Covered by maya

Expressions researched:
"covered by maya" |"maya is covering"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

The Absolute Truth covered by māyā is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality.

BG 4.24, Purport:

The Lord is spiritual, and the rays of His transcendental body are called brahmajyoti, His spiritual effulgence. Everything that exists is situated in that brahmajyoti, but when the jyoti is covered by illusion (māyā) or sense gratification, it is called material. This material veil can be removed at once by Kṛṣṇa consciousness; thus the offering for the sake of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the consuming agent of such an offering or contribution, the process of consumption, the contributor, and the result are—all combined together—Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth covered by māyā is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the process of converting the illusory consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme.

SB Canto 3

The Māyāvāda idea that the living entity is the Supreme Absolute Truth but has become covered by māyā is invalid, because māyā cannot be so great that it can cover the Supreme.

SB 3.20.8, Purport:

It is stated here that the Lord assumed the form of a boar by His own potency. His form is not actually the form of a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is forced to accept a particular type of body by the higher authority of material laws, but here it is clearly said that the Lord was not forced to accept the form of a boar by the external power. In Bhagavad-gītā the same fact is confirmed; when the Lord descends to this earth, He assumes a form by His own internal potency. The form of the Lord, therefore, can never consist of material energy. The Māyāvāda version that when Brahman assumes a form the form is accepted from māyā is not acceptable, because although māyā is superior to the conditioned soul, she is not superior to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; she is under the control of the Supreme Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Māyā is under His superintendence; māyā cannot overcome the Lord. The Māyāvāda idea that the living entity is the Supreme Absolute Truth but has become covered by māyā is invalid, because māyā cannot be so great that it can cover the Supreme. The covering capacity can be employed on the part and parcel of Brahman, not on the Supreme Brahman.

SB Canto 4

Because the living entity desires to imitate the Supreme Lord, he is covered by māyā.

SB 4.29.29, Purport:

Actually the living entity is part and parcel of the Lord; therefore he is spiritual in quality. The living entity is never material, and his material conception is simply a mistake due to forgetfulness. He is as brilliant as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both the sun and the sunshine are very brilliant. The Lord is like the full shining sun, and the living entities are like the small particles of that sun which constitute the all-pervasive sunshine. When these small particles are covered by the cloud of māyā, they lose their shining capacity. When the cloud of māyā is gone, the particles again become brilliant and shining. As soon as the living entity is covered by the ignorance of māyā, or darkness, he cannot understand his relationship with the Supreme God. Somehow or other, if he comes before the Lord, he can see himself as shining as the Supreme Lord, although he is not as extensive as the Lord. Because the living entity desires to imitate the Supreme Lord, he is covered by māyā. We cannot imitate the Lord, nor can we become the supreme enjoyer. This is not possible, and when we think it is, we become conditioned by māyā. Thus the encagement of the living entity under the clutches of māyā is brought about by forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord.

SB Canto 6

Another peculiar characteristic of the jīva is that he becomes covered by māyā. Ātmamāyā-guṇaiḥ: he is prone to being covered by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy.

SB 6.16.9, Purport:

Another peculiar characteristic of the jīva is that he becomes covered by māyā. Ātmamāyā-guṇaiḥ: he is prone to being covered by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy. The living entity is responsible for his conditional life in the material world, and therefore he is described as prabhu ("the master"). If he likes he can come to this material world, and if he likes he can return home, back to Godhead. Because he wanted to enjoy this material world, the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave him a material body through the agency of the material energy. As the Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61):

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy." The Supreme Lord gives the living entity a chance to enjoy in this material world as he desires, but He openly expresses His own desire that the living entity give up all material aspirations, fully surrender unto Him and return home, back to Godhead.

CC Adi-lila

Actually the living entities are not illusory, for they are parts of the superior energy of the Supreme Lord and do not have to be covered by māyā if they do not want to be so.

CC Adi 1.54, Purport:

That which is relative, temporary and far away from the Absolute Truth is called māyā, or ignorance. This illusion is exhibited in two ways, as explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. The inferior illusion is inert matter, and the superior illusion is the living entity. The living entities are called illusory in this context only because they are implicated in the illusory structures and activities of the material world. Actually the living entities are not illusory, for they are parts of the superior energy of the Supreme Lord and do not have to be covered by māyā if they do not want to be so. The actions of the living entities in the spiritual kingdom are not illusory; they are the actual, eternal activities of liberated souls.

Māyā is controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; it is not that He is covered by māyā. Therefore Lord Viṣṇu cannot be a product of the material energy.

CC Adi 7.115, Purport:

Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī explains that the variegated personal feature of the Absolute Truth is the viṣṇu-tattva and that the material energy, which creates this cosmic manifestation, is the energy of Lord Viṣṇu. The creative force is merely the energy of the Lord, but the foolish conclude that because the Lord has distributed Himself in an impersonal form He has no separate existence. The impersonal Brahman, however, cannot possess energies, nor do the Vedic literatures state that māyā (the illusory energy) is covered by another māyā. There are hundreds and thousands of references, however, to viṣṇu-māyā (parāsya śaktiḥ), or the energy of Lord Viṣṇu. In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) Kṛṣṇa refers to mama māyā ("My energy"). Māyā is controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; it is not that He is covered by māyā. Therefore Lord Viṣṇu cannot be a product of the material energy. In the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), indicating that the material energy is also an emanation of the Supreme Brahman. How then could He be covered by the material energy? If that were possible, material energy would be greater than the Supreme Brahman. Even these simple arguments, however, cannot be understood by the Māyāvādī philosophers, and therefore the term māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, which is applied to them in the Bhagavad-gītā, is extremely appropriate. Anyone who thinks that Lord Viṣṇu is a product of the material energy, as explained by Sadānanda Yogīndra, should immediately be understood to be insane, for his knowledge has been stolen by the illusory energy.

