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Library » Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Antya-līlā » CHAPTER THREE

CC Antya 3.250

Text

tabe nārī kahe tāṅre kari’ namaskāra
‘āmi — māyā’ karite āilāṅa parīkṣā tomāra

Synonyms

tabe — at that time; nārī — the woman; kahe — said; tāṅre — unto Haridāsa Ṭhākura; kari’ namaskāra — offering obeisances; āmi — I; māyā — the illusory energy; karite — to do; āilāṅa — I came; parīkṣā — testing; tomāra — your.

Translation

After offering obeisances to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the woman said, “I am the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I came here to test you.

Purport

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” This was actually proved by the behavior of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Māyā enchants the entire world. Indeed, people have forgotten the ultimate goal of life because of the dazzling attractions of the material world. But this dazzling attraction, especially the attractive beauty of a woman, is meant for persons who are not surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: “One who is surrendered unto Me cannot be conquered by the illusory energy.” The illusory energy personally came to test Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but herein she admits her defeat, for she was unable to captivate him. How is this possible? It was because Haridāsa Ṭhākura, fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, was always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa by chanting the holy names of the Lord 300,000 times daily as a vow.