TEXT 14
ko va iha te parajito parajitaya mayayanavasita-padavyanavrta-matir visaya-visa-rayanavrta-prakrtir anupasita-mahac-caranah.
SYNONYMS
kah vawho is that person; ihawithin this material world; teof Your Lordship; aparajitahnot conquered; aparajitayaby the unconquerable; mayayaillusory energy; anavasita-padavyawhose path cannot be ascertained; anavrta-matihwhose intelligence is not bewildered; visaya-visaof material enjoyment, which is like poison; rayaby the course; anavrtanot covered; prakrtihwhose nature; anupasitawithout worshiping; mahat-caranahthe lotus feet of great devotees.
TRANSLATION
Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.
PURPORT
Maharaja Nabhi was inclined to performing great sacrifices for begetting a son. The son might be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but such a material desirebe it great or insignificantis brought about by the influence of maya. A devotee does not at all desire anything for sense gratification. Devotion is therefore explained as devoid of material desires (anyabhilasita-sunya). Everyone is subjected to the influence of maya and entangled in all kinds of material desire, and Maharaja Nabhi was no exception. Freedom from mayas influence is possible when one engages in the service of the great devotees (mahac-carana-seva). Without worshiping the lotus feet of a great devotee, one cannot be freed from mayas influence. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: Who has been freed from mayas clutches without serving the lotus feet of a Vaisnava? Maya is aparajita, and her influence is also aparajita. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.
Only a devotee can surpass mayas great influence. It was no fault on Maharaja Nabhis part that he wanted a son. He wanted a son like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the best of all sons. By the association of the Lords devotee, one no longer desires material opulence. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.54):
sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
and [Cc. Madhya 22.51]:
If one is serious about escaping mayas influence and returning home, back to Godhead, one must associate with a sadhu (devotee). That is the verdict of all scriptures. By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of maya. Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means. Certainly a pure devotees association is necessary in order to obtain the loving service of the Lord. One cannot be freed from mayas clutches without sadhu-sanga, the benediction of a great devotee. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) Prahlada Maharaja says:
naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
One cannot become the Lords pure devotee without taking the dust of a great devotee on his head (pada-rajo-bhisekam). A pure devotee is niskincana; he has no material desire to enjoy the material world. One has to take shelter of such a pure devotee in order to attain his qualities. The pure devotee is always free from the clutches of maya and her influence.

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