Māyā

evaṁ vimṛśya guṇato manasas try-avasthā

evaṁ vimṛśya guṇato manasas try-avasthā
man-māyayā mayi kṛtā iti niścitārthāḥ |
sañchidya hārdam anumāna-sad-ukti-tīkṣṇa-
jñānāsinā bhajata mākhila-saṁśayādhim ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.13.33)

“Deliberating in this way and becoming certain, ‘The three states of the mind [i.e., wakefulness, dreaming, and deep sleep] are manifest in me because of my illusion,’ completely cut away the foundation of all doubts [i.e., the ahaṅkāra] with the sharp sword of knowledge in the form of inference and the statements of the sat [i.e., the teachings of sādhus and the śāstra], and worship me situated in the heart.”

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sṛṣṭvā purāṇi vividhāny ajayātma-śaktyā

sṛṣṭvā purāṇi vividhāny ajayātma-śaktyā
vṛkṣān sarīsṛpa-paśūn khaga-dandaśūkān |
tais tair atuṣṭa-hṛdayaḥ puruṣaṁ vidhāya
brahmāvaloka-dhiṣaṇaṁ mudam āpa devaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.9.28)

“After creating trees, reptiles, animals, birds, snakes, and various [other] bodies with his own śakti ajā [i.e., māyā] and being unsatisfied at heart with them, Deva [i.e., Bhagavān] made the human being, endowed with an intellect for perception of Brahman [i.e., with the capacity to realize the him, the Supreme,] and became pleased.”

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yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ

yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam |
te dustarām atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.7.42)

“‘If those whom he, Bhagavān, the Unlimited, shall grace take shelter at his feet in all respects without duplicity, then they will cross beyond his difficult to surmount, divine māyā [and come to know him], and they will have no mentality of ‘my’ and ‘I’ in regard to that which is food for dogs and jackals [i.e., the material body].”

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tvan-māyā-racite loke

tvan-māyā-racite loke vastu-buddhyā gṛhādiṣu |
bhramanti kāma-lobherṣyā-moha-vibhrānta-cetasaḥ ||
adya naḥ sarva-bhūtātman kāma-karmendriyāśayaḥ |
moha-pāśo dṛḍhaś chinno bhagavaṁs tava darśanāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.8.25–26)

“Those whose minds are bewildered by kāma, greed, envy, and delusion wander about their houses and elsewhere in this plane made by your māyā with the mentality that it is real [i.e., that the world of their present experience is of ultimate importance]. O Ātmā of all beings! O Bhagavān! Today the strong rope of our bewilderment, which is the seat of kāma, karma, and the senses, has been cut by your darśana.”

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satyasya te sva-dṛśa ātmana ātmano’nyaṁ

satyasya te sva-dṛśa ātmana ātmano’nyaṁ
vaktāram īśa vibudheṣv api nānucakṣe |
sarve vimohita-dhiyas tava māyayeme
brahmādayas tanu-bhṛto bahir-artha-bhāvāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.7.17)

[Uddhava to Kṛṣṇa:] “O Capable One, I do not see even among the devas a speaker suitable for me of the self-appearing Reality, the Ātmā, other than yourself, as all these embodied beings beginning with Brahmā [i.e., all the living beings that can be found within saṁsāra], their minds severely bewildered by your māyā, consider the external to be the object [i.e., they all consider the objects of the senses (viṣayas) to be the rightful focus on their awareness and endeavors].”

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bhavān hi kāraṇaṁ tatra

bhavān hi kāraṇaṁ tatra sarva-jño jagad-īśvaraḥ |
anugrahaṁ nigrahaṁ vā manyase tad vidhehi naḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.16.59)

“Because you, the all-knowing Īśvara of the universe, are the cause in this regard [i.e., of one giving up your māyā], please give us mercy or punishment, as you think [fit].”

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tvaṁ māyayaiva jīvānāṁ

baḍa kīrti haile caitanya nāhi pāi |
‘bhakti-vaśa sabe prabhu’—cāri-vede gāi ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.10.279)

“[Even] If one acquires great renown, one does not attain Caitanya. The four Vedas sing, ‘Prabhu is completely captivated [only] by bhakti.’”

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māyā-javanikācchannam

māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam |
na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.8.19)

[Kuntī Devī to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] “Covered by the curtain of māyā, imperceptible to the ignorant, and immutable, you are not perceived by one of untrained eye just like an actor engaged in performance arts [is not really perceived properly by those untrained in appreciation of the arts].”

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bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād
īśād apetasya viparyayo’smṛtiḥ |
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.37; cited in Tattva Sandarbha: 32; Paramātma Sandarbha: 47; Bhakti Sandarbha: 1, 59, 114; Prīti Sandarbha: 1; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.116)

“Non-awareness, misapprehension, and fear because of absorption in a second shall occur by means of Īśa’s māyā for one who is averse to him. Therefore, a wise person, being one for whom the guru is the Devatā and the self (ātmā), should fully worship him [viz., Īśa, Bhagavān] with one-pointed bhakti.”

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na rarājoḍupaś channaḥ

na rarājoḍupaś channaḥ sva-jyotsnā-rājitair ghanaiḥ |
ahaṁ-matyā bhāsitayā sva-bhāsā puruṣo yathā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.20.19)

“The moon covered by clouds illuminated by its own light does not shine, just as the puruṣa [i.e., the jīva, or, the Supreme Īśvara] covered by egotism [i.e., avidyā, ignorance] illuminated by its own light [i.e., consciousness] does not [shine either].”

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