TEXT 162
'mayadhisa' 'maya-vasa'--isvare-jive bheda
hena-jive isvara-saha kaha ta' abheda
SYNONYMS
maya-adhisathe Lord of energy; maya-vasasubjected to the influence of maya; isvarein the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jivein the living entities; bhedathe difference; hena-jivesuch living entities; isvara-sahawith the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kahayou say; ta'-indeed; abhedaone and the same.
TRANSLATION
"The Lord is the master of the potencies, and the living entity is the servant of them. That is the difference between the Lord and the living entity. However, you declare that the Lord and the living entities are one and the same.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature the master of all potencies. By nature, the living entities, being infinitesimal, are always under the influence of the Lord's potencies. According to the Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.1-2):
dva suparna sayuja sakhaya
samanam vrksam parisasvajate
tayor anyah pippalam svadv atty
anasnann anyo 'bhicakasiti
samane vrkse puruso nimagno
'nisaya socati muhyamanah
justam yada pasyaty anyam isam
asya mahimanam eti vita-sokah
The Mundaka Upanisad completely distinguishes the Lord from the living entities. The living entity is subjected to the reactions of fruitive activity, whereas the Lord simply witnesses such activity and bestows the results. According to the living entity's desires, he is wandering from one body to another and from one planet to another, under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma. However, when the living entity comes to his senses by the mercy of the Lord, he is awarded devotional service. Thus he is saved from the clutches of maya. At such a time he can see his eternal friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and become free from all lamentation and hankering. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (18.54), where the Lord says, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati: "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything." Thus it is definitely proved that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all potencies and that the living entities are always subjected to these potencies. That is the difference between mayadhisa and maya-vasa.

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