John Nordheimer: Why does all this exist? Why the challenge in the first place? Why māyā?
Prabhupāda: Māyā means that you are unfortunate. Here it is light, and there it is darkness. If I tell you to come from the darkness into the light and if you don't come, that is your misfortune. Māyā is there, and God is there. If you want to remain in māyā, then how can you be saved? I can help you by saying, "Don't remain in darkness. Please come out into the light." But if you say: "No, I shall remain here," then how can I save you? You have your choice. God is there, and māyā is there. If you take to māyā you remain in māyā. What can I do, and what can God do? That is your choice.
John Nordheimer: Who created māyā? Man or God?
Prabhupāda: The government may create a prison house, but why do you go there? Does the government invite you there? No. You become a criminal and go there. The prison house is there and the university is there. Why do some people go to prison rather than the university? The government is not partial to people; it does not say: "You live in this university and be educated, and you go to the prison and live there." It is in the individual's choice. Similarly, God has created so many things, but it is our duty to follow God's instructions.
God says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "Just give up all nonsense and surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." That is God's declaration. Why don't you take to that? God is all powerful, and He may create so many things for some purpose, but why don't you follow God's instructions? God says: "Surrender unto Me," so why not surrender? Why surrender to māyā? That is the individual's choice.