B.G 7.14

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥१४॥

daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā। māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṁ taranti te ॥14॥

[दैवी हि एषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते॥
दैवी (daivī) - The goddess Devi; हि (hi) - indeed; एषा (eṣā) - this; गुणमयी (guṇamayī) - composed of the three modes (sattva, rajas, tamas); मम (mama) - my; माया (māyā) - illusion, energy; दुरत्यया (duratyayā) - difficult to overcome; माम् (mām) - me; एव (eva) - only, certainly; ये (ye) - who; प्रपद्यन्ते (prapadyante) - surrender to; मायाम् (māyām) - illusion; एताम् (etām) - this; तरन्ति (taranti) - cross over; ते (te) - they;]

This divine goddess Devi is my Māyā, presiding over the qualities, and is difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me alone can cross beyond this illusion.

Gīta Bhāshya 7.14

The goddess 'Devi' derives her insurmountable power from the Lord, the Deva, as she is His. She only appears in three distinct forms:Śrī, Bhū and Durgā (corresponding the three qualities of Satva, Rajas, and Tamas). The power of lord Brahma, Rudra and others is insignificant in comparison to the power she processes. It is not possible for even these deities to overcome her power without Lord Vishnu's grace. The wise recognize Lord Vishnu as the highest underlying principle in everyone and everywhere. It is through His presence and grace only, the guru is able to reveal the path to his disciples.

कथम् अनादिकाले मोहानत्ययः बहूनाम् इत्यतः आह - दैवि इति।

katham anādikāle mohānatyayaḥ bahūnām ityataḥ āha - daivi iti।

[कथम् (katham) - how; अनादिकाले (anādikāle) - in the beginningless time; मोहानत्ययः (mohānatyayaḥ) - the overcoming of delusion; बहूनाम् (bahūnām) - for many (beings); इति (iti) - thus; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; आह (āha) - says, explains; दैवि इति (daivi iti) - "daivī" etc., (refers to the start of the verse "दैवी हि एषा...");]

The question "How is it that for many beings delusion has not been overcome since beginningless time?" is answered by the verse starting with "दैवी (daivī).

अयमाशयः - माया हि एषा मोहिका। सा हि सृष्ट्यादिक्रीडादि- मद्देवसम्बन्धित्वात् अतिशक्तेः दुरत्यया। तथा हि देवशब्दार्थं पठन्ति - 'दिवु क्रीडा-विजिगीषा-व्यवहारद्युति-स्तुति-मद -मोद-स्वप्न-कान्ति-गतिषु' इति। कथं दैवी।मदीयत्वात् अहं हि देवः इति। अब्रवीच्च -

ayamāśayaḥ - māyā hi eṣā mohikā। sā hi sr̥ṣṭyādikrīḍādi- maddevasambandhitvāt atiśakteḥ duratyayā। tathā hi devaśabdārthaṁ paṭhanti - 'divu krīḍā-vijigīṣā-vyavahāradyuti-stuti-mada -moda-svapna-kānti-gatiṣu' iti। kathaṁ daivī।madīyatvāt ahaṁ hi devaḥ iti। abravīcca -

[अयम् (ayam) - this; आशयः (āśayaḥ) - intention, meaning; माया (māyā) - illusion; हि (hi) - indeed; एषा (eṣā) - this; मोहिका (mohikā) - deluding, creating delusion, used with feminine gender; सा (sā) - she (referring to māyā); हि (hi) - indeed; सृष्ट्यादिक्रीडादि (sṛṣṭyādi-krīḍādi) - creation, play, etc.; मत्त (matta) - related to me (Lord); देवसम्बन्धित्वात् (devasambandhitvāt) - due to being related to the divine (Lord); अतिशक्तेः (atiśakteḥ) - of immense power; दुरत्यया (duratyayā) - difficult to overcome; तथा हि (tathā hi) - thus indeed; देवशब्दार्थं (deva-śabda-arthaṁ) - the meaning of the word "deva" (divine); पठन्ति (paṭhanti) - they explain, they read; 'दिवु' (divu) - (root of 'deva,' meaning) from the root 'div'; क्रीडा (krīḍā) - play, sport; विजिगीषा (vijigīṣā) - the desire to conquer; व्यवहार (vyavahāra) - transaction, conduct; द्युति (dyuti) - splendor; स्तुति (stuti) - praise; मद (mada) - intoxication, pride; मोद (moda) - joy; स्वप्न (svapna) - dream; कान्ति (kānti) - beauty, radiance; गतिषु (gatiṣu) - in movements, among conditions (all these meanings); इति (iti) - thus; कथम् (katham) - how; दैवी (daivī) - divine; मदीयत्वात् (madīyatvāt) - due to being mine, belonging to me; अहम् (aham) - I; हि (hi) - indeed; देवः (devaḥ) - the Lord; इति (iti) - thus; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - he said;]

