SB 1.17.23 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 23
Athava deva mayaya nunam gatir agochara Chetaso vachasas cha api bhutanam iti nischayah
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Athava—alternatively, Deva—the Lord, Mayaya—by the energy, Nunam—very little, Gatir—movement, Agochara—inconceivable, Chetaso—either by the mind, Vachasas—by words, Cha—or, Api—also, Bhutanam—of all living beings, Iti—thus, Nischayah—concluded.
TRANSLATION
Alternatively—it is thus concluded that the Lord's energies are inconceivable and nobody is able to make an estimate of them either by mental speculaion or by jugglery of words.
PURPORT
A question may be raised as to why a devotee should refrain from identifying the actor although he knows it definitely that the Lord is the ultimate doer of everything. Knowing the ultimate doer, one should not pose himself as ignorant of actual performer. To answer this doubt the reply is that the Lord is also not directly responsible because everything is done by His deputed Mayasakti or the Material energy. The material energy is always deluding doubts about the supreme authority of the Lord. The personality of religiosity did it know perfectly well that nothing can take place without the sanction of the Supreme Lord and still he was put into doubts by the deluding energy and thus he refrained from mentioning the supreme cause. This doubtfulness was due to the contamination of both Kali and the material energy. The whole atmosphere of the age of Kali is magnified by the deluding energy, and the proportion of measurement is inexplicable by anyone.