SB 4.12.15

TEXT 15

TEXT

मन्यमान इदं विश्वं मायारचितमात्मनि ।
अविद्यारचितस्वप्न गन्धर्वनगरोपमम् ॥ १५ ॥

manyamana idam visvam

maya-racitam atmani

avidya-racita-svapna-

gandharva-nagaropamam

manyamanah-realizing; idam-this; visvam-universe; maya-by the external energy; racitam-manufactured; atmani-unto the living entity; avidya-by illusion; racita-manufactured; svapna-a dream; gandharva-nagara-phantasmagoria; upamam-like.

TRANSLATION

Srila Dhruva Maharaja realized that this cosmic manifestation bewilders living entities like a dream or phantasmagoria because it is a creation of the illusory external energy of the Supreme Lord.

PURPORT

In the deep forest sometimes it appears that there are big palaces and nice cities. That is technically called gandharva-nagara. Similarly, in dreams also we create many false things out of imagination. A self-realized person or a devotee knows well that this material cosmic manifestation is a temporary illusory representation appearing to be truth. It is like a phantasmagoria. But behind this shadow creation there is reality-the spiritual world. A devotee is interested in the spiritual world, not its shadow. Since he has realization of the supreme truth, a devotee is not interested in this temporary shadow of truth. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (param drstva nivartate).