Trap

Expressions researched:
"trap" |"traps"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Some may ask why the all-powerful God gives facilities to the living entities for enjoying this material world and so lets them fall into the trap of the illusory energy. The answer is that if the Supreme Lord as Supersoul does not give such facilities, then there is no meaning to independence.

BG 7.21, Purport:

God has given independence to everyone; therefore, if a person desires to have material enjoyment and wants very sincerely to have such facilities from the material demigods, the Supreme Lord, as Supersoul in everyone's heart, understands and gives facilities to such persons. As the supreme father of all living entities, He does not interfere with their independence, but gives all facilities so that they can fulfill their material desires. Some may ask why the all-powerful God gives facilities to the living entities for enjoying this material world and so lets them fall into the trap of the illusory energy. The answer is that if the Supreme Lord as Supersoul does not give such facilities, then there is no meaning to independence. Therefore He gives everyone full independence—whatever one likes—but His ultimate instruction we find in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should give up all other engagements and fully surrender unto Him. That will make man happy.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

The last illusion, the last snare of māyā to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God.

BG 18.73, Purport:

The living entity's constitutional position is to be a servitor; he has to serve either the illusory māyā or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory, external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In illusion the living entity is serving in this material world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks of himself as the master of the world. This is called illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over, and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare of māyā to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory energy is to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and agree to act according to His order.

SB Canto 1

Ṭhākura Haridāsa was allured at midnight by the well-dressed Māyā, and still she could not induce that great devotee into her trap.

SB 1.6.35, Purport:

Yoga aims at controlling the senses. By practice of the mystic process of bodily exercise in sitting, thinking, feeling, willing, concentrating, meditating and at last being merged into transcendence, one can control the senses. The senses are considered like venomous serpents, and the yoga system is just to control them. On the other hand, Nārada Muni recommends another method for controlling the senses in the transcendental loving service of Mukunda, the Personality of Godhead. By his experience he says that devotional service to the Lord is more effective and practical than the system of artificially controlling the senses. In the service of the Lord Mukunda, the senses are transcendentally engaged. Thus there is no chance of their being engaged in sense satisfaction. The senses want some engagement. To check them artificially is no check at all because as soon as there is some opportunity for enjoyment, the serpentlike senses will certainly take advantage of it. There are many such instances in history, just like Viśvāmitra Muni's falling a victim to the beauty of Menakā. But Ṭhākura Haridāsa was allured at midnight by the well-dressed Māyā, and still she could not induce that great devotee into her trap.

SB Canto 2

To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā.

SB 2.9.33, Purport:

In all ways the confidential part of spiritual knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, and not His impersonal Brahman feature. One should therefore have his ultimate aim of realization not in the impersonal feature but in the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The example of the sky within the pot and the sky outside the pot may be helpful to the student for his realization of the all-pervading quality of the cosmic consciousness of the Absolute Truth. But that does not mean that the individual part and parcel of the Lord becomes the Supreme by a false claim. It means only that the conditioned soul is a victim of the illusory energy in her last snare. To claim to be one with the cosmic consciousness of the Lord is the last trap set by the illusory energy, or daivī māyā. Even in the impersonal existence of the Lord, as it is in the material creation, one should aspire for personal realization of the Lord, and that is the meaning of paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca yo 'vaśiṣyeta so 'smy aham.

SB Canto 3

This false idea of becoming one with the Lord is the last snare of the illusory energy, which traps a living entity into the bondage of forgetfulness under the spell of false ego.

SB 3.5.31, Purport:

The chief function of the false ego is godlessness. When a person forgets his constitutional position as an eternally subordinate part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wants to be happy independently, he functions mainly in two ways. He first attempts to act fruitively for personal gain or sense gratification, and after attempting such fruitive activities for a considerable time, when he is frustrated he becomes a philosophical speculator and thinks himself to be on the same level as God. This false idea of becoming one with the Lord is the last snare of the illusory energy, which traps a living entity into the bondage of forgetfulness under the spell of false ego.

When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position.

SB 3.12.3, Purport:

The question may be raised why the Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to forget. Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and enmity towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of the Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position. The Lord helps the falling living entity glide down to the lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he is happy by misusing his independence.

SB Canto 4

Pṛthu Mahārāja therefore says that the allurement of material benedictions is another trap to entangle one in this material world.

