48 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 13

TEXT 45
Tat AMT | Getafattarett |
vediacast | ecaae Fata Nall

tamyam tamovan naihaéram
khadyotarcir ivahani

mahatitara-mayaisyam
nihanty dtmani yufjatah

tamyaém—on a dark night; tamah-vat—just as darkness; naihéram—
produced by snow; khadyota-arcih—the light of a glowworm; iva—just
as; ahani—in the daytime, in the sunlight; mahati—in a great per-
sonality; itara-maya—inferior mystic potency; aisyam—the ability;
nihanti—destroys; Gtmani—in his own self; yusijatah—of the person
who attempts to use.

TRANSLATION

As the darkness of snow on a dark night and the light of a glow-
worm in the light of day have no value, the mystic power of an in-
ferior person who tries to use it against a person of great power is
unable to accomplish anything; instead, the power of that inferior
person is diminished.

PURPORT

When one wants to supersede a superior power, one’s own inferior
power becomes ludicrous. Just as a glowworm in the daytime and snow at
night have no value, Brahma’s mystic power became worthless in the
presence of Krsna, for greater mystic power condemns inferior mystic
power. On a dark night, the darkness produced by snow has no meaning.
The glowworm appears very important at night, but in the daytime its
glow has no value; whatever little value it has is lost. Similarly, Brahma
became insignificant in the presence of Krsna’s mystic power. Krsna’s
maya was not diminished in value, but Brahma’s maya was condemned.
Therefore, one should not try to exhibit one’s insignificant opulence
before a greater power:
