bhava - appearence and delusion

From the last two posts we see that the GOD is the Universal. Then why can't we "perceive" him easily? This is a natural question that comes to any attentive "listener"

Lord Explains:
ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये।
मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि।।7.12।।

ye ca eva satvikaa bhaavah, raajasaah, taamasaah ca ye
mattah eva iti tad viddhi na tu aham teshu te mayi.

"Bhava" or experience has two inherent components:

The experienced
Any "appearance" is a result of a specific arrangement of the differentiated universal elements of lord's lower nature. i.e., It is the first five of eight fold differentiated nature - bhumi, apah, anala, vayu, kham these are called five elements.

The experiencer
This "appearance" is perceived by a specific arrangement of last three of the lord's lower nature - Manas, buddhi and Ahamkara.

The experience is qualified as
a. satvika - pure, agreeable, harmonic
b. rajasa - active, passionate
c. taamasa - inert, dark

These three bhavas are ultimately from the Lord's nature alone; but lord is beyond the three qualifications as satvika, rajasa or tamasa. But all the "experiences" and "perceptions" are qualified into one of the three bhavas always.

And :

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्।।7.13।।

tribhih, guna-mayai, bhavaih, ebhih, sarvam-idam-jagat
mohitam na abhi-jaanati, mama, ebhyah, param-avyayam

All the beings of the world, being deluded by these three "bhavas" filled with the qualification (as pure, active, inert of the limited appearances) are unable to recognize and know the higher nature of ME (the lord)

So,
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।

daivi, hi, esha, guna-mayi, mama, maya, duratyaya
mam, eva, ye, prapadyante, mayaam, etam, taranti, te.

Divine is my MAYA that is "guna-mayi" (qualified with pure, active or inert attributes) and is difficult to overcome. He who surrenders on to me and takes refuge in me, crosses over this delusion.

With one last note I close this post:
There is a difference between Illusion and Delusion.
In Illusion there is absolutely no reality. It is fully made of NOTHING. Fantasy.
In Delusion there is a TRUE substrate which is mis-judged by the observer as something else.

The world appearance is a DELUSION. The true nature of LORD is mis-perceived by the individual due to this delusion.
By getting on to the path of yoga-vedanta one takes refuge in the LORD and crosses over the delusion and reaches the higher nature of LORD.


Note: This set of three verses are indeed very difficult to comprehend. One who has "sraddha" in the ULTIMATE TRUTH can only understand these three verses. I only made my best effort to explain these verses and I am fully aware of incapability of my skill and language to explain this. But still an attempt is an attempt....