Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj’s poem about surrendering to Māyā’s Master.
Today, on Śrī Durgā Pūjā, the day on which Mahāmāyā, who is also know as Durgā (She who is unsurmountable), is worshipped, we remember the absolute necessity of surrender to the Lord.
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
“My alluring, trimodal māyā is insurmountable. Only those who surrender unto Me can transcend māyā.”
Māyā Duratyayā
Insurmountable Illusion
by Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj
saṅkula–stricken; mahābhaya–with great fear; jīva-kula–souls; gatāgati karata̐hi–come and go; niśi–night; diśi–and day; mālā-dale–along the chain; janama-maraṇa–of birth and death; taraṅginī–within the waves; e‑bhava–of this world; mohita–captivated; mahāmāyā bale–by the illusory energy.
Stricken with intense fear, souls come and go night and day along the chain of birth and death within the waves of this world, captivated by Mahāmāyā.
mana–O mind; karabi ki–what will do? abhāgiyā–about my misfortune? kemane re–How; utarabi–will you overcome; bhuvana-mohana-māyā–Māyā, who bewilders the world? kemane–How; labhibi–will attain; kānāiyā–Kṛṣṇa?
O mind! What will you do about my misfortune? How will you overcome Māyā, who bewilders the world? How will you attain Kṛṣṇa?
vitāri’–Expanding; nija-rūpe–her form; [Māyā] rachi’–creates; phā̐da–atrap; jāle–with the net; tri-guṇa–of the three modes; pratiṣṭhā–positions; [herself] ta̐hi māhe–within it; gaṇikā–as a prostitute; kanaka–a golden; varāṅganā–beautiful women; sama–similar to; dāniyā–offered; āmiṣa–meat; [and] sa̐pitechhe–offers; dhṛṣṭā–the obstinate; kāla-kare–to the hands of Mahākāl.
Expanding herself, Māyā creates a trap with the net of the three modes, poses within it as a prostitute—a beautiful, golden woman comparable to offered meat—and places obstinate souls in the hands of Time.
mana–O mind!; avadhāna–Pay attention; majhu–to my; vāta–words. charaṇa saroje–At the lotus feet; soi–of your; dayālu–merciful; prabhu–Lord; dāna–offer; mana–mind; tanu–body; dhana–and wealth; sabahu̐–everything.
O mind, listen to my words! At the lotus feet of your merciful Lord, surrender yourself, your body, and your wealth—everything.
paraṇami–bow; hoi dīna–and humbly; leha–take; śaraṇa–shelter; pade–at the feet; tachhu yā̐kara–of He who possesses; māyā–Māyā. svapaneha–Even in dreams; nā bhāviha–do not think; [you can attain the] samīchīna–the right; yukati–conception; dharama–of dharma; vinu–apart from; tā̐ka–His; charaṇa–feet.
Bow and humbly take shelter at the feet of Māyā’s Master. Do not think, even in dreams, that you can properly understand dharma without His feet.