MADHU BINDAVAH

MAYA DURATYAYA

Insurmountable Illusion

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

A Bengali poem originally published in Sri Gaudiya Darsan,
Volume 1, Issue 5, 13 December 1955.

Dark-Waves

 

মহাভয় শঙ্কুল এ-ভব তরঙ্গিনী
জনম-মরণ মালা-দলে ।
নিশি-দিশি গতাগতি করতঁহি জীবকুল
মোহিত মহামায়া বলে ॥১॥

mahabhaya sankula e-bhava tarangini
janama-marana mala-dale
nisi-disi gatagati
karatahi jiva-kula
mohita mahamaya bale [1]

sankula–Stricken mahabhaya–with instense fear, jiva-kula–souls gatagati karatahi–come and go nisi–night [and] disi–day mala-dale–along the chain janama–of birth marana–and death tarangini–within the waves [of] e–this bhava–world, mohita–captivated bale–by the power mahamaya–of the illusory energy.

Stricken with intense fear, souls come and go night and day along the chain of birth and death within the waves of this world, captivated by the power of Mahamaya.

করবি কি মন অভাগিয়া—
ভুবন-মোহন-মায়া কেমনে রে উতরবি
লভিবি কেমনে কানাইয়া? ॥২॥

karabi ki mana abhagiya—
bhuvana-mohana-maya kemane re utarabi
labhibi kemane kanaiya? [2]

mana–O mind! ki–What karabi–will you do [about my] abhagiya–misfortune? kemane re–How utarabi–will you overcome maya–Maya, [who is] mohana–the bewilderer bhuvana–of the world? kemane–How labhibi–will attain kanaiya–Krishna?

O mind! What will you do about my misfortune? How will you overcome Maya, who bewilders the world? How will you attain Krishna?

নিজ-রূপে বিতারি’ ত্রিগুণ-জালে ফাঁদ রচি’
তঁহি মাহে গণিকা প্রতিষ্ঠা— ।
কনক বরাঙ্গনা দানিয়া আমিষ সম
সঁপিতেছে কাল-করে ধৃষ্টা ॥৩॥

nija-rupe vitari’ tri-guna-jale phada rachi’
tahi mahe ganika pratistha—
kanaka varangana daniya amisa sama
sapitechhe kala-kare dhrsta [3]

vitari’–Expanding nija–her rupe–form, [Maya] rachi’–creates phada–a trap jale–with the net tri-guna–of the three modes, [has] pratistha–the position tahi mahe–within it ganika–as a prostitute— kanaka–a golden varangana–beautiful women sama–similar to daniya–offered amisa–meat— [and] sapitechhe–offers dhrsta–the obstinate kare–to the hands kala–of Time.

Expanding herself, Maya creates a trap with the net of the three modes, poses within it as a prostitute—a beautiful, golden woman comparable to offered meat—and places the obstinate in the hands of Time.

মন মঝু বাত অবধান ।
সোই দয়ালু প্রভু চরণ সরোজে মন
ধন-তনু, সবহুঁ দান ॥৪॥

mana majhu vata avadhana
soi dayalu prabhu charana saroje mana
dhana-tanu,
sabahu dana [4]

mana–O mind, avadhana–pay attention majhu–to my vata–words! saroje–At the lotus charana–feet soi–of your dayalu–merciful prabhu–Lord, mana–O mind, dana–offer [your] tanu–body dhana–and [your] wealth—sabahu–everything.

O mind, listen to my words! At the lotus feet of your merciful Lord, O mind, surrender your body and your wealth—everything.

যাঁকর মায়া তছু পদে পরণমি
লেহ শরণ হোই দীন ।
স্বপনেহ না ভাবিহ তাঁক চরণ বিনু
ধরম যুকতি সমীচীন ॥৫॥

yakara maya tachhu pade paranami
leha sarana hoi dina
svapaneha na bhaviha taka charana vinu
dharama yukati samichina [5]

paranami–Bow [and] dina hoi–humbly leha–take sarana–shelter pade–at the feet tachhu of He yakara–who [possesses] maya–Maya. svapaneha–Even in dreams, na bhaviha–do not think [you can attain the] samichina–the right yukati–conception dharama–of dharma vinu–apart from taka–His charana–feet.

Bow and humbly take shelter at the feet of Maya’s Master. Do not think, even in dreams, that you can properly understand dharma apart from His feet.