
Srila-Bhakti-Pramode-Puri-Gosvami-Maharaja
Yoga Maya and Maha Maya
by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami Maharaja
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written of the principle of energy. The three modes of material nature is material energy called 'Maha-Maya and is responsible fore the material activities like creation and destruction. As long as the living entity is engrossed in
sense gratification; till then he comes under this influence of illusory energy. He is able to escape from this abominable material energy only on realization of his innate blissful spiritual identity in relation with transcendence. The question is asked do the devotees come under any energy at all? The answer is yes, we are part of the material energy but having escaped the realm of material energy, we are now under the safe protection of the spiritual energy.

Together with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Srila Bhaktivinodha Thakura

Durga Devi

Kālī, Durgā, Śiva, Ganeśa, non are God. Krishna in the center is God

Radha and Krishna The Absolute Truth

Lord Krishna is The Supreme personality Of Godhead

The four handed form of Lord Hari
These features are His transcendental and original form, His Splendor consisting of the spiritual worlds, the living entity and inert material nature. As an analogy, these four features can be compared to the sun whose different aspects are the form of the sun's effulgence, the sun globe, the sun's rays and the reflection of the sun's rays or its shadows. A huge blazing fire may be situated in one place but the effect of its effulgence may be permeated a long distance away. Similarly the energies of the Supreme Lord are permeated throughout the universe though He is situated in one place as in the Spiritual World, as verified by Visnu Purana.

Impressions of the Spiritual World from Vedic descriptions

The ancient Srimad Bhagavatam translated by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
tribhir guna-mayair bhavaih ebhih sarvam idam jagat
mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam
daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te
The three modes of material nature are working under My direction and belong to the inferior energy, but the living entities are influenced by their interactions.
(ii) The three modes of material nature form the inferior energy, by their effects, all the living entities are deluded and are not able to know My divine Nature."
(iii) Srila Cakravartipada, on this third verse "Daivyesa" has commented the fallen living entities, due to the desire to extract enjoyment from material nature, have become bewildered by the demigods. Sri Ramanujacarya has defined the word "daivi" as that crated for the sport of the demigods or that which is instigated by the demigods. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana has commented that Devi means not out of this world, or very extraordinary material energy and for the conditioned souls, extremely unsurpassable. Those who surrender to My divine form can cross over this ocean of material existence.

Surrender!

The cosmic manifestation is controlled by God
yasmanmayi srjate visvam etat tasmin ca anyo mayaya sanniruddah
mayantu prakrtim vidyan mayinnantu mahesvaram:
The Lord creates this universe from material elements and the living entity being influenced by the material energy, becomes entangled by it. The controller of the material nature is the Supreme Lord who pervades the whole cosmic manifestation.
The word 'mayi' refers to Lord Krishna who is the powerful ruler of all energies. The minute living entity, even on liberation, cannot equal this state, for the Supreme Autocrat creates the entire material world plus the spiritual worlds. His material creation is done through the agency of Lord Brahma. In Brahma Sutra (4/4/19). Learned scholars confirm there is an eternal gulf of difference between the living entity and the Lord.

Lord Brahma
The knowledge aspect is that which enlightens the living entity to liberation while the ignorant aspect binds the living entity. When the action of the knowledge feature springs into motion, one becomes inclined to the devotional service of the Lord, and when one forgets Sri Krishna, that is the play of ignorance (avidya). The knowledge of the Absolute Truth is all included under this action of knowledge. At the start, this entails intelligent discrimination and proper effort to cultivate such knowledge.In Srimad Bhagavatam Lord Kapila deva's teachings, the Supreme Lord is the master of the three modes of nature. Sri Ramanuja has written in his 'Gita-Bhasya' of "Maya" which is stated as when the actual identity of the Supreme Lord becomes covered in one's vision and one's own self becomes enmeshed in the selfish enjoying mentality, this is the work of 'Maya'. Due to this form of delusive energy, the whole world cannot fathom the blissful Supreme Controller. The only solution is in complete surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord. Srila Ramanuja explains "one who is endowed with right thought, compassionate, equal to all beings without distinction and surrendered to the Supreme Lord can hope to cross over this ocean of material existence. One should, by worshipping Him, completely give up 'Maya", illusory energy.