The intended meaning here is that this lady māyā (illusion) is indeed deluding, causing confusion. As she is connected to Me, the Deva, the Lord, through divine activities like creation and cosmic play, she pocesses immense power that is extremely difficult to overcome. Thus, the word "divine lord" (deva) is explained in the dictionary by elaborating its root 'divu' to mean play, desire for victory, transaction, splendor, praise, intoxication, joy, dream, beauty, and movement. Why is she called 'davi'? Because she belongs to Me who is the 'deva', the Lord.

"श्रीर्भूर्दुर्गेति या भिन्ना महामाया तु वैष्णवी। तच्छक्त्यनन्तांशहीनाऽथापि तस्याश्रयात्प्रभोः। अनन्तब्रह्मरुद्रादेर्नास्याः शक्तिकलापि हि। तेषां दुरत्ययाऽप्येषा विना विष्णुप्रसादतः॥"

"śrīrbhūrdurgeti yā bhinnā mahāmāyā tu vaiṣṇavī। tacchaktyanantāṁśahīnā'thāpi tasyāśrayātprabhoḥ। anantabrahmarudrādernāsyāḥ śaktikalāpi hi। teṣāṁ duratyayā'pyeṣā vinā viṣṇuprasādataḥ॥"

[श्रीः (śrīḥ) - Lakṣmī (goddess of fortune); भूः (bhūḥ) - Bhūmi (goddess of earth); दुर्गा (durgā) - Durgā (goddess of protection); इति (iti) - thus; या (yā) - who; भिन्ना (bhinnā) - distinct; महामाया (mahāmāyā) - the great illusion, cosmic energy; तु (tu) - but; वैष्णवी (vaiṣṇavī) - belonging to Viṣṇu, of Viṣṇu; तत् (tat) - that; शक्तिः (śaktiḥ) - energy, power; अनन्त (ananta) - infinite, endless; अंश (aṁśa) - part; हीना (hīnā) - without, deprived of; अथ (atha) - but; अपि (api) - also; तस्य (tasya) - of Him (Viṣṇu); आश्रयात् (āśrayāt) - from taking refuge, dependence; प्रभोः (prabhoḥ) - of the Lord; अनन्त (ananta) - endless, infinite; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahmā (creator); रुद्र (rudra) - Rudra (Śiva, destroyer); आदेः (ādeḥ) - and others; न (na) - not; अस्याः (asyāḥ) - of this (Māyā); शक्तिः (śaktiḥ) - power; कलापि (kalā api) - even a fraction of power; हि (hi) - indeed; तेषां (teṣām) - of them (Brahmā, Rudra, etc.); दुरत्यया (duratyayā) - difficult to overcome; अपि (api) - even; एषा (eṣā) - this (Māyā); विना (vinā) - without; विष्णु (viṣṇu) - Viṣṇu; प्रसादतः (prasādataḥ) - by the grace;]

"Oh, one who causes great illusion (Mahāmāyā), you are the one who belong to lord Vishnu (vaiṣṇavī), but appear in distinct forms as Śrī (Lakṣmī, the goddess of wealth), Bhū (the goddess of earth), and Durgā (the goddess of protection). Taking shelter in that lord, you have a portion of that infinite, endless power. That power is indeed infinite, when compared to the power of lord Brahma, Rudra, and others. Without the grace of Lord Vishnu, it is difficult even for them to overcome your illusionary energy."

इति व्यासयोगे।

iti vyāsayoge।

[इति (iti) - thus, so; व्यासयोगे (vyāsayoge) - in the teachings (or system) of Vyāsa;]

- stated thus in the ancient text of Vyāsayoga.

