krīḍāyām udyamo ’rbhasya

krīḍāyām udyamo ’rbhasya

kāmaś cikrīḍiṣānyataḥ

svatas-tṛptasya ca kathaṁ

nivṛttasya sadānyataḥ

Kāma is the impetus for playing seen in children. The impetus for the Lord’s pastimes should be different. How can the desire for play in the Lord arise from kāma, since the Lord is self-satisfied? How can it arise otherwise, since nothing exists except the Lord?

There cannot be any resolution in the contradiction when speaking of his pastimes. As well, the pastimes should not occur without some reason on the part of the Lord. An example is given. For children the inspiration for playing is kāma. This is the natural cause of inclination for playing. Or the desire to play arises by impetus of other children. Because the Supreme Lord is self-satisfied (svatas-tṛptasya ), how can kāma be the cause? And since no one exists except the Lord (anyataḥ nivṛttasya), how does the desire to play arise by other influence?

|| 3.7.4 ||

asrākṣīd bhagavān viśvaṁ

guṇa-mayyātma-māyayā

tayā saṁsthāpayaty etad

bhūyaḥ pratyapidhāsyati

The Lord creates this universe by māyā composed of the three guṇas, and maintains it by māyā and destroys it by māyā.

One cannot hide the fact that the Lord does not have guṇas and actions. It is well known. Pratyapidhāsyati means that he withdraws or destroys the creation.

|| 3.7.5 ||

deśataḥ kālato yo ’sāv

avasthātaḥ svato ’nyataḥ

aviluptāvabodhātmā

sa yujyetājayā katham

How can the jīva who knowledge cannot be destroyed by place, time, condition, nature or other cause become associated with ignorance?

Another question arises. How can the jīva be bewildered by māyā? How can the jīva whose awareness cannot be destroyed by place and time become associated with ignorance (ajayā)? How does the jīva lose knowledge in the association of ignorance?  The jīva becomes affected by place, just as a seed sown in barren earth does not grow.  The jīva is influenced by time, just as lightning is affected by time. It is affected by conditions, just as memory is affected by conditions. It is influenced by its nature, such as sleep is. It is influenced by other objects just as a pot is affected by other objects.  Because the jīva is a spiritual object, its knowledge should not become lost. How is the jīva’s knowledge destroyed by ignorance?

|| 3.7.6 ||