SB 4.20.30, Purport:

Those who are engaged in karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa are doomed in the sense that everyone is doomed who is entrapped by this material body, whether it is a body of a demigod, a king, a lower animal or whatever. The sufferings of the threefold miseries of material nature are the same for all. Cultivation of knowledge to understand one's spiritual position is also, to a certain extent, a waste of time. Because the living entity is an eternal part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, his immediate business is to engage himself in devotional service. Pṛthu Mahārāja therefore says that the allurement of material benedictions is another trap to entangle one in this material world. He therefore frankly tells the Lord that the Lord's offerings of benedictions in the form of material facilities are certainly causes for bewilderment. A pure devotee is not at all interested in bhukti or mukti.

SB Canto 6

The living entity traps himself in a network of his own fruitive activities and then can find no way to release himself. Thus he is always bewildered, and repeatedly he dies.

SB 6.1.52, Translation:

The foolish embodied living entity, inept at controlling his senses and mind, is forced to act according to the influence of the modes of material nature, against his desires. He is like a silkworm that uses its own saliva to create a cocoon and then becomes trapped in it, with no possibility of getting out. The living entity traps himself in a network of his own fruitive activities and then can find no way to release himself. Thus he is always bewildered, and repeatedly he dies.

When a woman's bodily features are attractive, when her face is beautiful and when her voice is sweet, she is naturally a trap for a man.

SB 6.18.41, Purport:

When a woman's bodily features are attractive, when her face is beautiful and when her voice is sweet, she is naturally a trap for a man. The śāstras advise that when such a woman comes to serve a man, she should be considered to be like a dark well covered by grass. In the fields there are many such wells, and a man who does not know about them drops through the grass and falls down. Thus there are many such instructions. Since the attraction of the material world is based on attraction for women, Kaśyapa Muni thought, "Under the circumstances, who can understand the heart of a woman?" Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has also advised, viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca: "There are two persons one should not trust—a politician and a woman." These, of course, are authoritative śāstric injunctions, and we should therefore be very careful in our dealings with women.

CC Antya-lila

The gopīs fell prey to that trap and became Kṛṣṇa's maidservants, giving up their homes, families, husbands and prestige.

CC Antya 15.71, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "After conquering the moon and the lotus flower, Kṛṣṇa wished to capture the doelike gopīs. Thus He spread the noose of His beautiful face, and within that noose He placed the bait of His sweet smile to misguide the gopīs. The gopīs fell prey to that trap and became Kṛṣṇa's maidservants, giving up their homes, families, husbands and prestige."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

"Just take your rest tonight and in the morning I shall arrange for you to get out of this jungle trap."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2:

The hotelkeeper, desiring to get the money, spoke to Sanātana with seeming respect. "Just take your rest tonight," he told him, "and in the morning I shall arrange for you to get out of this jungle trap." However, Sanātana was suspicious of his behavior, and he inquired from his servant Īśāna whether he had money, and Īśāna told him that he had seven gold coins. Sanātana did not like the idea of the servant carrying such money. He became angry with him and said, "Why do you carry this death knell on the road?"

As Nārada Muni passed through the forest, all the animals who were caught in the hunter's traps fled away.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 16:

Devotees of the Lord are generally compassionate upon the miseries of living entities, and what to speak of the great sage Nārada? He became very much aggrieved by this scene, and after proceeding a few steps, he saw the hunter engaged in hunting with bow and arrows. The hunter's complexion was very dark, and his eyes were red. It appeared to be dangerous just to see him standing there with his bow and arrows, looking just like an associate of Yamarāja, death. Seeing him, Nārada Muni entered deeper into the forest to approach him. As Nārada Muni passed through the forest, all the animals who were caught in the hunter's traps fled away. The hunter became very angry at this, and he was just about to call Nārada vile names, but, due to the influence of saintly Nārada, the hunter could not utter such blasphemies. Rather, with gentle behavior, he asked Nārada: "My dear sir, why have you come here while I am hunting? Have you strayed from the general path? Because you have come here, all the animals in my traps have fled."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

First Jarāsandha tried to find Them (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma), searching for a long time, but when he failed he decided to trap and kill Them by setting fires around the peak.

