Shloka 30
Raivata and Cākṣuṣa Manvantaras; Brahmā’s Prayers at Śvetadvīpa
Prelude to Samudra-manthana
न यस्य कश्चातितितर्ति मायां यया जनो मुह्यति वेद नार्थम् । तं निर्जितात्मात्मगुणं परेशं नमाम भूतेषु समं चरन्तम् ॥ ३० ॥
na yasya kaścātititarti māyāṁ yayā jano muhyati veda nārtham taṁ nirjitātmātma-guṇaṁ pareśaṁ namāma bhūteṣu samaṁ carantam
Niemand kann Seine māyā überwinden, so mächtig, dass sie alle verwirrt und das Ziel des Lebens vergessen lässt. Doch eben diese māyā ist vom Höchsten Herrn bezwungen: Er ist selbstbezwingt, Herrscher über alle und allen Lebewesen gegenüber gleichgesinnt, in allen gleichermaßen gegenwärtig. Ihm bringen wir ehrerbietige Verneigungen dar.
The prowess of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, certainly controls all living entities, so much so that the living entities have forgotten the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: the living entities have forgotten that the aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. The external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives all conditioned souls what appears to be an opportunity to be happy within this material world, but that is māyā; in other words, it is a dream that is never to be fulfilled. Thus every living being is illusioned by the external energy of the Supreme Lord. That illusory energy is undoubtedly very strong, but she is fully under the control of the transcendental person who is described in this verse as pareśam, the transcendental Lord. The Lord is not a part of the material creation, but is beyond the creation. Therefore, not only does He control the conditioned souls through His external energy, but He also controls the external energy itself. Bhagavad-gītā clearly says that the strong material energy controls everyone and that getting out of her control is extremely difficult. That controlling energy belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and works under His control. The living entities, however, being subdued by the material energy, have forgotten the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord’s māyā cannot be crossed by anyone on their own; it bewilders the living being and even obscures the real meaning of the Vedas unless one takes shelter of the Supreme Lord.
Facing crisis and unable to solve it by their own power, the devas approach the Supreme Lord, acknowledging His supremacy over māyā and His position as the impartial Lord present within all beings.
When the mind is bewildered and knowledge feels unclear, this verse points to humility and surrender—seek the Lord’s shelter through prayer, devotion, and guidance from authentic spiritual teachings rather than relying only on limited intellect.