# SB 4.12.15 > मन्यमान इदं विश्वं मायारचितमात्मनि । > अविद्यारचितस्वप्नगन्धर्वनगरोपमम् ॥१५॥ ## Text > manyamāna idaṁ viśvaṁ > māyā-racitam ātmani > avidyā-racita-svapna- > gandharva-nagaropamam ## Synonyms *manyamānaḥ*—realizing; *idam*—this; *viśvam*—universe; *māyā*—by the external energy; *racitam*—manufactured; *ātmani*—unto the living entity; *avidyā*—by illusion; *racita*—manufactured; *svapna*—a dream; *gandharva-nagara*—phantasmagoria; *upamam*—like. ## Translation **Śrīla Dhruva Mahārāja realized that this cosmic manifestation bewilders living entities like a dream or phantasmagoria because it is a creation of the illusory, external energy of the Supreme Lord.** ## Purport In the deep forest it sometimes appears that there are big palaces and nice cities. That is technically called *gandharva-nagara.* Similarly, in dreams also we create many false things out of imagination. A self-realized person, or a devotee, knows well that this material cosmic manifestation is a temporary, illusory representation appearing to be truth. It is like a phantasmagoria. But behind this shadow creation there is reality—the spiritual world. A devotee is interested in the spiritual world, not its shadow. Since he has realization of the supreme truth, a devotee is not interested in this temporary shadow of truth. This is confirmed in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (*paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate* [[bg/2/59|[Bg. 9.59] ]]).