विषरयानावृतप्रकृतिरनुपासितमहच्चरणः ॥१४॥
ko vÄ iha te 'parÄjito 'parÄjitayÄ mÄyayÄnavasita-padavyÄnÄvá¹›ta-matir viá¹£aya-viá¹£a-rayÄnÄvá¹›ta-praká¹›tir anupÄsita-mahac-caraṇaḥ
kaḥ vÄ - who is that person; iha - within this material world; te - of Your Lordship; aparÄjitaḥ - not conquered; aparÄjitayÄ - by the unconquerable; mÄyayÄ - illusory energy; anavasita-padavya - whose path cannot be ascertained; anÄvá¹›ta-matiḥ - whose intelligence is not bewildered; viá¹£aya-viá¹£a - of material enjoyment, which is like poison; raya - by the course; anÄvá¹›ta - not covered; praká¹›tiḥ - whose nature; anupÄsita - without worshiping; mahat-caraṇaḥ - the lotus feet of great devotees.
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.
MahÄrÄja NÄbhi 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 desire — be it great or insignificant — is brought about by the influence of mÄyÄ. A devotee does not at all desire anything for sense gratification. Devotion is therefore explained as devoid of material desires (anyÄbhilÄá¹£itÄ-śūnya). Everyone is subjected to the influence of mÄyÄ and entangled in all kinds of material desire, and MahÄrÄja NÄbhi was no exception. Freedom from mÄyÄ’s influence is possible when one engages in the service of the great devotees (mahac-caraṇa-sevÄ). Without worshiping the lotus feet of a great devotee, one cannot be freed from mÄyÄ’s influence. ÅšrÄ«la Narottama dÄsa ṬhÄkura therefore says, chÄá¸iyÄ vaiṣṇava-sevÄ nistÄra pÄyeche kebÄ: “Who has been freed from mÄyÄ’s clutches without serving the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava?†MÄyÄ is aparÄjita, and her influence is also aparÄjita. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (7.14):
daivÄ« hy eá¹£Ä guṇa-mayÄ«
mama mÄyÄ duratyayÄ
“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.â€
Only a devotee can surpass mÄyÄ’s great influence. It was no fault on MahÄrÄja NÄbhi’s 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 Lord’s devotee, one no longer desires material opulence. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritÄmá¹›ta (Madhya 22.54):
‘sÄdhu-saá¹…ga’, ‘sÄdhu-saá¹…ga’ sarva-Å›Ästre kaya
lava-mÄtra sÄdhu-saá¹…ge sarva-siddhi haya
and:
mahat-ká¹›pÄ vinÄ kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya
kṛṣṇa-bhakti dÅ«re rahu, saá¹sÄra nahe ká¹£aya
If one is serious about escaping mÄyÄ’s influence and returning home, back to Godhead, one must associate with a sÄdhu (devotee). That is the verdict of all scriptures. By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of mÄyÄ. Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means. Certainly a pure devotee’s association is necessary in order to obtain the loving service of the Lord. One cannot be freed from mÄyÄ’s clutches without sÄdhu-saá¹…ga, the benediction of a great devotee. In ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (7.5.32) PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja says:
naiá¹£Äá¹ matis tÄvad urukramÄá¹…ghriá¹
spṛśaty anarthÄpagamo yad arthaḥ
mahÄ«yasÄá¹ pÄda-rajo-’bhiá¹£ekaá¹
niá¹£kiñcanÄnÄá¹ na vṛṇīta yÄvat
One cannot become the Lord’s pure devotee without taking the dust of a great devotee on his head (pÄda-rajo-’bhiá¹£ekam). A pure devotee is niá¹£kiñcana; 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 mÄyÄ and her influence.