Sri Ramanuja

Lord Vishnu

ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha
aparayam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat
Earth, water ,fire, either, mind, intelligence and false ego; these eight are the components of My inferior material nature. Above this material nature is my superior nature which is composed of living entities.
The Gita confirms that the living entity is superior to material nature but inferior to the transcendental spiritual potency.
This is described by Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja in Caitanya Caritamrta:-
ji vera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa
krsnera tatastha sakti bhedabheda prakash
The living entity is the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord and His marginal potency. He is equal in quality not in quantity and are the rays of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun ordinarily radiates light, in this manner they are likewise emanating from the Supreme. In Vishnu Purana the superior, marginal and the material energy have been discussed (para, kshetra and avidya).
krsna bhuli sei jiva-anadi-bhahirmukha ataeva maya tare deya samsara duhkha
The living entity has been covered by illusion for a long time and have been suffering countless miseries but by receiving the mercy of the pure devotees, he takes to the devotional service of the Lord which frees him from the effects of the illusory energy. Seeing the bewilderment of the living entity, the compassionate Lord reveals the scriptures. Consequently, by this utility of scripture with the help of the external spiritual master and internal 'caitya-guru' (the Supreme Lord in the heart), he uncovers his real spiritual identity. This according to stages is the process of knowledge to Sri Krishna (sambandha), the devotional practice which is abhideya and finally devotion to the Supreme Lord. It has already been mentioned that the Lord is the controller of the material energy while the living entity can be subjugated by the material energy. The Svestasvatara Upanisad mentions:
balgra-sata bhagasya sadadha kaliptasya ca
bhago jivah ca cinjeyah sa canantyaya kalpate
The living entity is compared to the size of one ten-thousandth of a tip of a single hair. Nevertheless, that same living entity can be qualified to be liberated.
On Vedanta sutra (2/3/18) it describes how the living entity being very tiny, can be overcome by the tendency for either sinful or pious activities. Manduka Sruti (3/1/19) describes, eso' nuratma cetasa veditavyo: The minute living soul ultimately has to attain the form of purified consciousness. The Lord is the controller of material energy while the living entity by nature being spiritual is liable to be influenced by the material energy due to its minute nature. Srimad Bhagavatam (1/7/4-5) states:
bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam purnam mayam ca tad-apasrayam
yaya sammohito jivatmanam tri-gunatmakam
paro 'pi manute 'nartham tat-krtam cabhipadyate
Srila Vyasa deva, by the power of devotional service with his mind and senses perfectly controlled, was able to see the bodily complexion of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna with His different expansion and energies. He glimpsed also the material energy situated at the back of the Lord and as one aspect of His different energies.
This material energy is the only shadow form of His spiritual internal potency and is responsible for the illusion of the living entities in two ways:- they are the 'akaranatmika' potency which functions to cover the living entity's orginal identity, the other is by the viksepatmika'potency by which the mind and intelligence of the living entity becomes confused or bewildered. The effect of this material energy binds the living entity into the triple modes of material nature, whereby immediately he develops the false consciousness of being the doer and enjoyer and by this false ego becomes entangled. The characteristic of the marginal potency is of its being able to be influenced by both the spiritual and material energies.
From (Brhat Aranya Sruti 2/2/20)
yatha agneh ksudra vishpur linga vyucharanty
evam eva asmadatmanah sarvani bhutam vyuccharanti
Just as many tiny sparks are emitted from a blazing fire, similarly many varieties of minute living entities are produced from the Supreme Lord. The living entity has the option to either stay in the material world or attain the spiritual world. He is in the middle position at the demarcation between these two worlds and has equal opportunity to go to either of these worlds.
