Devi Gita (Class 35): ”The Many Views of Maya” by Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 9 & 10 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 14 June 2023.

केचित् तां तप इत्याहुस्तमः केचिज्जडं परे |
ज्ञानं मायां प्रधानं च प्रकृतिं शक्तिमप्यजाम् || ९ ||
kecit tāṃ tapa ityāhus-tamaḥ kecij-jaḍaṃ pare |
jñānaṃ māyāṃ pradhānaṃ ca prakṛtiṃ śakti-mapyajām || 9 ||
9. "Some call this Maya the power of austerity; others call it darkness; still others, dullness, or knowledge, illusion, matter, nature, energy, or the unborn."

विमर्श इति तां प्राहुः शैवशास्त्रविशारदाः |
अविद्यामितरे प्राहुर्वेदतत्त्वार्थचिन्तकाः || १० ||
vimarśa iti tāṃ prāhuḥ śaiva-śāstra-viśāradāḥ |
avidyāmitare prāhur-veda-tattvārtha-cintakāḥ || 10 ||
10. "Those versed in Shaiva works call it intelligence (vimarśa), while the Vedantins call it ignorance (avidya)."