Text 16
śrī-munaya ūcuḥ
yan-māyayā tattva-vid-uttamā vayaṁ
vimohitā viśva-sṛjām adhīśvarāḥ
yad īśitavyāyati gūḍha īhayā
aho vicitram bhagavad-viceṣṭitam
śrī-munayaḥ ūcuḥ — the great sages said; yat — whose; māyayā — by the power of illusion; tattva — of the truth; vit — knowers; uttamāḥ — best; vayam — we; vimohitāḥ — confused; viśva — of the universe; sṛjām — of creators; adhīśvaraḥ — chief; yat — the fact that; īśitavyāyati — (the Supreme Lord) pretends to be subject to higher control; gūḍhaḥ — hidden; īhayā — by His activities; aho — ah; vicitram — amazing; bhagavat — of the Supreme Lord; viceṣṭitam — the activity.
The great sages said: Your power of illusion has totally bewildered us, the most exalted knowers of the truth and leaders among the universal creators. Ah, how amazing is the behavior of the Supreme Lord! He covers Himself with His humanlike activities and pretends to be subject to superior control.
The sages have characterized the Lord’s statements as inscrutable (duranvayam). How this is so is stated here: His words and activities bewilder even the most learned when He plays at subordinating Himself to His own servants.