Māyā’s influence is so strong that even learned scholars and spiritualists are also covered by māyā and think themselves to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CC Adi 7.115, Purport:

Lord Kṛṣṇa explains very clearly in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) that His material energy is very difficult to overcome: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Māyā’s influence is so strong that even learned scholars and spiritualists are also covered by māyā and think themselves to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, however, to free oneself from the influence of māyā one must surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Kṛṣṇa also states in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. It is to be concluded, therefore, that Lord Viṣṇu does not belong to this material creation but to the spiritual world. To misconceive Lord Viṣṇu to have a material body or to equate Him with the demigods is the most offensive blasphemy against Lord Viṣṇu, and offenders against the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu cannot advance in spiritual knowledge. They are called māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, or those whose knowledge has been stolen by the influence of illusion.

CC Madhya-lila

When an incarnation of God or God Himself comes, the Māyāvādīs think He is covered by māyā.

CC Madhya 17.132, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is herein pointing out to the brāhmaṇa that Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand that the living entity is equal in quality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because they do not accept this, they think that the living entity has been falsely divided from the original Brahman due to being conditioned by māyā. Māyāvādīs believe that the Absolute Truth is ultimately impersonal. When an incarnation of God or God Himself comes, they think He is covered by māyā. In other words, Māyāvādī impersonalists think that the Lord's form is also a product of this material world. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand that Kṛṣṇa has no body separate from Himself. His body and Himself are both the same Absolute Truth. Not having perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, such impersonalists certainly commit offenses at His lotus feet.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Though the enemies of the Lord think about the Lord, they do so with enmity because their intelligence has been covered by māyā.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.2:

Enemies of the Lord like Kaṁsa and Jarāsandha always meditated on Kṛṣṇa, but unfavorably. Similar to these demons are the atheistic scholars who always challenge and misrepresent the real teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. Though they think about the Lord, they do so with enmity because their intelligence has been covered by māyā. Kaṁsa and Jarāsandha were also erudite scholars, but because they were obsessed with Kṛṣṇa in enmity, they were demons.

We all agree that the jīva is covered by māyā, but if the Supreme Brahman, or Parabrahman, is also covered by māyā, then is māyā superior to Parabrahman?

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.2:

Brahman, Paramātmā (the Supersoul), and Bhagavān (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)—all three are the same nondual Supreme Absolute. It would be riduculous to say that Dr. Radhakrishnan is ignorant of this subject, yet we fail to see the logic in his claim that when the Supreme Lord incarnates He comes under the sway of māyā. The Lord unequivocally states in the Gītā that when He appears, He does so in His original transcendental form. Hence there can be no difference between Him and His body. The Lord further states that His appearance, activities, and so on are all transcendental, beyond the realm of matter. He is eternal, supremely pure, the original Supreme Personality and Supreme Brahman. We all agree that the jīva is covered by māyā, but if the Supreme Brahman, or Parabrahman, is also covered by māyā, then is māyā superior to Parabrahman?

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

How this Māyāvāda theory can be supported, that due to māyā, being covered by māyā, they are now appearing individual, separate, but when the covering of māyā will be taken away, they will mix up just like the small sky within the pitcher and the big sky outside mixes?

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Now, the Māyāvādī says that this individuality is māyā. So their conception is that spirit, the whole spirit is a lump. Their theory is ghaṭākāśa poṭākāśa. Ghaṭākāśa poṭākāśa means... Just like sky. The sky is an expansion, impersonal expansion. So in a pot, in a waterpot, in a pitcher that is closed... Now, within the pitcher, there is also sky, a small sky. Now as soon as the pitcher is broken, the outside, the bigger sky, and the small sky within the pitcher mixes. That is Māyāvāda theory. But this analogy cannot be applied. Analogy means points of similarity. That is the law of analogy. The sky cannot be compared... The small sky within the pitcher cannot be compared with the living entity. It is material, matter. Sky is matter, and individual living entity is spirit. So how you can say? Just like a small ant, it is spirit soul. It has got its individuality. But a big dead stone, hill or mountain, it has no individuality. So matter has no individuality. Spirit has individuality. So if the points of similarity differ, then there is no analogy. That is the law of analogy. So you cannot analogize with matter and spirit. Therefore this analogy is fallacious. Ghaṭākāśa poṭākāśa. Then another evidence is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). "This individual souls, they are My part and parcel." Jīva-loke sanātanaḥ. And they are eternal. That means eternally they are part and parcel. Then when... How this Māyāvāda theory can be supported, that due to māyā, being covered by māyā, they are now appearing individual, separate, but when the covering of māyā will be taken away, they will mix up just like the small sky within the pitcher and the big sky outside mixes? So this analogy is fallacious from logical point of view, as well as from authentic Vedic point of view.

