TEXT 23
yathatma-tantro bhagavan
vikridaty atma-mayaya
visrjya va yatha mayam
udaste saksivad vibhuh
SYNONYMS
yathaas; atma-tantrahindependent; bhagavanthe Personality of Godhead; vikridatienjoys His pastimes; atma-mayayaby His internal potency; visrjyagiving up; vaas also; yathaas He desires; mayamthe external potency; udasteremains; saksivatjust as the witness; vibhuhthe almighty.
TRANSLATION
The independent Personality of Godhead enjoys His pastimes by His internal potency and at the time of annihilation gives them up to the external potency, and He remains a witness to it all.
PURPORT
Lord Sri Krsna, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead and fountainhead of all other incarnations, is the only independent person. He enjoys His pastimes by creation as He desires and gives them up to the external energy at the time of annihilation. By His internal potency only, He kills the demon Putana, even though enjoying His pastimes in the lap of His mother Yasoda. And when He desires to leave this world He creates the pastimes of killing His own family members (Yadu-kula) and remains unaffected by such annihilation. He is the witness of everything that is happening, and yet He has nothing to do with anything. He is independent in every respect. Maharaja Pariksit desired to know more perfectly, for a pure devotee ought to know well.

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