' Maya '

' Maya '  

P.Natarajan.

The word ‘ Maya ‘ is derived from the Sanskrit root "ma" ('not') and "ya"- ('that') the indicative article). ‘ That which does not exist or real ‘ is Maya.  Maya can be referred in English as 'mirage' - something illusory, without substance or reality. Science explains mirage, as the optical
phenomenon especially in the desert or at sea , by which the image of some object appears displaced above, below, or to one side of its true positions as a result of special variation index of refraction of air.

Desert extends to  a large space where the intensity of heat is very high. The ambient air which gets heated up, becomes light and moves which apparently looks like a sheet of water for the onlooker from a distance. Just like reflections can be seen in water, the ground surface itself reflects in desert and gives an appearance of a pool of water from a distance. The herd of mule deer (it is named for its ears which are large like mule) travel into the desert nas they mistake the
ground surface as water. As the mob of deer reach nearer and nearer, the water like surface gets far away. This illustrates the role of ‘Maya’. The root ‘mrig’ in Sanskrit means ‘ in search of ’ and animals are habituated to run here and there in search of food.  'Mrig' becomes ‘Mirugam’ in Tamil  meaning ‘animal’. 'Mrig' also means deer.

Sri Krishna Jayanthi ( Gokulashtami) was celebrated all over India on 28th Aug. Sri Krishna is also called as ‘Mayavan’ or ‘ Mayan ‘ with other attributed names like Mal, Tirumal, Perumal. It is well known that ‘ Krishna-Leela ‘  happens as the magic veil of Maya. Durga is referred by the feminine form of the word ' Vishnu -  Maya' or 'Maha Maya'.

Vedanta  emphasizes that the fundamental truth of the Universe can not be reduced to a concept or word for the ordinary mind to manipulate. Maya manifests, perpetuates and governs the illusion and dream of duality in the phenomenal Universe. Each person or each physical object from the perspective of eternity, is like a distributed drop of water from the unbounded ocean. Consider an illusion of rope being mistaken for a snake in the darkness. The illusion gets destroyed when the true knowledge of the rope is perceived. Maya is the veritable fabric of duality and she performs this role at the behest of the Supreme Lord. God is not bound by maya just as the magician does not believe the illusion of his own magic.

Mind is the knot which joins consciousness and matter.

‘Gitacharya’ (Sri Krishna) explains wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know that Arjuna, as born from the union between the field and knower of the field. Pl. see table below:-

sl.no        Knower of the Field                   Field

1.0                 Purusha                            Prakriti (Nature

2.0                  Shiva                                 Shakti

3.0                  Spirit                                  Matter ( Prakriti )

4.0                  Soul                                   Body

 

Thus  Maya is the Lord Krishna's potency which he uses upon ignorant people to hide himself as ignorant people do nothing but find fault with the Lord. One must have faith and devotion in Him to understand true self and thus overcome Maya.

Maya, in her form as Durga, was called upon when the Gods and Goddesses became helpless against the attacks of Mahishasura. The combined material energy of all the Gods including Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva created Her.

                                                                                   

She is thus said to possess the combined material power of all the Gods and Goddesses. The Gods gave her ornaments, weapons, her bearer, the Lion. She was unassailable. She, as Mahamaya, fought a fierce battle against Mahishasura, which is described in Devimahatmyam as 'Mahotsavam of War' and lasted several months. She killed them and restored peace and order to the World. She is regarded as the protector of the Universe.

Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 61:

Arjuna, God abides in the heart of all creatures, causing them to revolve according to their Karma (Desires) by His illusive power (Māyā) as though mounted on a machine.

pn