He's saying, "You and I and all these." So does it mean that Kṛṣṇa is also covered by māyā or illusion? Because He is very clearly differentiating between Him and the living entities, all individuals.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

The Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa says, yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ, samatvenaiva vīkṣeta sa pāṣaṇḍī bhavad dhruvam: (CC Madhya 18.116) "Anyone who calculates Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, equal with such demigods, not, what to speak of ordinary human beings, even big, big demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, he immediately becomes a pāṣaṇḍī, atheist." So if... The Māyāvādī philosophy, they put forward this argument that "Because we are now in māyā, we are thinking that we are different from God." But Kṛṣṇa is making thus such differentiation that... He's making, He's saying, "You and I and all these." So does it mean that Kṛṣṇa is also covered by māyā or illusion? Because He is very clearly differentiating between Him and the living entities, all individuals. So if the Māyāvādī philosopher is right that this differentiation is due to our illusion, then we have to accept Kṛṣṇa is also in illusion. Because He's making differentiation. So if Kṛṣṇa is in illusion, then what is the use of taking His version? Because our proposition is that we have to take knowledge from the perfect person. So if Kṛṣṇa is in illusion, then how He can become perfect person, and the knowledge delivered by Him is perfect? No. Kṛṣṇa is not illusioned. We are in illusion. Kṛṣṇa is not in illusion. Kṛṣṇa cannot be in illusion.

The soul, individual soul, is part and parcel of the Supreme. But that part and parcel is eternally. Not that being covered by māyā, it has become individual. No.

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

Sanātana means eternally. Eternally the example just like fire and fire sparks. The fire sparks are part and parcel of the fire. Similarly the soul, individual soul, is part and parcel of the Supreme. But that part and parcel is eternally. Not that being covered by māyā, it has become individual. No. Individual permanently. Permanently individual. As God is permanently individual, so every one of us living entities, we are permanent. It is not that by māyā we have been separated, cut into pieces, fragment. It is clearly stated it cannot be cut. If it is not cut, cannot be cut, then how I have become fragment? That I am not cut fragment. I am eternal fragment. That is confirmed in the Fifteenth Chapter, sanātana, eternal. Try to understand. Just like you take a paper, you cut into pieces. That is cut. But here it is said that the spirit cannot be cut. Then how we have become fragment pieces, different individuals? That means we are eternally so. We are eternally individual.

The common sense is that finite Brahman is covered by māyā. Not the infinite. Therefore duality. Finite and infinite living entities. Kṛṣṇa is infinite, and the ordinary living entities are finite.

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

This is a common sense argument. How it can be? If it is equal to the infinite, how he has become finite? They cannot answer. The impersonalists cannot answer. How he has become finite? They'll simply answer, "It is māyā." Then māyā is greater than the infinite? Then māyā becomes greater than the infinite. Then that God is no more infinite because māyā covers the Supreme, so how He is infinite? He becomes finite? The common sense is that finite Brahman is covered by māyā. Not the infinite. Therefore duality. Finite and infinite living entities. Kṛṣṇa is infinite, and the ordinary living entities are finite.

God is never covered by māyā. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, he becomes free from the clutches of māyā." How Kṛṣṇa can be within māyā?

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

So actually, the ultimate, the last word of the Absolute Truth is person. But, but unfortunately, those who are mūḍhas, or less intelligent, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), "Oh, Kṛṣṇa? He may be God, but He has become a person, taking the help of māyā." This is Māyāvāda philosophy. They are studying māyā; they put God also within māyā. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. But God is not māyā. God is never covered by māyā. Kṛṣṇa says that mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, he becomes free from the clutches of māyā." How Kṛṣṇa can be within māyā? That is not very good philosophy.

Kṛṣṇa is never covered by māyā. It is our eyes which covered by māyā.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So Vyāsadeva, by his meditation, saw the Supreme Person and māyā also. Māyā is on the backside. Māyā cannot come in the front side. So Kṛṣṇa is never covered by māyā. It is our eyes which covered by māyā. So we, the fragments of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśaḥ, we are covered by māyā, not Kṛṣṇa. The theory that Kṛṣṇa becomes covered, that is nonsense. How Kṛṣṇa can be covered? Kṛṣṇa cannot be covered. He is the controller of the māyā. And we are controlled by the māyā. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa, māyādhīśa, and we are māyādhīna.

We are teeny part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are covered by māyā. Sometimes, not always.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa is never influenced by the illusory energy, māyā. We become influenced by the māyā. Kṛṣṇa... Just like cloud. Cloud cannot cover the sun. It is our eyes which are covered by the cloud. We see, we say that "Now the sun is covered by the cloud." No, that is not the fact. Sun is very, very big. Sun cannot be covered by cloud. It is our eyes which are covered by the cloud. Similarly, māyā... We are teeny part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are covered by māyā. Sometimes, not always. Kṛṣṇa, when we forget Kṛṣṇa...

kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare

nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta)

As soon as we try to forget Kṛṣṇa, immediately māyā is there.

There are many philosophers, they say that God and the living entity the same; it is covered by māyā. Yes. It is covered by māyā. That is accepted. But God cannot be covered by māyā.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So we are energies of Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvāda philosophy claims that we are the same Brahman or Paramātmā. But Bhagavad-gītā says that the living entities, as we are, we are simply energy; Kṛṣṇa is the energetic. So there is difference between the energetic and the energy. Just like fire. Fire is the energetic, and light and heat are the energies of fire. So the sun and the sunshine. The sunshine is the energy of sun. If you think because the sunshine has entered in your room, if you think the sun has entered your room, that is wrong. So energy and energetic, they are simultaneously one and different. That is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya. Acintya-bhedābheda. There are many philosophers, they say that God and the living entity the same; it is covered by māyā. Yes. It is covered by māyā. That is accepted. But God cannot be covered by māyā. That is not possible. The same example. Just like the clouds, cloud covering my eyesight. Not that cloud is covering the sun. That is not possible.

