Thinking for a moment about this, and invoking his sakti of omniscience, to understand the reason for the strange behavior, the second portion of maya’s influence was removed. "It is maya definitely, but what kind of maya? Where did it come from? Who does it belong to?" In this way he began to think. "Which maya is this? From which place did it come. Is it the maya of the devatas like Brahma (daivi)? In order to test their powers, have they become the boys and calves, to make us attracted to them? Are the boys not really Sridama and others? Is it some human maya (nari)? To test their knowledge, have some rsis become the calves and boys? Is it the maya of the demons (asuri)? Are kamsa and others, not able to kill us by their strength, trying to kill us by some trick, disguised themselves as the boys and calves?" Thinking in this way, the third portion of maya dissolved, and he again considered. "It may be the maya of my master Krsna--the extraordinary maha yogamaya sakti, which has control over even me, the controller of maya, filled with pure knowledge, for other saktis cannot bewilder me. By the maya of my amsa, who creates the mahat tattva, Brahma and others are bewildered. "

What illusory power or whose power has caused this? Is it his śakti, which increases prema and which makes the impossible possible? What are its characteristics (kā)? Vā is a connective element. From where has it arisen (kutaḥ āyatāḥ)? Why has it done this? Kutaḥ also indicates his deliberation. Vā indicates his uncertaintly. Has this been done by some devatās (daivī) with great powers worshipped by our father? Considering that sages would have more power than devatās, he then imagines a more human cause (sages). The word vā should be added after nāri. But it is not possible for sages to increase the love of the people of Vraja for their sons to compete with their love for Kṛṣṇa. Uta expresses an alternative. Is it the work of some demon woman sent by Kaṁsa to diminish the glory of Kṛṣṇa by destroying their love for him in Vraja through increasing the love for their sons to the same degree? We have seen that Pūtanā previously bewildered the people of Vraja. Or this is an illusion created by some devatās and sages. Greedy for pastimes with Kṛṣṇa, they have made the calves and boys disappear and have taken their places. But that is not possible for well bred people. Thus it must be demons like Pūtanā and Vatsāsura with evil minds. But they cannot cause me to increase my attraction for the boys and calves so that it is like my attraction for Kṛṣṇa. It must be Kṛṣṇa, since he alone cannot be fooled by anyone, since another cause cannot be found, and since such prema can only be caused by Kṛṣṇa’s form and nothing else. Let that be (astu). Let us not settle the matter. Or, let him protect us. Otherwise I will be ashamed by being bewildered by māyā. This māyā increases prema (vimohinī) whose cause cannot be determineds. The syllable vi indicates “for a long time.”

Is it caused by devatās or by Garuḍa and others who out of affection have appeared boys or calves? That cannot happen in relation to dedicated devotees. He thinks again of an alternative. Has it been done by humans like Vāsudeva or Nanda so that the boys do not develop hatred for Kṛṣṇa? That is impossible since the boys naturally hae the greatest affection for Kṛṣṇa. He thinks of another alternative. Could it be some demons? Perhaps Kaṁsa and others have come as the boys to reduce everyone’s attraction to Kṛṣṇa, by increasing their attraction to their sons (who are actually demons). But it is not possible that I can develop attraction for those sons (who are demons) like my attraction for Kṛṣṇa. Since it is impossible to cheat me concerning Kṛṣṇa (prayaḥ) or considering the likely cause, it must be the māyā of my brother. Or let that be (astu). Let us not settle the matter. Otherwise I will be ashamed by being bewildered by māyā. The syllable vi indicates “for a long time.” It has caused bewilderment for a long time (vi-mohinī).