This marginal position can be described for more clarity. Just as a huge fish can move either to one bank or the opposite bank, similarly the living entity , from his MARGINAL POSITION can go either to the material or spiritual worlds, and is dependent on whether he is dreaming (in illusion) or awake in knowledge. The word "tatastha" is further examined. The boundary between the land and the water is called the bank (tatastha). This is usually a narrow strip so minute that it cannot be seen with a naked eye. If we compare the spiritual world to the ocean and the material world to be the land, that minute strip or boundary is the corresponding position of the living entity. Both these words are huge in comparison to the minute living entity. Both these worlds are huge in comparison to the minute living entity. Thus in the middling position being the marginal energy, partial characteristics of both sides are present in the living entity. By proper spiritual cultivation, he can be spiritualized or conversely in being ignorant, can fall into the material whirlpool. Originally the living entity is constituted of spiritual elements, not material. Nevertheless, it can be overcome by the force of material attraction. Without the association of pure devotees, the living entity cannot be released from his precarious position. In Caitanya Caritamrta is described how the living entities, though minute sparks of the Supreme, are either bonded or eternally liberated. The bonded souls are suffering hellish pains by punishment afflicted upon them by material nature due to their enjoying tendencies. Eventually, in receiving instructions from the pure devotees submissively they can be freed by taking to the devotional service of the Lord. In C.C, the teachings to Sanatana Gosvami, begins with:
advaya-jnana-tattva krsna-svayam bhagavan
svarupa-saktirupa tanhara haya avasthana
The Lord has two types of expansions (amsa). His own spiritual expansions, and the other His tiny living parts and parcels-jiva (vibhinnamsa). Without the shelter of the Lord, the bonded living entities cannot escape from the clutches of Maya. On this above verse, Sri Srila Prabhupada comments that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Non-Dual Truth. His energies are equal to the source of energy but the energy in this connection is not the bewildering shadow material energy or that which deludes the bonded souls but that which serves Lord Krishna in His diverse loving pastimes. The 'Maya' or insurmountable material energy here has to be overcome and not worshipped.
In Srimad Bhagavatam (2/5/13):
villajamanaya yasya statum iksa-pathe 'muya
vimohita vikatthante mamaham iti durdhiyah
The material personified energy, being ashamed of her despicable work was not able to come in front of the Supreme Lord for her action, the living entity becomes bewildered into thinking in terms of "me" and "mine." By these statements, the bewildering action of this material energy which causes the delusion of living entities has been condemned.
In the nectarine pastimes of Sri Hari, the moods of contrast are always present, the opposite contrasting mellows, inevitably serving to nourish such pastimes in full. It is not that one advocates all the opposite contrasting moods only and tries to reject the normal recommended practices. This type of action is not in accordance with the scriptures.
The scriptures like Bhagavad Gita give proper direction of how one can overcome material nature and be freed. In actual fact, without the association of saintly personalities, one cannot understand the purports of these scriptures. The scriptures, with its manifold opposing conclusions are difficult to discern and their mystery can be uncovered in the proper vision, solely with the help of saintly people. In Bhagavad Gita, the Supreme Lord has equivocally described the importance of work, yoga and knowledge but in the end has revealed the great secret, pure devotional service with the verses beginning with: "man mana-bhava mad bhakta" and also "sarva dharman parityaja". These two verses contain the summum bonnum of devotional service. It has further been demonstrated in the Srimad Bhagavatam, that spontaneous attraction to the Supreme is expressed in the different loving ways of servitude, friendship, parental love and conjugal love, which is ascertained as the highest goal.
Sriman Mahaprabhu had informed Srila Svarupa Damodara for the benefit of the brahmins in Bengal province.
yaha bhagavata pade vaisnavera sthane
ekanta asraya kara caitanya carane
caitanya bhakta ganera nitya kara sanga
tabe ta janie siddhanta samudra-tarange
One has to study the cream of all scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam in the association of the pure devotees of the Lord so that he can cross over the ocean of all types of deviant and opposing devotional conclusions. In this way, one can free himself from Maha Maya and take to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna with devotion. Finally, the shelter of Srila Gurudeva is very essential in devotional service to get the mercy of Yogamaya and free oneself from the effects of Maha Maya.