How Maya can refer to both Krishna’s energy in general and to his inferior energy in specifice

by June 8, 2014

Krsna  has  one  great   energy,  which   is  called  maya   in  many   places   in  the scriptures.  Maya  means the  external manifestation of Krsna,  by the  definition “miyate anaya,”  –“that  by  which   things   are  measured”. Krsna  cannot   be  understood  except through the  agency  of maya.    Learned men  divide Krsna’s  energy  into  the  superior, spiritual energy  (cit sakti)   and  inferior  or material energy  (maya  sakti).   Actually the superior energy  is the  inconceivable energy.  The inferior  energy  is its shadow.      That inferior  energy  is the  controller of the  material universe. The  maya  sakti  which  is condemned in spiritual discussions is this inferior  energy,  not the spiritual energy.

Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

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