Krsna Book 52:

After traversing a very long distance, the brothers pretended to become tired. To mitigate Their weariness, They climbed up a mountain many miles above sea level. This mountain was called Pravarṣaṇa due to constant rain, for the peak was always covered with clouds sent by Indra. Jarāsandha took it for granted that the two brothers were afraid of his military power and had hidden Themselves at the top of the mountain. First he tried to find Them, searching for a long time, but when he failed he decided to trap and kill Them by setting fires around the peak. He therefore surrounded the peak with firewood and set it ablaze. As the fire spread more and more, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma jumped from the top of the mountain down to the ground—a distance of eighty-eight miles. Thus, while the peak was burning up, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma escaped, unseen by Jarāsandha or his men.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Māyā prepares her last fatal trap, liberation, by which she keeps the monists stranded in the ocean of material existence. She deludes them into thinking "I am that," "I am He," as if they were in a drunken daze.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.4:

Genuine jñānīs know how everything is connected to Brahman, the Absolute Truth. They are humble, unassuming, clean, brahminical, and reverent toward the guru, and they possess many other good qualities. Most often they take to the renounced order (sannyāsa) and lead a pure and saintly life. Yet frequently these sannyāsīs develop one major fault: they consider themselves God. They misinterpret the meaning of the Vedic phrase ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman," and thus they cannot realize pure knowledge of Brahman. They end up deifying the process of negation, and that finally leads to absolute monism. In this way, many jñānīs who want to know the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Brahman, get somehow misled by the illusory potency, māyā. Māyā prepares her last fatal trap, liberation, by which she keeps the monists stranded in the ocean of material existence. She deludes them into thinking "I am that," "I am He," as if they were in a drunken daze.

Message of Godhead

After attainment of one or two of the above perfections, many mystics fall into the trap of mental oscillation.

Message of Godhead 2:

After attainment of one or two of the above perfections, many mystics fall into the trap of mental oscillation. In such a state, the mystic fails to attain to the highest perfection, namely, pure devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But the transcendental worker, or karma-yogī, has no such fear of falling down, for his attention is already fixed in the transcendental service of the Personality of Godhead. Thus, he does not need to enter separately into trance. For the karma-yogī, the mystic perfections manifest automatically due to the ever-increasing freshness of their object of attention, the Personality of Godhead. A mundaner is surely unable to realize how there can be so much transcendental happiness in the service of the Personality of Godhead.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The animals, deer, in the jungle, the hunter, they play very nice flute and all of them assemble to hear how he's nice, and then he keeps him in the trap, loses his life.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Don't take ice cream. (music continues louder in background) (laughs) This is māyā. (laughter) "Come on, come on, enjoy me. Come on, come on, enjoy me." (laughs) As soon as you enjoy, you become entrapped. That's all. Just like fishing tackle. They throw the tackle and invite the fish, "Come on, come on, enjoy me. Come on, come on, enjoy me." As soon as—Ap! (laughter) Finished. Then, (sound imitating fish) "Where you go now? Come on in my bag. Yes, I'll fry you nicely." You see? So these are all explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The fish is losing his life by eating, by tongue. He cannot check the dictation of the tongue; therefore he is losing his life. You see? Similarly the animals, deer, in the jungle, the hunter, they play very nice flute and all of them assemble to hear how he's nice, and then he keeps him in the trap, loses his life. That means hearing. Tasting, hearing. And the elephant is caught by sexual... Do you know how elephant is captured? Yes. A she-elephant is trained, goes to the male elephant, and it follows, and the male elephant is dropped into a, what is called, big pot, pit. Yes. Then he remains there for some time. Then he's shackled and he's taken away. In this way there are different examples of senses. The, what is called? That black, what is called, bhramara? English? That black big fly? (makes buzzing sound) Onnnhhh.

These people, they do not know how much they are under the trap of māyā illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. They are thinking that they are very happy, they are making progress, but they do not know actually the position.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

We have to disturb these envious persons, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" (laughter) That is our duty, to disturb them. And that is the greatest service. Just like a man is sleeping. And somebody is coming to kill him, and other friend, "Mr. such and such, wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" So he may say, "Why you are disturbing me?" But that is the greatest service, he'll be saved. Māyā is coming to kill him, to send him to the darkest region of hell, and you are saving him, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be saved." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). These people, they do not know how much they are under the trap of māyā illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. They are thinking that they are very happy, they are making progress, but they do not know actually the position. This is called illusion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like amongst our students there are many married couples also, and there are brahmacārīs also. That I barred from this? He is not barred. Nobody is barred. Simply following some regulation.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (2): Let me try to delineate that a little more precisely. I have known people who have said, "Well, yes, you know I don't like birth, and I don't like death, and I don't like old age. But I have a tremendous driving need, and I don't know how to deal with it. You see, I must have sex. I must have sex. And I'm tormented. I'm stuck in the trap. I'm ensnared." You see? That is the individual I'm... Now if you can already reach the person through jñāna and convince him, and he can act on the decision of his will, then he's obviously already in a high state. But what do you do with the sort of person who is split, who is torn by his instinctual physical needs and they drive him? You see? And yet he wants to do something. How can you deal with such a person without forcing him to contain himself in such a way that he will resent it? Or must he be allowed to expend his energy until he is convinced by experience?

