Verse 2.4.179

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.179:

अंशाः बहु-विधास् तस्या लक्ष्यन्ते कार्य-भेदतः ।
तस्या एव प्रतिच्छाया-रूपा माया गुणात्मिका ॥ १७९ ॥

aṃśāḥ bahu-vidhās tasyā lakṣyante kārya-bhedataḥ |
tasyā eva praticchāyā-rūpā māyā guṇātmikā || 179 ||

aṃśāḥ–plenary portions; bahu-vidhāḥ–many kinds; tasyāḥ–of her; lakṣyante–appear; kārya-bhedataḥ–by the divisions of activity; tasyāḥ–of her; eva–indeed; praticchāyā–of a shadow; rūpā–the form; māyā–illusory; guṇa-ātmikā–consisting of the modes of nature.

Based on the variety of activities she performs, the elements or divisions of this parā-śakti appear in many different forms. Illusory Māyā, which comprises the three modes of material nature, is her shadow.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Nārada says, “Based on her activities, this parā-śakti, superior potency, is characterized by many wonderful variations, such as the different types of devotional service, devotees, and objects of devotion. Moreover, in relation to these three, she also creates the varieties of rasas (the mellows of love), bhāvas (ecstatic moods), rūpas (forms), and so on. Additionally, the material manifestation known as kāraṇa-rūpa-śakti (the instrumental, or causal potency) also has many specialities based on divisions and further subdivisions of knowledge (jñāna), actions (karma), and so on.”

Parāśara Muni has described her plurality of facets in this way (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.3.2):

शक्तयः सर्व-भूतानाम् अचिन्त्य-ज्ञान-गोचराः
यतो’तो ब्रह्मणस् तास् तु सर्गाद्या भाव-शक्तयः
भवन्ति तपतां श्रेष्ठ पावकस्य यथोष्णता

śaktayaḥ sarva-bhūtānām acintya-jñāna-gocarāḥ
yato’to brahmaṇas tās tu sargādyā bhāva-śaktayaḥ
bhavanti tapatāṃ śreṣṭha pāvakasya yathoṣṇatā

All existent entities have their own potencies, which can be understood only by divine knowledge. These potencies are inconceivable by mundane logic or knowledge. The Supreme Brahman has many variegated potencies that perform the activities of creation and so on. These are all nondifferent from Him, just as heat is nondifferent from fire.

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented on this verse: “In this world, one can perceive the potencies of precious stones, mantras, and so on through inconceivable knowledge, which is beyond logic and which can be understood only through the evidence of anyathā-anupapatti. Here, the meaning of anyathā-anupapatti is that although one might directly witness only the effect, one should know that the effect cannot be separate from the cause. Thus, one should assume the cause upon seeing the effect. Another way of understanding the idea of inconceivable potency is that because the difference and nondifference of these potencies is ambiguous, they cannot be analyzed. It is conceivable only through arthāpatti, that proof in which the establishment of one fact automatically proves another fact. Just as within fire there is the potency, or power, to burn, so by nature, Parabrahman Śrī Viṣṇu possesses inconceivable potencies to accomplish creation.”

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.8) also states:

न तस्य कार्यं करणं च विद्यते न तत्-समश् चाभ्यधिकश् च दृश्यते
परास्य शक्तिर् विविधैव श्रूयते स्वाभाविकी ज्ञान-वल-क्रिया च

na tasya kāryaṃ karaṇaṃ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-vala-kriyā ca

He has neither activities to perform nor material senses to accomplish His activities. No one is seen to be equal to Him or greater than Him. One hears that this Supreme Brahman has different potencies like jñāna (knowledge), bala (power), and kriyā (action).

For instance, fire has the potency of heat. Similarly, all objects have their own potencies that can be perceived only by inconceivable knowledge. Brahman also possesses potencies that are nondifferent from its nature.

The Śrutis give evidence for this:

परास्य शक्तिर् विविधैव श्रूयते

parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate

One hears about Parabrahman’s various types of potencies.

Just as the energy of heat cannot be removed from fire by any agency, such as jewels or mantras, similarly Bhagavān’s natural potencies cannot be separated from Him. Therefore, His opulence is eternal and autonomous.

It is also stated in Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.22):

सदा अयम् अस्य सर्वस्य वशी सर्वस्येशानः सर्वस्याधिपतिः

sadā ayam asya sarvasya vaśī sarvasyeśānaḥ sarvasyādhipatiḥ

That Parabrahman is the Lord of everyone, the controller of everyone, and the ruler of everyone.

That Parabrahman alone is the cause behind the creation, maintenance, and destruction of this material universe. He accomplishes this through the agency of His māyā-śakti, which is the shadow or semblance (pratichāyā) of His spiritual pleasure potency. This Māyā, consisting of the three modes of material nature, produces all the vast varieties of the creation, and because she is the shadow of the spiritual potency that manifests the Lord’s spiritual pastimes, this material universe, created by that Māyā, appears to be like Vaikuṇṭha.