In Bhagavad Gita 7.14, Krishna says his divine maya made of the gunas is hard to cross, but those who take refuge in him alone cross over it.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी
मम माया दुरत्यया
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते
मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ ७-१४ ॥
daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī
mama māyā duratyayā
māmeva ye prapadyante
māyāmetāṃ taranti te
English transliteration daivee hyeshaa gunamayee
mama maayaa duratyayaa
maameva ye prapadyante
maayaametaam taranti te ॥ 7.14 ॥
Translation / Meaning
This divine power of illusion of Mine, made of the gunas, is difficult to cross. But those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this illusion.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| दैवी daivī | divine |
| हि hi | indeed |
| एषा eṣā | this |
| गुणमयी guṇamayī | made of the guṇas |
| मम mama | My |
| माया māyā | illusion, power |
| दुरत्यया duratyayā | difficult to cross |
| माम् mām | to Me |
| एव eva | alone |
| ये ye | who |
| प्रपद्यन्ते prapadyante | take refuge |
| मायाम् māyām | illusion |
| एताम् etām | this |
| तरन्ति taranti | cross over |
| ते te | they |
Word-wise Chanting
- dai–vī hye–ṣā gu–ṇa–ma–yī 8 syllables dai-vee hye-shaa gu-na-ma-yee
- ma–ma mā–yā du–rat–ya–yā | 8 syllables ma-ma maa-yaa du-rat-ya-yaa
- mā–me–va ye pra–pad–yan–te 8 syllables maa-me-va ye pra-pad-yan-te
- mā–yā–me–tāṃ ta–ran–ti te || 7-14 8 syllables maa-yaa-me-taam ta-ran-ti te
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 7 Verse 14
Context
Krishna reveals the remedy for the delusion described in 7.13.
Meaning
Māyā is the Divine’s mysterious power that creates the world of the guṇas and veils the Divine itself. It is daivī, divine, and duratyayā, very hard to overcome by one’s own effort. But those who prapadyante, take refuge in the Divine alone, are carried across it, like a child carried across a river.
This verse places surrender at the centre of liberation. Our own effort is necessary, but it is not enough to pierce the veil of māyā. Grace, received through refuge in the Divine, makes the impossible possible.
In Practice
In a situation where you feel caught in confusion, consciously take refuge in the Divine through prayer or remembrance, and trust that the way through will open.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 7: Jnana Vijnana Yoga (Knowledge and Realisation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.