Just like we are thinking that Brahman is covered by māyā. This is avidyā. How Brahman can be covered by māyā? Then māyā becomes the great, not Brahman.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So this kṣetrajña-śakti or the jīva-śakti is also parā-śakti, spiritual. Kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā. Avidyā-karma-saṁjñānya tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate (CC Madhya 6.154). And there is another energy which is avidyā. How it is avidyā? Just like we are thinking that Brahman is covered by māyā. This is avidyā. How Brahman can be covered by māyā? Then māyā becomes the great, not Brahman. Brahman means the great. Bṛhatva. That is Brahman. So if māyā covers Brahman, then māyā becomes greater than Brahman. And that is not possible. Māyā is illusion. Just like cloud. Cloud is another production of the sun. By the heat of the sun, the sea water is evaporated and it is transformed into clouds. So cloud is nothing but a transformation of the energy of the sun. Similarly, māyā-śakti is also another energy of Kṛṣṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Mama māyā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land; similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So māyā is controlled by Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. That is not very good theory. That is due to poor fund of knowledge. Kṛṣṇa cannot be covered. Just like Vyāsadeva, by his bhakti-yoga meditation he saw Kṛṣṇa and māyā. Māyā apāśrayam, just on the background. Background, just like you find the shadow of the man. Not in the front. Similarly, māyā cannot cover Kṛṣṇa. That is wrong philosophy. Māyā can cover the individual soul. Therefore because the individual soul is apt to fall down sometimes under the clutches of māyā, it is called taṭastha-śakti. Taṭastha-śakti. Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land; similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage. When we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we are brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and when we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are materially conscious, that is māyā.

The Supreme Lord cannot be covered by māyā. That is wrong.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Therefore as soon as we are freed from the clutches of māyā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), we become prasannātmā, very happy, joyful. Just like if a man is freed from the contamination of a certain type of disease, he feels happy: "Now I am feeling all right," similarly, these coverings of māyā of the jīvas, not of the Supreme Lord... The Supreme Lord cannot be covered by māyā. That is wrong. The jīvas.

What is the difference between spiritual and material? Everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But when it is covered by māyā, it is material. That's all.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Hare Kṛṣṇa sound is transcendental. That's all right. But if you don't like Hare Kṛṣṇa sound, you take any sound, any sound is also... That is coming from the original sound. Simply it is covered by māyā. What is the difference between spiritual and material? Everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But when it is covered by māyā, it is material. That's all. And what is māyā? Forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. The same water, the same water, it is spiritual. Because it is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa has already said, bhūmir āpaḥ. Āpaḥ. Here also, apsu. So āpaḥ, jala, or water, is Kṛṣṇa's energy. How it can be different from Kṛṣṇa? So we have to deal with water in so many ways. How we can forget Kṛṣṇa?

At the present moment, our senses are covered by māyā, and this māyā can be moved away simply by remembering in every step Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Bhakti-mārga, devotional service means purifying the senses. That's all. The, at the present moment, our senses are covered by māyā, and this māyā can be moved away simply by remembering in every step Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. That, that sevonmukha, that is the devotional service. Jihvādau. You simply engage your jihvā. Jihvā means tongue. The tasting is also tongue. Without tongue, you cannot taste. Therefore it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: "The beginning, beginning of purification, is to use your tongue in this devotional service." So our prescription is therefore that you use your tongue for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and employ your tongue for tasting Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. It is not at all difficult. There is no need of studying, mean, higher knowledge in the Vedic principle. That will auto, automatically will be revealed.

Real fact is covered by māyā.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

Therefore people are not very much interested in worshiping Kṛṣṇa. They are generally interested in worshiping goddess Durgā, Lord Śiva. Because by worshiping Lord Śiva, goddess Durgā, they get material opulence. So to worship the demigods means cent percent materialism. There is no question of spiritual life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... What is that verse? Naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are interested in worshiping other demigods, their intelligence is taken away, hṛta-jñāna. Kāmais tais tair..., māyayāpahṛta-jñāna. These terms are there. māyā is working in two ways: prakṣepātmikā-śakti, āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti means she is covering. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti, she is covering. Real fact is covered by māyā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that when Kṛṣṇa comes, He reduces His energy; therefore He also becomes covered by māyā. This is called Māyāvāda.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that when Kṛṣṇa comes, He reduces His energy; therefore He also becomes covered by māyā. This is called Māyāvāda. Māyāvāda means the māyā has covered everything; so māyā has covered Kṛṣṇa also. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. "Because māyā has covered me, you and everyone, therefore māyā has covered Kṛṣṇa. Unless Kṛṣṇa or the Absolute Truth, Brahman, becomes covered by māyā, he cannot take a form." This is Māyāvāda philosophy. As we have taken form, because the prakṛti, material nature, has helped us to take this form, similarly, their philosophy is, even the Absolute Truth, Brahman, He incarnates, He accepts a body of this material nature.

