Text 16] Narada Muni Cursed by Prajapati Daksa 277

srsti—creation; apyaya—dissolution; karim—one who causes;
mayam—the illusory energy; veld-kiila-anta—near the banks;
vegitam—being very rapid; mattasya—of one who is mad; tam—that
material nature; avijfiasya—who does not know; kim asat-karmabhih
bhavet—what benefit can there be by performing temporary fruitive
activities.

TRANSLATION

[Narada Muni had said that there is a river flowing in both
directions. The HaryaSvas understood the purport of this
statement.] Material nature functions in two ways—by creation and
dissolution. Thus the river of material nature flows both ways. A
living entity who unknowingly falls in this river is submerged in
its waves, and since the current is swifter near the banks of the
river, he is unable to get out. What will be the benefit of
performing fruitive activities in that river of maya?

PURPORT

One may be submerged in the waves of the river of maya, but one
may also get free from the waves by coming to the banks of knowledge
and austerity. Near these banks, however, the waves are very strong. If
one does not understand how he is being tossed by the waves, but simply
engages in temporary fruitive activities, what benefit will he derive?

In the Brahma-sarnhita (5.44) there is this statement:

srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sddhana-saktir eka
chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga

The maya-sakti, Durga, is in charge of srsti-sthiti-pralaya, creation and
dissolution, and she acts under the direction of the Supreme Lord
(mayadhyaksena prakrtih siiyate sa-carécaram). When one falls in the
river of nescience, he is always tossed here and there by the waves, but
the same maya can also save him when he surrenders to Krsna, or
becomes Krsna conscious. Krsna consciousness is knowledge and
austerity. A Krsna conscious person takes knowledge from the Vedic
literature, and at the same time he must practice austerities.