Prabhupāda: No. Just like amongst our students there are many married couples also, and there are brahmacārīs also. That I barred from this? He is not barred. Nobody is barred. Simply following some regulation. That will gradually train him. And the main principle is that as you go on hearing about this transcendental message, then you gradually become attached to these transcendental things. And the more you become attached to these transcendental things, the more you forget these material things.

In the western country, even if a person has a mouse in his house, a little mouse, he sets some trap and he kills him for stealing food. That is not punishment. That is to stop the disturbance.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Mālatī: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said that the animals are not subject to the laws of the state, that if they steal something, they are not punished. But in our country, even if a person has a mouse in his house, a little mouse, he sets some trap and he kills him for stealing food.

Prabhupāda: That is not punishment. That is to stop the disturbance. By law... There is no such law that "When there is a rat in your house, you should catch it and kill it." Law does not say. Is there any law like that?

Mālatī: No.

Prabhupāda: Then that is another thing.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

They avoid that trap, they avoid association of women. But these women are not ordinary women. They are preachers.

Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In every birth one can get father and mother, but to get the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, that is not possible in every birth. That is only possible in this human form. The cats and dogs, they have got their father and mother. Therefore if we become father, mother like cats and dogs, there is no need of such... Kṛṣṇa-guru nāhi mile bhaja... The father helps the children to achieve Kṛṣṇa and guru, that is real father. (break) ...they avoid that trap, they avoid association of women. But these women are not ordinary women. They are preachers. They are preachers. They are Vaiṣṇava. By their association, one becomes a Vaiṣṇava.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just to see how the animal is jumping. Just like a fish is given freedom, even if he's caught up by the trap. It is like that.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādī-bhāṣya sunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169), finished—his spiritual progress is finished if he associates with a Māyāvādī.

Madhudviṣa: It says in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, even if we look upon the face of a pāṣaṇḍī, we should jump in the river with all our clothes on to become immediately purified, what to speak of giving any aural reception to them. But then again we see that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu listened, you know, attentively for so many hours to Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and also Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. How is it can we understand...?

Prabhupāda: Just to see how the animal is jumping. (to passers-by:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya, jaya. (chuckles) Just like a fish is given freedom, even if he's caught up by the trap. It is like that.

Madhudviṣa: So Lord Caitanya had him on the line all the time.

Prabhupāda: Lord Caitanya was waiting, "Let the rascal go on speaking. How long he can speak?" (laughs)

This is the trap of māyā, to keep them captivated by sex attraction. All these living entities who are in this material world, beginning from the higher planetary system down to the ants and germs and flies. This is the primary enjoyment, sex.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: This is the trap of māyā, to keep them captivated by sex attraction. All these living entities who are in this material world, beginning from the higher planetary system down to the ants and germs and flies. This is the primary enjoyment, sex. The central attraction is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). The human being, the same sex desire, they decorate it in a different way. But the central point is the same. "So all right, why? It is enjoyment, why you are forbidding?" Saintly persons say, yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. It is a pleasure of itching sensation. Itching sensation, when you itch, it is very pleasing. But bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ (SB 7.9.45). Aftereffect is very bad, suffering. Itching, if you itch more, it aggravates, sometimes causes so many other by-products and so on, so on. That is fact. But everyone knows it, that "I may enjoy sex pleasure now; the aftereffect will be very bad." Bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. But why people do it again and again? Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. Those who are kṛpaṇa-kṛpaṇa means not brāhmaṇa—those who are not trained up as a brāhmaṇa, they cannot tolerate this itching sensation. They become victimized and the aftereffect is very, very bad. So either illicit or not illicit... They know it. The modern civilization, they have adopted the means of killing. First of all, they try to stop pregnancy by contraceptive method, and still if it is not stopped, then kill. And if he's still born, then again they put up in a box and go away. You know this?

Harikeśa: Yes, the baby, they put it in a closet and lock the door and walk out.

"Here is Kṛṣṇa." That I... That is our trap.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Minister, Vṛndāvana. Collect all these and send it that this is a genuine movement because it is great cultural movement. Therefore, Swami Bhaktivedanta wanted to give it to Europe who are in the darkness. So anyway, now they are feeling the action of the medicine.

Haṁsadūta: (laughs) Yeah.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) So many big, big sign boards, "Kṛṣṇa is coming." "Here is Kṛṣṇa." (sounds of pages being turned) "Here is Kṛṣṇa."

Hari-śauri: Yeah, every heading has a "Kṛṣṇa" written.

Prabhupāda: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That I... That is our trap.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, the subject matter...