तर्हि न कथञ्चिदत्येतुं शक्यत इत्यत आह - मामेव इति।

tarhi na kathañcidatyetuṁ śakyata ityata āha - māmeva iti।

[तर्हि (tarhi) - then; न (na) - not; कथञ्चित् (kathañcid) - in any way, by any means; अत्येतुम् (atyetum) - to transcend, to overcome; शक्यत (śakyata) - possible; इति (iti) - thus, so; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; आह (āha) - says, explains; माम् (mām) - Me; एव (eva) - alone, only; इति (iti) - thus;]

Therefore, it is stated 'mām eva' , meaning "By surrendering to Me alone", and by no other means it is possible (to overcome the illusionary power of Māyā).

अन्यत्सर्वं परित्यज्य मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते। गुर्वादिवन्दनं च मय्येव समर्पयन्ति स एव च तत्र स्थित्वा गुर्वादिर्भवति इत्यादि पश्यन्ति। आह च नारदीये -

anyatsarvaṁ parityajya māmeva ye prapadyante। gurvādivandanaṁ ca mayyeva samarpayanti sa eva ca tatra sthitvā gurvādirbhavati ityādi paśyanti। āha ca nāradīye

[अन्यत् (anyat) - other things, everything else; सर्वं (sarvaṁ) - all, everything; परित्यज्य (parityajya) - abandoning, giving up; माम् (mām) - Me (the Lord); एव (eva) - only, alone; ये (ye) - those who; प्रपद्यन्ते (prapadyante) - surrender to; गुरु-आदि-वन्दनं (guru-ādi-vandanaṁ) - reverence to the guru and others (spiritual elders); च (ca) - and; मयि (mayi) - in Me; एव (eva) - only; समर्पयन्ति (samarpayanti) - offer, dedicate; सः (saḥ) - he; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; तत्र (tatra) - there; स्थित्वा (sthitvā) - remaining, being established; गुरु-आदि-र्भवति (guru-ādiḥ bhavati) - becomes the guru and others (the role of spiritual teachers); इत्यादि (ityādi) - and so on; पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) - they see; आह (āha) - it is said, it is declared; च (ca) - and; नारदीये (nāradiye) - in the Nārada (text, scripture);]

Those who, abandoning everything else, surrender only to Me, and who offer their reverence to the guru and others solely in Me — such a person, remaining established in Me, himself become the guru. This is perceived (by the wise). It is also said in the Nārada Purāna:

"मत्सम्पत्त्यातु गुर्वादीन् भजन्ते मध्यमा नराः। मदुपाधितया तांश्च सर्वभूतानि चोत्तमाः॥"

"matsampattyātu gurvādīn bhajante madhyamā narāḥ। madupādhitayā tāṁśca sarvabhūtāni cottamāḥ॥"

[मत्सम्पत्त्या (mat-sampattyā) - by possessing My wealth (grace, realization of My presence); तु (tu) - but, indeed; गुर्वादीन् (guru-ādīn) - the guru and others (spiritual elders); भजन्ते (bhajante) - worship, revere; मध्यमा (madhyamā) - intermediate, average; नराः (narāḥ) - human beings, men; मदुपाधितया (mad-upādhitayā) - with the perception of Me as the limiting adjunct (seeing Me in all); तांश्च (tān ca) - them and; सर्वभूतानि (sarva-bhūtāni) - all living beings; च (ca) - and; उत्तमाः (uttamāḥ) - the highest, the best;]

"Those intermediate-level men worship the guru and others, as they possess the wealth in the form of My grace. But the best among them perceive only Me as the highest underlying principle in the guru, in all beings, and in everything, and they revere Me alone."

इति।

iti।

[इति (iti) - stated thus;]

- stated thus.

"आचार्यचैत्यवपुषा स्वगतिं व्यनङ्क्षि।"

"ācāryacaityavapuṣā svagatiṁ vyanaṅkṣi।"

[आचार्य (ācārya) - the teacher, spiritual preceptor; चैत्य (caitya) - the indwelling deity, consciousness, or inner guide; वपुषा (vapuṣā) - by the form, through the body; स्व-गतिं (sva-gatiṁ) - one's own path, destination, or state; व्यानङ्क्षि (vyanaṅkṣi) - revealed, manifested, or displayed;]

"The teacher, through the form of the inner guide (or indwelling deity), reveals one's destination."

इति च ॥१४॥

iti ca ॥14॥

[इति(iti) - stated thus; च(ca) - as well;]

- stated thus as well;