Verse 1.2.73

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.2.73:

এই-মত বিষ্ণু-মাযা-মোহিত সংসার দেখি’ ভক্ত-সব দুঃখ ভাবেন অপার ॥ ৭৩ ॥

एइ-मत विष्णु-माया-मोहित संसार देखि’ भक्त-सब दुःख भावेन अपार ॥ ७३ ॥

ei-mata viṣṇu-māyā-mohita saṃsāra dekhi’ bhakta-saba duḥkha bhāvena apāra || 73 ||

ei-mata visnu-maya-mohita samsara dekhi’ bhakta-saba duhkha bhavena apara (73)

English translation:

(73) Seeing the entire world illusioned by the Lord’s external energy in this way, all the devotees felt unlimited distress.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

The devotees of the Lord became extremely unhappy seeing the activities of so-called scholars and persons maddened with the materialistic way of life. On seeing persons who under the influence of Viṣṇu’s illusory energy proudly considered themselves great, the devotees exhibited distress for the benefit of such persons. If proud scholars are openly checked from sinful endeavors, then on the strength of their misguided intelligence, they may attack the devotees who are bestowing their mercy. Such attacks may then hinder their endeavors for spiritual advancement.

With this thought in mind, the pure devotees, who are para-duḥkha- duḥkhī, unhappy for other’s unhappiness, had no alternative other than to display distress on seeing the living entities aversion to Lord Hari. They knew that those foolish living entities under the influence of false ego are bewildered by the covering and throwing potencies of the illusory energy of Viṣṇu. Such people are travelers on the path of death and in great danger.