But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa said, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: (BG 4.6) "I am not external energy. I come in My own energy." And the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not understand. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. Therefore they have been described as mūḍhāḥ, asses, fools, rascals. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I have come here in the form of a human being, they take it for acceptance that 'Kṛṣṇa is another human being.' " But that is not fact.

And so long one is captured by māyā, covered by māyā, his position is sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. He is thinking that "I am something of this material nature."

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

The jīva, or the living entities, are covered by this material encagement. He is called jīva. Jīva-bhūta. Otherwise brahma-bhūta. (SB 4.30.20) Otherwise Brahman. So long he is covered by this māyā, he is called jīva. Sammohito jīvaḥ. But when he is not sammohita, he is not bewildered, he is Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So being bewildered by the māyā, sammohito jīvaḥ, what is his position now? Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). Ātmānam, the soul, spirit soul, on account of his being bewildered, he is thinking that "I am depending on this material nature." Tri-guṇātmakam. "I am depending on these three material qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa." Therefore, one who is strictly follow the principle, bhakti-yoga principle, he is not touched by the tri-guṇa. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Immediately he is in his original position, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati (BG 18.54). This is the science. And so long one is captured by māyā, covered by māyā, his position is sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. He is thinking that "I am something of this material nature." Tri-guṇātmakam. Paro 'pi, although he is transcendental, spirit soul, paro 'pi manute anartham, he is thinking so many problems. Anartham. He is thinking of so many problems.

Our test tube is: if one does not know Kṛṣṇa, if one does not know how to follow Bhagavad-gītā, we immediately take him as a rascal. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: "He has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. He is covered by māyā."

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is jagad-guru. He is the original teacher. That teacher is teaching personally in the Bhagavad-gītā, and we rascals, we do not take the lesson. Just see. Therefore we are mūḍhas. Anyone who is unfit to take the lessons given by the jagad-guru, he is mūḍha. Therefore our test tube is: if one does not know Kṛṣṇa, if one does not know how to follow Bhagavad-gītā, we immediately take him as a rascal. That's all. Never mind he... He may be prime minister, he may be high-court judge, or... No. "No, he is prime minister. He is high-court judge. Still, mūḍhaḥ?" Yes. "How?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: (BG 7.15) "He has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. He is covered by māyā." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Therefore he's mūḍha.

Sun is everywhere. But my eyes are, being covered by māyā, I cannot see.

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is present, but because we want to see with our material eyes, therefore we claim this, that "I want to see Kṛṣṇa." He does not accept that he has no eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. But with his blunt eyes, he wants to see Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa is there. The sun is there in the sky, but the person who is in darkness at night, he wants to see sun. He is in darkness. Otherwise one who can fly from this country to other country, he can see immediately the sun is there. Sun is everywhere. But my eyes are, being covered by māyā, I cannot see. Therefore He is called Adhokṣaja, Adhokṣaja.

The love for Kṛṣṇa is there automatically. Everyone loves. But it is now covered by māyā.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti: "The loving attitude of the living entity towards Kṛṣṇa is nitya-siddha." That is eternally fact. Not that we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, artificially we are creating some situation that a person may love Kṛṣṇa. No. That is not. That is not fact. We are cleansing the process which has covered our Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. The love for Kṛṣṇa is there automatically. Everyone loves. But it is now covered by māyā.

So long we are covered by māyā, our godly qualities are not manifest, but we are not God.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Another example: big fire and the spark. The spark is also fire, but it has got the potency to become extinguished. Suppose a spark falls down from the original fire, down. It is extinguished. But the big fire does not extinguish. Therefore the big fire, or Kṛṣṇa, is infallible. His name is Acyuta, infallible. The Māyāvāda philosopher says that "We are in māyā, and as soon as the māyā is taken away, we are God." So we are not God, but we manifest our godly qualities when māyā is taken away. So long we are covered by māyā, our godly qualities are not manifest, but we are not God. Or you are God, but not that God, that big God, but you are a particle of. You can say, "I am God," but you are not that original, chief God. That you are not. This is our philosophy.

One who thinks that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Being, has got a material covering, covered by māyā, as we are, covered by māyā, this material energy... Kṛṣṇa is not like that.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

So body has nothing to do with the Supreme Being, because Supreme Being is complete spirit. He has no material covering. One who thinks that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Being, has got a material covering, covered by māyā, as we are, covered by māyā, this material energy... Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). Kṛṣṇa does not say that "I come here as ordinary living being." Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). One has to learn how Kṛṣṇa takes birth. It is not ordinary birth. Had it been ordinary birth, then why we should observe the Janmāṣṭamī ceremony? It is divyam, divine, transcendental. Everything of Kṛṣṇa is divine. And if we think Kṛṣṇa as like us, then according to the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā, immediately we become a mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11).

He is not covered by māyā. If māyā is greater than Kṛṣṇa, then māyā can cover Kṛṣṇa. But that is not the fact.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

So therefore, here it is said that vibhuḥ... Kṛṣṇa is vibhuḥ, and if He is covered by māyā... As the Māyāvādī philosopher thinks, that "When God comes within this material world, He is also covered by māyā..." He is not covered by māyā. If māyā is greater than Kṛṣṇa, then māyā can cover Kṛṣṇa. But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā. That means... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes free from the clutches of māyā. So how Kṛṣṇa can be caught by māyā? This is contradictory.

Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa. Simply on account of your foolishness, māyā is covering your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

Those who are santaḥ, saintly person, they always see Kṛṣṇa. Why? Premāñjana-cchurita, because he is in love with Kṛṣṇa. Just like you have your beloved child. Although he is out of sight, you can see him in his shoe, in his cloth, in his toy: "Oh, it is my child." That requires prema. Similarly, if you have knowledge, theoretical knowledge even, that everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy and if you have love for Kṛṣṇa, with reference to the context, whatever you see, you see Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot see anywhere where there is no Kṛṣṇa. This is for the devotee. For the ordinary person these are the description, that the sūrya, the sun is also Kṛṣṇa, the fire is also Kṛṣṇa, the sky is also Kṛṣṇa, the air is also Kṛṣṇa, the moon is also Kṛṣṇa, the evening is Kṛṣṇa, daytime is Kṛṣṇa. Then how you can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says that "I am..." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa. Simply on account of your foolishness, māyā is covering your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then māyā's curtain will be taken away and you will see Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is required. Then you become perfect as soon as you learn how to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. This is the art, transcendental art, spiritual art, how to see Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. That is wanted.

So the fire, original fire, is never covered by māyā or darkness. But the small particle of fire, which are called sparks, they, as soon as come out of the fire, they are extinguished. No more, I mean to say, sparking.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

Why there are different types of living entities, different types of bodies? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇam, the cause, the reason is, guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. Guṇa saṅgasya. So we are gold, but some gold has fallen in the mud, some gold has fallen in the water, some gold has fallen on the grass. These are examples. They are very much nicely explained in the Vedic literature. Sometimes the living entity is considered as the spark of fire. You have seen the sparks of fire. So the fire, original fire, is never covered by māyā or darkness. But the small particle of fire, which are called sparks, they, as soon as come out of the fire, they are extinguished. No more, I mean to say, sparking. So this is our position.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Sarvaṁ khalu iti brahma: "Everything is Brahman." But it is covered by māyā.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

Ravindra-svarūpa: If the brahmajyoti is in the spiritual sky, how could we reach it in our mind? Is it in our mind also?

Prabhupāda: It is here also. Just like the sunshine, when it is covered by cloud, the sunshine is also there. Do you follow? You see that the sky is covered, but still you say, "It is day." Why? The sunshine is there. Similarly, brahmajyoti is here also. Sarvaṁ khalu iti brahma: "Everything is Brahman." But it is covered by māyā. Therefore the full-fledged brahmajyoti, you cannot see.

Ravindra-svarūpa: I thought it was a place that was far away.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is... Just like above the cloud there is sunshine, fully. We have seen it in an aeroplane. This airlines, U.S. airlines, they say, "Friendly skies." So go to the friendly sky. Why do you remain here, nonsense sky, always covered with cloud? Go to the friendly sky. Just go above the cloud. The cloud is māyā. Go above the māyā. Then you see. You are seeing already, but it is not full-fledged experience. Everything we are seeing. We have experienced God's power, God's energy. But because we are in ignorance, therefore we cannot conceive perfectly. And as soon as you are above the māyā... Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). That māyā you can, I mean to say, surpass simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As you become full-fledged Kṛṣṇa conscious, oh, then you see always brahmajyoti and Brahman and Kṛṣṇa and everything.

It is foolishness that "God is covered by māyā." No. God is never covered by māyā. But God's particles, they are covered by māyā. Jīva is covered by māyā, not God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

There is another śakti, avidyā, avidyā-śakti. That avidyā-śakti is for these living entities, not for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is never covered by avidyā. Just like I... (break) ...the cloud has covered your eyes. You say, "The cloud has covered the sun." That is nonsense. Sun is very, very, very, very big. What is the cloud? Maybe hundred miles' spread. But the sun globe is fourteen lakhs... (break) ...that correct? So how the cloud, hundred miles' spreading cloud, can cover the sun? It is foolishness that "God is covered by māyā." No. God is never covered by māyā. But God's particles, they are covered by māyā. Jīva is covered by māyā, not God. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. Just like you face the sun, there is no darkness. If you keep the sun back side, there is a big dark, shadow. The shadow is māyā. It has no existence. It is simply impeding the sunshine. Therefore it is shadow. Māyā means which has no existence of its own accord. It is also created by the sun, the darkness. Similarly, this avidyā, when you forget Kṛṣṇa, there is avidyā. That is also Kṛṣṇa's creation. Because you want to forget Him, therefore He covers you with avidyā.

This avidyā or māyā is covering us in different stages, in different features.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

That avidyā, avidyā, this material energy, is covering me exactly like the cloud covering. Now, this cloud covering also in different stages—one... Some of you must have traveled in the air. The cloud is covered... (break) ...little hazy, and when you go above the cloud, it is sunshine. So different stage of covering... Similarly, this avidyā or māyā is covering us in different stages, in different features. Māyā has got three qualities. Guṇamayī, māyā, Bhagavad-gītā says. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī means having three modes of material nature: sattva, tamaḥ, rajaḥ. So here also the same thing is. Yayā kṣetra-jña-śaktiḥ sā veṣṭitā nṛpa sarva-gā. That veṣṭitā... Either you are covered by the quality of goodness, or you are covered by the quality of passion, or you are covered by the quality of ignorance.

