Maya is also a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, one of her duties is to test anyone who wants to know Krsna severely to make sure you are genuine and will not disturb Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada - "If you become Krsna conscious, the world will be your enemy. You must be prepared for that" (2 Aug 1974)

What Prabhupada is saying here is as soon as you try to be free of Maya, she will throw temptations at you to test you. 

Maya is a great devotee of Krsna and her duty is to make sure no one disturbs Krsna.

This quote simply means as you become more Krsna Conscious, then the tests from Maya will be stronger to see if it is really Krsna you want and to return back home to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupāda - "So in the beginning, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there will be so many disturbances by the māyā. 

Māyā will test you how far you are fixed up. She will test you. 

She is also the agent of Kṛṣṇa and does not allow anyone who is meant for disturbing Kṛṣṇa. 

Therefore she tests very rigidly whether you are..., you have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness to disturb Kṛṣṇa, or you are actually serious. 

That is māyā' s business. 

So there will be, in the beginning, test by the māyā, and you will feel so much disturbances in making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 

But if you remain steady... 

Steady means if you follow the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, then you will remain steady. 

And if you neglect, then māyā will capture you, immediately. 

Māyā is always ready. We are in the ocean. At any moment, we will be disturbed. 

So therefore one who is not disturbed at all, he is called paramahaṁsa.

Therefore Kuntīdevī says: tathā paramahaṁsānām (SB 1.8.20). Parama means ultimate. Haṁsa means swan. So paramahaṁsa means the perfect haṁsa. Haṁsa. 

It is said that if you... Haṁsa means swan. If you give to swan milk mixed with water, she will take the milk part and leave aside the water part. 

Similarly, a person who knows what is this material world... Material world is made of two natures—the inferior nature and the superior nature. 

The superior nature means spiritual life, and inferior nature is material life. 

So a person who gives up the material part of this world and takes only the spiritual part, he is called paramahaṁsa.

Paramahaṁsa. Spiritual part means one who knows that whatever is working in this material... Just like this body—your body, my body.

Anyone who knows that this movement, the activities of this body is due to the soul which is within this body... That is the real fact. This is only outward covering. 

Similarly, one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the center of these all activities, he's paramahaṁsa. He's paramahaṁsa. He knows the fact.

So bhakti-yoga is for the paramahaṁsa, one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the central fact. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. 

So one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, not only theoretically, but practically, convinced, he is paramahaṁsa. 

So Kuntīdevī says that "You are meant for the paramahaṁsas, not for the rascals and fools. You are meant for the paramahaṁsa. " Tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām (SB 1.8.20).

Munīnām means those who are thoughtful. Also mental speculators, they are called also muni. Munīnām amalātmanām. Amala. There is no dirty things in their heart. 

Materialistic person means full of dirty things within the heart. What is that dirty things? That lust and greediness. That's all. This is the dirty things. 

All materialistic persons, they are lusty and greedy. Therefore their heart is full of dirty things. 

And amalātmanām means those who are freed from these two things, lust and...

Devotees - "Greed, greed!".

Srila Prabhupāda - "Eh? Greed, yes greediness. Amalātmanām. For them bhakti-yoga. This bhakti-yoga is meant for the cleansed hearted, not the lusty and greedy. That is not... They may try. They'll gradually advance. 

But once one is situated in bhakti-yoga, there is no more lust and greediness. Viraktir anyatra syāt. This is the test, whether one has become free from lusty desires and greediness. Then he is situated in bhakti-yoga. He's paramahaṁsa.

So Kuntīdevī, by humble submission "You are meant for the paramahaṁsa, for the amalātmanām, for the munīnām and those who are engaged in bhakti-yoga. And what are we? We are simply woman. We are in the lower grade. How we can understand You?" This is humbleness. 

Although she understands everything, but still she's taking the position of an ordinary woman, that "How can I understand You?"

Thank you very much, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Lecture Srimad Bhagavatam lecture - April 12, 1973 New York City Temple)