238 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 24.

As explained in Bhagavad-gita (18.61), yantraériidhani mayayd. The
body is a kind of machine created and offered to the living entity by the
material energy under the direction of the Supreme Personality of God-
head. Therefore the living entity must accept a particular type of body
awarded to him by maya, the material energy, according to his karma.
One cannot independently say, “Give me a body like this” or “Give me a
body like that.”” One must accept whatever body is offered by the ma-
terial energy. This is the position of the ordinary living being.

When Krsna descends, however, He does so out of His merciful com-
passion for the fallen souls. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):

paritrandya sadhinar
vindsdya ca duskrtam

dharma-sarnsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge

“To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-
establish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium.” The Supreme Lord is not forced to appear. Indeed, no one
can subject Him to force, for He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Everyone is under His control, and He is not under the control of anyone
else. Foolish people who because of a poor fund of knowledge think that
one can equal Krsna or become Krsna are condemned in every way. No
one can equal or surpass Krsna, who is therefore described as
asamaurdhva. According to the Visva-koga dictionary, the word maya is
used in the sense of “‘false pride” and also in the sense of “compassion.”
For an ordinary living being, the body in which he appears is his punish-
ment. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14), daivi hy esé gunamayi
mama mayé duratyaya: “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the
three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.”” But when
Krsna comes the word maya refers to His compassion or mercy upon the
devotees and fallen souls. By His potency, the Lord can deliver everyone,
whether sinful or pious.

TEXT 58
TARR Fa: fears fF |
WMATA TA INCI!