Festival Lectures

Every one of us, we love Kṛṣṇa. But it is now covered by māyā. We have to simply take out the covering, māyā; then we are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṇa, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material life. Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṇa. Just like a small child, it is crying. It cannot express, but it is wanting the mother's breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly, actually we love Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. Because we love Kṛṣṇa... Therefore you, who did not hear even the name of Kṛṣṇa, say, four or five years ago, why you after so much Kṛṣṇa? This is the proof, that actually we are after Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us, we love Kṛṣṇa. But it is now covered by māyā. We have to simply take out the covering, māyā; then we are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

General Lectures

We may become covered by māyā or cloud, but the Supreme Brahman is never covered by māyā. That is the difference of opinion between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 18, 1968:

Cloud cannot cover the sun. There may be a cloud overcast in the sky for hundred miles, but even hundred miles, is it possible to cover the sun, hundred miles cloud? The sun is itself so many hundreds of thousand times more than this earth. So māyā cannot cover the Supreme Brahman. Māyā can cover the small particles Brahman. So we may become covered by māyā or cloud, but the Supreme Brahman is never covered by māyā. That is the difference of opinion between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Māyāvāda philosophy says that the Supreme is covered. The Supreme cannot be covered. Then how He becomes supreme? The covering becomes supreme. Oh, there are so many arguments and so many... But we follow that the cloud covers the small particles of sunshine. But sun remains as it is. And we practically see also when we go by jet plane, we are over the cloud. There is no cloud outside. Sun is clear. In the lower status there is some cloud. If you go thousands of miles up, we don't see any cloud. Everything sunshine.

This philosophy has to be understood, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person energetic, and everything, what we see, what we experience, they are all different energies of Kṛṣṇa. And the energy and the energetic cannot be separated. Therefore they are all on the absolute platform. Simply when it is covered by māyā or ignorance, it is different. That's all.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

The Lord and the devotee, they are on the same status. Every one of them. Lord, His name, His form, His quality, His associates, His paraphernalia. Everything, they are absolute. Nāma guṇa rūpa līlā pari... And pastimes. Just like we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so this is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. When there is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is absolute. Therefore pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. This is simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. This philosophy has to be understood, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person energetic, and everything, what we see, what we experience, they are all different energies of Kṛṣṇa. And the energy and the energetic cannot be separated. Therefore they are all on the absolute platform. Simply when it is covered by māyā or ignorance, it is different. That's all.

We spirit souls, although we are constitutionally one with God, but sometimes we are covered by māyā and sometimes we are free. Therefore our position is marginal.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Now here is one word used, marginal potency. Marginal potency, the exact Sanskrit word is taṭastha. Just like at the end of the land, the sea begins. So there is a marginal land. Just you go on the coast of the Pacific beach, you'll find some land. Sometimes it is covered by water and sometimes it is open land. This is marginal. Similarly, we spirit souls, although we are constitutionally one with God, but sometimes we are covered by māyā and sometimes we are free. Therefore our position is marginal. When we understand our real position, then... The same... Just like the same example. Try to understand. On the beach you'll find a certain portion of land which is sometimes covered by water, and again it is land. Similarly we are sometimes covered by māyā, the inferior energy, and sometimes we are free. So we have to maintain that free state. Just like in open land, there is no more water. If you come little far away from the sea water, then there is no more water; it is all land. Similarly, if you keep yourself from the material consciousness, come to the land of spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you keep your freedom. But if you keep yourself on the marginal position, then sometimes you'll be covered by māyā and sometimes you'll be free. So that is our position.

The theory, the Māyāvāda theory that "I am now covered by māyā. As soon as I am uncovered I become one with the whole..." We are one with the whole in the same way. Just like the sunshine and the sun globe, there is no difference in quality. Wherever there is sun, there is sunshine, but the small particles, the molecules of the sunshine, are never equal to the complete globe sun.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Just like the same example. The marginal portion being very small, it is being sometimes covered by the water. But the large portion of the land, that is without any water. Similarly, māyā can cover the minute particles of the spirit soul, but māyā cannot cover the supreme whole. Just like the same example, the sky, the sunshine. The sunshine, portion of the sunshine, is covered by cloud. But if you go by airplane, jet plane, above the cloud, you'll find the sunshine is without any cloud. The cloud cannot cover the whole sun. Similarly, māyā cannot cover the supreme whole. Māyā can cover the small particles of Brahman. The theory, the Māyāvāda theory that "I am now covered by māyā. As soon as I am uncovered I become one with the whole..." We are one with the whole in the same way. Just like the sunshine and the sun globe, there is no difference in quality. Wherever there is sun, there is sunshine, but the small particles, the molecules of the sunshine, are never equal to the complete globe sun.

We have got knowledge, but because our knowledge is limited, therefore sometimes our knowledge is covered by māyā. But the knowledge of the Supreme is never covered by māyā.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

Because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). The Lord is eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. Similarly, we are also part and parcel; we are also eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. But because we are part and parcel, very small particle, therefore sometimes our knowledge becomes disturbed. Just like little boy and elderly man. The elderly man hardly commits mistake, but little boy commits so many mistakes because he has got little knowledge. So because we, the living entities... We have got knowledge, but because our knowledge is limited, therefore sometimes our knowledge is covered by māyā. But the knowledge of the Supreme is never covered by māyā. Just like the cloud. Cloud covers the sky. If an insignificant portion of the sky is covered by cloud, the cloud cannot cover the whole sky. You'll never hear that "A cloud is on London; therefore the cloud is all over the world." No. Similarly, the knowledge is covered of the small particle Brahman, not of the Supreme Brahman.