Prabhupāda: That will, that will help us in selling Kṛṣṇa Books.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: "What is this nonsense Kṛṣṇa, let us see." It is not in our disfavor, it is in favor. (chuckles) But still we have to defend. So as I suggested you collect.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And from Vṛndāvana you can have signature from anyone.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like Dr. Russer. He's self-made. So what he will do? Now he's caught up. He's in the trap. He's not a scientific man, but he presented himself as very scientific, so now he's caught up.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Jñāna, real jñāna, is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out. Etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato 'nyathā. What is jñāna, that is stated. But where is jñāna? Everyone is ajñāna. General people, they're karmīs and, little more, jñānīs. But jñāna is not complete unless he knows the Supreme Lord.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Unless he has realized.

Prabhupāda: Not realized, no. Just like we are talking personally. This is...

Jagadīśa: Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanaṁ śaucam... (BG 13.8).

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is ācāryopāsanam. That is required. But these yogis, jñānīs, karmīs, they have no ācārya. They are self-made. Just like Dr. Russer.(?). He's self-made. So what he will do? Now he's caught up. He's in the trap. He's not a scientific man, but he presented himself as very scientific, so now he's caught up.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Right. You found it right away.

We have admitted. But Christianity has fallen. Here is the real religious system.

They have fallen into the trap.

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: We have admitted. But Christianity has fallen. Here is the real religious system.

Dr. Patel: They have fallen into the trap. They have forgotten Christ's teachings. (break) What about me... You'll get up on horse? That is enlightenment... (break)

Prabhupāda: Above your and our.

1967 Correspondence

Srimati Jadurani writes "many of Swami Satcitananda's disciples were present in the last Sunday's feasting and returned this morning to Kirtana. Our traps are too strong to resist." I think you will agree with her.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 10 February, 1967:

Srimati Jadurani writes "many of Swami Satcitananda's disciples were present in the last Sunday's feasting and returned this morning to Kirtana. Our traps are too strong to resist." I think you will agree with her. I am glad to learn that the film taken by Mr. Richard Witty has come out very successful. It is all Krishna's blessings. I think we may purchase one copy of the film at some concessional rate from Mr. Witty.

1968 Correspondence

I know that many European and American students go in that part of India to search out real spiritual enlightenment, but unfortunately they fall in the trap of so-called yogis and are misled.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

As you have liked the place Hrsikesa, why not try to establish yourself there and organize a center for our ISKCON there. I know that many European and American students go in that part of India to search out real spiritual enlightenment, but unfortunately they fall in the trap of so-called yogis and are misled. If you can draw such searching students to this real platform, spiritual platform of Krishna Consciousness, it will be a great service to the western students, as well as to Lord Krishna.

Because it is a fact that nobody can be equal or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, anyone desiring to become one with the Supreme means that he is still in the trap of maya.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

Regarding your questions: Your first question, "Are great sages put under yogamaya or maya? Also are all the eternally liberated souls under yogamaya?" Yogamaya means the mercy of the Supreme Lord which connects a devotee in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and mahamaya means the external potency of the Lord which puts a conditioned soul into illusion that he will be happy by material adjustment. So great sages who are impersonalists are also under the spell of mahamaya, because a conditioned soul in the material world wants to improve his material position as exalted as possible, and the concept of becoming one with the Supreme Lord is the greatest illusion for them. Because it is a fact that nobody can be equal or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, anyone desiring to become one with the Supreme means that he is still in the trap of maya. On the other hand, a humble devotee who may not be a great sage, but simply by his implicit acceptance of the Lotus Feet of the Lord as the goal of his life means that he is under the protection of yogamaya. I think this will clear the idea.

Our mundane relationships with father and mother, or wife and children, cannot protect us from the trap of maya.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

Yes, henceforward, as I have already told you, that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be ultimately seen by you, before being printed. That will keep consistency, I quite agree with you. My present plan is to stay in Los Angeles, perhaps at least for more than a month, which will cover Christmas holidays. And so, during that time, if you come here, it will be very nice. In January I may go to Hawaii, if Gaurasundara takes me there. As you have given up the idea of marriage, I think you can give up the idea of seeing your parents annually. You just prepare yourself for further advanced spiritual life. After all, our mundane relationships with father and mother, or wife and children, cannot protect us from the trap of maya. It is said by one Vaisnava poet that in every form of life, one gets a father and mother, because without father and mother, nobody is able to get a material body. So father and mother is possible in any form of body, but only in this human form of body one can get in touch with Krishna and a bona fide Spiritual Master. That is the highest gain of our travelling in different species of life in different planets.