Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 2
Brahmā’s Tapasya, the Vision of Vaikuṇṭha, and the Lord’s Seed Instructions
Catuḥ-śloki
बहुरूप इवाभाति मायया बहुरूपया । रममाणो गुणेष्वस्या ममाहमिति मन्यते ॥ २ ॥
bahu-rūpa ivābhāti māyayā bahu-rūpayā ramamāṇo guṇeṣv asyā mamāham iti manyate
Par la māyā externe du Seigneur, l’être vivant paraît se montrer sous d’innombrables formes. En jouissant des guṇa de la nature, il s’abuse en pensant « moi » et « mien ».
The different forms of the living entities are different dresses offered by the illusory, external energy of the Lord according to the modes of nature the living being desires to enjoy. The external, material energy is represented by her three modes, namely goodness, passion and ignorance. So even in the material nature there is a chance of an independent choice by the living entity, and according to his choice the material energy offers him different varieties of material bodies. There are 900,000 varieties of material bodies in the water, 2,000,000 vegetable bodies, 1,100,000 worms and reptiles, 1,000,000 forms of birds, 3,000,000 different bodies of beasts, and 400,000 human forms. Altogether there are 8,400,000 varieties of bodies in different planets of the universe, and the living entity is traveling by so many transmigrations according to different modes of enjoying spirit within himself. Even in one particular body the living entity changes from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youth, from youth to old age and from old age to another body created by his own action. The living entity creates his own body by his personal desires, and the external energy of the Lord supplies him the exact form by which he can enjoy his desires to the fullest extent. The tiger wanted to enjoy the blood of another animal, and therefore, by the grace of the Lord, the material energy supplied him the body of the tiger with facilities for enjoying blood from another animal. Similarly, a living entity desiring to get the body of a demigod in a higher planet can also get it by the grace of the Lord. And if he is intelligent enough, he can desire to get a spiritual body to enjoy the company of the Lord, and he will get it. So the minute freedom of the living entity can be fully utilized, and the Lord is so kind that He will award the living entity the same type of body he desires. The living entity’s desiring is like dreaming of a golden mountain. A person knows what a mountain is, and he knows also what gold is. Out of his desire only, he dreams of a golden mountain, and when the dream is over he sees something else in his presence. He finds in his awakened state that there is neither gold nor a mountain, and what to speak of a golden mountain.
FAQs
This verse says māyā makes the soul appear to have many identities, and by enjoying the guṇas one develops the notions of “I” and “mine,” which bind one to material life.
While instructing Brahmā about creation and transcendental knowledge, the Lord explains the root of bondage: identification with māyā’s modes, which produces possessiveness and ego.
Notice when identity and happiness are built on changing roles and possessions; practice devotion and detachment from the guṇas by aligning daily choices with service to the Lord rather than “I” and “mine.”