We have also got minute quantity of Kṛṣṇa's qualities because we are minute particles of Kṛṣṇa, but that is now covered by māyā.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

Nirguṇa, nirākāra, does not mean that He has no form or He has no quality. He has no material qualities, nor He is affected by the material qualities. And ākāra... He is not nirākāra as we understand. We understand nirākāra means formless. But Kṛṣṇa is not formless. Kṛṣṇa has form. That is transcendental form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is eternal and full of bliss, transcendental bliss, and full of knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa's feature. So we have also got minute quantity of Kṛṣṇa's qualities because we are minute particles of Kṛṣṇa, but that is now covered by māyā. This māyā means... When we forget our actual relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is called māyā, false egotism. Falsely I am thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this," "I am that." These are all false designations. Real identification is "I am Kṛṣṇa's."

Practically, the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, also the same, but only difference is that the jīvātmā, he is eternal servant of the Supreme Lord.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

This material existence, which we are now passing through, is not our actual existence. There is a Bengali Vaiṣṇava poet. He said... Generally, the question is raised: "How the living entities became fallen in this material world?" The Māyāvādī philosophy, they say that we are the same with God, but we are now covered by māyā, and as soon as we are free from this māyā's covering, we become again one with the Supreme. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. Practically, the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, also the same, but only difference is that the jīvātmā, he is eternal servant of the Supreme Lord.

We are samples of God, but He's complete, He's the whole; we are part and parcel. As part and parcel, there is tendency of being covered by māyā.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

This verse (I have) partially explained last night. This is very important subject matter. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the knowledge is perfect. We are conditioned soul under the rules and regulation of the material nature, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not under the rules and regulation of the material world. That is the difference. Both of us, we are living entities, as I explained. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God is also one of us. So far we are living entities, are concerned, we are the same. Just like I explained last night that we are samples of God, but He's complete, He's the whole; we are part and parcel. As part and parcel, there is tendency of being covered by māyā.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

But a great soul will never cheat. One who cheats, he's not great soul. He's the menial soul. Soul is not menial or great, but he's covered by māyā.

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: People want to be cheated.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the society of cheater and cheated.

Prajāpati: Sometimes great souls, they will cheat people also for their own benefit?

Prabhupāda: Uh? But a great soul will never cheat. One who cheats, he's not great soul. He's the menial soul. Soul is not menial or great, but he's covered by māyā.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But Lord Buddha cheated the...

Prabhupāda: Hmmm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Lord Buddha.

Prabhupāda: Cheat, His cheating was perfect, because he cheated for the good. They did not believe in God, and God came, "Yes there is no God. Just follow me." But he's God. That's all.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So God can only do.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The material world is also... It is insignificant in comparison to the spiritual world. Some portion of it is covered by māyā just like this cloud.

Morning Walk -- January 23, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: The cloud is not big, as big as the sky. Similarly, the material world is also... It is insignificant in comparison to the spiritual world. Some portion of it is covered by māyā just like this cloud.

This is another example of māyā. Directly killing the animal he cannot tolerate, but when it is covered by māyā, the same danger, he accepts.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Paramahaṁsa: ...and we give them the argument, could you eat if we brought you the cow and let you kill her yourself, and they say, "No, I could not do that." (Prabhupāda chuckles) But yet, when the cow's meat is killed and wrapped up in a nice wrapper, they eat, and they don't have any bad feeling about it.

Prabhupāda: This is called māyā. He cannot face the actual situation, but, covered by some māyā, he accepts. This is another example of māyā. Directly killing the animal he cannot tolerate, but when it is covered by māyā, the same danger, he accepts.

When one is covered by māyā, he talks so many nonsense things, vikathayante.

Morning Walk -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...even a single stick like this in the laboratory. What do you think? You can?

Satsvarūpa: No.

Prabhupāda: What is scientist? Simply talking. Vikathyante. Vikathyante. This word is used in Bhāgavata. When one is covered by māyā, he talks so many nonsense things, vikathayante.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

He's living in hell but māyā is covering: "No, it is not hell; it is heaven." This is māyā.

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Eskimos. Is that very good living? Just see. They won't come here. This is māyā. This is māyā. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. They, he's living in hell but māyā is covering: "No, it is not hell; it is heaven." This is māyā. Similarly all of us, we are living in this universe, material universe. We are thinking "This is all good. What is the use of God and going back to home, back to Godhead?" They do not take it very seriously. Although we give all information that "You'll haven't, you haven't got to work there. You'll get everything. Your life is eternal and blissful, and full of knowledge," they are not interested. Plugged.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Plugged.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Plugged ear, er, ears, yes. "You go on speaking, but I have plugged my ear."

1970 Correspondence

The Maya is covering all the material energies. Therefore one who is materially advanced, covered with riches, covered with learning, covered with fame or covered with any material opulences, is understood to be covered with Maya.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970:

The pradhana is the ingredient part of material energy. Yes, the Maya is covering all the material energies. Therefore one who is materially advanced, covered with riches, covered with learning, covered with fame or covered with any material opulences, is understood to be covered with Maya. Srila Bhaktivinode says, jada vidya saba mayar baibhava "the material opulences are expansions of Maya's influence." As such, according to Vedic process, one voluntarily renounces the material opulences.