336 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Antya-lila, Ch. 3
TEXT 251
amity ora, aifs natca catea |
acsml CSraica wife caifacs atta wrest
brahmadi jiva, 4mi sabare mohilun
ekeld tomare ami mohite narilun
SYNONYMS

brahma-adi jiva—all living entities, beginning from Lord Brahma; ami—l; sabdre
mohilun—captivated everyone; ekela—alone; tomadre—you; dmi—l; mohite
narilun—could not attract.

TRANSLATION

“| have previously captivated the mind of even Brahma, not to speak of

others. Your mind alone have | failed to attract.
PURPORT

Beginning from Lord Brahma down to the insignificant ant, everyone, without
exception, is attracted by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of God-
head. The demigods, human beings, animals, birds, beasts, trees and plants are all
attracted by sexual desire. That is the illusion of maya. Everyone, whether man or
woman, thinks that he is the enjoyer of the illusory energy. In this way, everyone is
captivated and engaged in material activities. However, because Haridasa Thakura
was always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and was always busy
satisfying the senses of the Lord, this process alone saved him from the captiva-
tion of mayéd. This is practical proof of the strength of devotional service. Because
of his full engagement in the service of the Lord, he could not be induced to enjoy
maya. The verdict of the sastras is that a pure Vaisnava, or devotee of the Lord,
never thinks of enjoying the material world, which culminates in sex life. He never
thinks himself an enjoyer; instead, he always wants to be enjoyed by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Therefore the conclusion is that the Supreme Personality
of Godhead is eternal, transcendental, beyond the perception of sense gratifica-
tion and beyond the material qualities. Only if a living entity gives up the false
conception that the body is the self and always thinks himself an eternal servant
of Krsna and the Vaisnavas can he surpass the influence of mayd (mam eva ye pra-
padyante mayam etam taranti te). A pure living entity who thus attains the stage
of anartha-nivrtti, cessation of everything unwanted, has nothing to enjoy in the
material world. One attains this stage only by properly performing the functions
of devotional service. Srila Ripa Gosvami has written:
