7-14

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

daivI hyeSA guNamayI mama mAyA duratyayA |

एषा [eSA] These मम दैवी माया [mama daivI mAyA] divine creations of Mine गुणमयी [guNamayI] are pervaded by the three qualities . दुरत्यया हि [duratyayA hi] They are indeed impossible to cross over.

These material creations are ‘divine’ because they are created by the Lord for the Lord’s entertainment. Due to this, they are impossible to cross over. The word माया [mAyA] has been used over here to refer to the material creations we perceive - including all unpleasant things - which drive us towards strange activities.

For instance, the word माया [mAyA] has been used thus in विश्णु पुराण [vizNu purANa] , 1-19-20:

ततो भगवता तस्य रक्षार्थम् चक्रमुत्तमम् । आजगाम समाज्ञप्तम् ज्वालामालि सुदर्शनम् । तेन मायासहस्रम् तत् शम्बरस्य अशुगामिना । बालस्य रक्षता देहम् एकैकश्येन सूदितम् ॥ [tato bhagavatA tasya rakSArtham cakramuttamam | AjagAma samAjJaptam jvAlAmAli sudarzanam | tena mAyAsahasram tat zambarasya azugAminA | bAlasya rakSatA deham ekaikazyena sUditam || ]

Translated, it means: ‘Then, being instructed by the Lord, the unparalleled disk arrived to protect him (to protect Pralhad). Each one of the thousands of creations and actions of the wicked were destroyed by this quick-spinning weapon that is a blazing ring known as Sudarshana, while protecting the boy’

Used in this way, the word माया [mAyA] does not give the common meaning of ‘illusion’.

There are other contexts where this word is used to denote ‘magic’, a certain spell or the effect of medicines. Since these things make our mind to perceive various meanings, they are denoted by the word माया [mAyA] . If we were to take the common thread through all the usages of the word माया [mAyA] , even including the meaning of ‘illusion’, they all influence the mind and the intellect. In this way, it is complementary to the mind, creating impressions in it.

In the श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 4-10 , it is said - ‘Know the environment around you as माया [mAyA] , your experiences. Know the person who owns this माया [mAyA] as the Lord’. In this way, it is pervaded by the three qualities , creates our experiences and belongs to the Lord. Its job is to conceal the form of the Lord and trigger the intent to indulge in itself.

It isn’t possible to see beyond our cognition of this material world, unless we surrender to the Lord.

Hence, being deluded by the Lord’s material creations, the beings of this world do not know the nature of the Lord, who has a form that is limitless and unbroken joy.

Now The Lord describes the method to free ourselves from the delusion brought about by material experiences -

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेताम् तरन्ति ते ॥ १४ ॥

mAmeva ye prapadyante mAyAmetAm taranti te || 14 ||

ये [ye] The people who प्रपद्यन्ते [prapadyante] surrender मामेव [mAmeva] exclusively to Me ते तरन्ति [te taranti] - they will cross over एताम् मायाम् [etAm mAyAm] this material world.

I am The Lord whose intent is always fulfilled. I am extremely kind, the refuge of the entire universe. I provide refuge without considering any special qualities of anyone. Those who surrender and take refuge in Me alone will cross over My material world that’s pervaded by the three qualities . Being freed from material experiences, they render service to Me alone.

Now He explains why everyone does not surrender to the Lord, even though such surrender would bring them the reward of adoring the Lord and being close to Him.