Verse 2.4.178

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.178:

सा परापरयोः शक्त्योः परा शक्तिर् निगद्यते ।
प्रभोः स्वभाविकी सा हि ख्याता प्रकृतिर् इत्य् अपि ॥ १७८ ॥

sā parāparayoḥ śaktyoḥ parā śaktir nigadyate |
prabhoḥ svabhāvikī sā hi khyātā prakṛtir ity api || 178 ||

sā–she; para–superior; aparayoḥ–and inferior; śaktyoḥ–of the two potencies; parā–superior; śaktiḥ–potency; nigadyate–is called; prabhoḥ–of the Lord; svābhāvikī–innate; sā–she; hi–indeed; khyātā–known; prakṛtiḥ–the primordial potency; iti–as; api–also.

Of the two potencies of Śrī Bhagavān, known as _parā (superior) and aparā (inferior), she is classified as the superior potency. She is svābhāvikī (innate), having arisen from the Lord’s inherent nature, and in some places she is known as prakṛti (nature).

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Śrī Nārada says, “There are two types of potencies, parā (superior) and aparā (inferior). Śrī Prahlāda and other great personalities have glorified this mahā-śakti as the parā potency.”

These two potencies are described in the prayers offered by Śrī Prahlāda in Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.19.176–177):

सर्व-भूतेषु सवर्वात्मन् या शक्तिर् अपरा तव गुणाश्रया नमस् तस्यै शाश्वतायै सुरेश्वर
यातीत-गोचरा वाचां मनसां च विशेषणा ज्ञानि-ज्ञान-परिच्छेद्या वन्दे ताम् ईश्वरीं पराम्

sarva-bhūteṣu savarvātman yā śaktir aparā tava guṇāśrayā namas tasyai śāśvatāyai sureśvara
yātīta-gocarā vācāṃ manasāṃ ca viśeṣaṇā jñāni-jñāna-paricchedyā vande tām īśvarīṃ parām

O Soul of all beings! O God of gods! I offer obeisances to Your eternal aparā-śakti, or inferior energy, who is the shelter of the three modes of material nature. However, to that śakti who is devoid of material distinctions, who is beyond mind and words, who differentiates between the knower and his knowledge, to that parā-śakti, that topmost potency of the Supreme Lord, I offer praise.

Śrī Nārada says, “The inferior potency, famous as Māyā, is dull by nature. Because the superior potency is devoid of distinguishing attributes such as class (jāti), qualities (guṇa), and activities (kriyā), and because it is of the nature of Parabrahman, it is beyond words and inconceivable to the mind. Even so, this parā-śakti illuminates everything. She manifests the division between the living being (jīva), who is the knower, and his knowledge (jñāna) or intelligence (buddhi). She does this the same way she illuminates the distinctions between external objects like clay pots.”

Alternatively, another understanding is: “Due to the effect of this potency, the knowledge of hardened philosophers who lack the ability for sound reasoning becomes restricted, or limited, and yet knowledge automatically manifests in the hearts of the pure devotees.”

Śrī Nārada continues, “You should understand this śakti to be the Lord’s svarūpa-bhūtā potency, the energy that is born from His very nature. Because this potency has the same characteristics as the Lord, such as eternality, she is nondifferent from Him and is known as īsvarī, or divine.”

Alternatively: “Because she has the great power to manifest all kinds of wonderful varieties, she is parā and she is also known as cid-vilāsarūpā, one who manifests transcendental pastimes full of enjoyment.”

Alternatively: “All scholars expert in the Purāṇas have addressed her as prakṛti because she is the natural (svābhāvikī) potency of Bhagavān. The meaning of the word prakṛti is ‘intrinsic nature,’ or svabhāva. Since this potency is nondifferent from Bhagavān, you should understand this potency to be the true nature, or svarūpa, of the Lord.”