Upaniṣads · Kṛṣṇa 1.11
॥
Devanāgarī
दुर्जया सा सुरैः सर्वैर्धृष्टिरूपो भवेद्द्विजः । रुद्रो येन कृतो वंशस्तस्य माया जगत्कथम्
Transliteración (IAST)
durjayā sā suraiḥ sarvairdhṛṣṭirūpo bhaveddvijaḥ | rudro yena kṛto vaṃśastasya māyā jagatkatham
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
दुर्जया सा सुरैः सर्वैःdurjayā sā suraiḥ sarvaiḥinsurmountable she is by all the gods
धृष्टि-रूपः भवेत् द्विजःdhṛṣṭi-rūpaḥ bhavet dvijaḥin the form of boldness let the twice-born be
रुद्रः येन कृतः वंशःrudraḥ yena kṛtaḥ vaṃśaḥRudra, by whom made a flute
तस्य माया जगत् कथम्tasya māyā jagat kathamwhat to His māyā is the world
Traducción
"Insurmountable she is by all the gods. Rudra, whom He made a flute — to His māyā what is this world?"
Versión
e2b3051a564b · publicado 12 ago 2026, 5:00:00 UTC
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The line contains an argument, and a good one: rudro yena kṛto vaṃśaḥ, tasya māyā jagat katham. It reads thus: if the One who made Rudra His flute possesses such power — then what is the whole world to His power? That is, the reasoning proceeds from the small to the great: if He has dealt so with the greatest, how much more so with everything else.
This device in argument is called kaimutika-nyāya, "the rule of 'how much more'"; and it is common in Indian literature. It is worth noting that the argument is turned against the gods: it is said that māyā is insurmountable by all of them. This position we noted when reading the Pañcabrahma (18) and said that it is uncomfortable for anyone who relies on ability: if the gods are deceived, superior ability offers no protection.
Let us add the conclusion the Vaiṣṇava side draws from this and which is worth voicing directly. If neither strength nor knowledge nor position helps, then one means remains, accessible even to the weak: refuge. And the Gītā says exactly this, moreover in the very verse where insurmountability is named: "this divine māyā of Mine is hard to overcome; those who take refuge in Me cross over it" (7.14).
The means is named immediately after the acknowledgment of insurmountability, not in place of it. First it is said that it cannot be done by one's own powers; and only then — how it can be done.