Continuing my Krishna Verses:

मा-माया-भेदाभेद-केलि:

[play on the words mā = Lakshmi, mā = “don’t,” and māyā = “power of illusion”]

माया धवो माधवस्त्वं मायया सहितोऽप्यसि ।
मामिच्छामि न ते मायामेका दूरेऽस्तु मापरा ।।४६८।।
You are the husband of Lakshmi [= mā] and you are also associated with power of illusion. I wish for Lakshmi, and not your illusion. Let one of them be away, but not the other one.

माया दुरत्यया कृष्ण मा ते तु जगदम्बिका ।
कथमेकां विहायाहं व्रजामि शरणं पराम् ।।४६९।।
O Krishna, your power of illusion is difficult to transcend, but Lakshmi is the mother of the world. How can I abandon one and seek refuge in the other?

माया च मा च भिन्ने द्वे न वेति ब्रूहि माधव ।
यद्यभिन्ने कथं हित्वा मायां मां चिनुयामहम् ।।४७०।।
O Krishna, please tell me if your power of illusion and Lakshmi are the same or not. If they are not different, how can I rid of the illusion, but choose Lakshmi?

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]