaṇā
indiscernible
yayā
by whom
muhyanti
become bewildered
asya
of the Lord
eva
indeed
ātma-bhūtāḥ
the part-and-parcel spirit souls
bhūteṣu
within their material bodies
bhūteṣu guṇa-vṛttibhiḥ
guṇa
of the modes of nature
vṛttibhiḥ
by the functions.
This is indeed the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu’s illusory energy, which is unstoppable and difficult to perceive. Although the individual spirit souls are part and parcel of the Lord, through the influence of this illusory energy they are bewildered by their identification with various material bodies.
Purport
The illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu is so powerful that even the illustrious son of King Parīkṣit was temporarily misdirected. Because he was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, his bewilderment was quickly rectified. On the other hand, an ordinary, materialistic person without the special protection of the Lord plummets to the depths of material ignorance. Factually, materialistic persons are not interested in the protection of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore their complete ruination is inevitable.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
This is the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu's illusory energy, which is unstoppable and difficult to perceive. By this illusory energy the souls, portions of the Lord, are bewildered concerning other living beings by the functions of the guṇas.
How can even learned persons be so bewildered? Because of the anger of Janmejaya, the brāhmaṇas who were learned were engaged in a sacrifice to kill the snakes. The power of māyā is shown. Māyā is invisible. By māyā, which cannot be stopped even by learned people, everyone is bewildered. Who is bewildered? The living entities who are aṁśas of Viṣṇu are bewildered concerning living beings and objects by the functions of the guṇas such as anger and hatred.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Suta now teaches: the Lord's illusory energy is unstoppable and hard to perceive; though we are parts of Him, we identify with the bodies she creates. Maya is sophisticated; she binds us by pretending she's not there at all.
Reflection Questions
- Where is maya operating in my life most invisibly right now?
- What single sadhana most reliably exposes her work to my awareness?
My note
Source: vedabase.io