Maya (माया or māyā)

Maya (माया or māyā): In philosophy the word origin of maya is derived from the Sanskrit roots 'ma' ("not") and 'ya', meaning "that". So the meaning of Maya is "that is not" but which appears to be real. Maya is held to be an illusion in philosophy & it is said to be a veil of the true Self - the Universal Spirit known as Brahman. Maya is a subtle force that creates the grand illusion that the phenomenal world that we see is real.

Maya is said to be neither true nor untrue. Since Universal Spirit (Brahman) is the only truth so Maya cannot be true. Since Maya causes the material world to be seen, it cannot be untrue also. Hence, Maya is described as indescribable. She has two principle functions - one is to veil the Universal Spirit (Brahman) and obscure and conceal it from our consciousness. The other is to present and promulgate the material world and the veil of duality instead of the Universal Spirit (Brahman).

In the darkness, just like a rope is confused for a snake & this illusion gets destroyed when true knowledge of the rope is perceived in the light. Similarly, in the darkness of the night, a pole may be mistaken for a ghost. As the darkness is removed, the ghost disappears; only the pole remains as reality. Similarly, Maya's illusion gets destroyed for a person when he/she perceives Brahman with transcendental knowledge & light. When the light of Universal Spirit (Brahman) falls on Maya, it disappears.

Purpose of Maya: In reality the purpose of Maya is to produce the duality in this world. Maya performs this role at the behest of the Supreme Lord only. God is not bound by Maya, just as magicians are not illusioned and deluded by their own magic.

Maya is beyond our sense-perception & is invisible but this universe which is its effect, is visible (or perceived by the senses). Maya is like night (or darkness) & is very difficult to be understood. Its nature is not perceived here.

In Hinduism, this world in which we live is called unreal not because of that it does not exist, but because it is unstable, impermanent, unreliable and illusory. It is unreal because it is transient & changing every second. Just check the things around you, these are changing every second. So this changing world, which is not permanent is called Maya or illusion & not real, the changeless.

Lord Krishna in Bhagwat Gita details about the 'Maya' in it's various chapters.

"mama yonir mahad brahma
tasmin garbham dadhamy aham
sambhavah sarva-bhutanam
tato bhavati bharata" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 3)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, My womb is the great Nature (Prakriti or MAYA) which is the source of birth of all living entities, and it is in that I place the germ (embryo of life). Thus it makes possible the births of all living beings."

"sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Fourteen verse 4)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, It should be understood that all species of life, are made possible by birth in this material nature (Prakriti or MAYA), and that I am the seed-giving father."

"yavat sanjayate kincit
sattvam sthavara-jangamam
kshetra-kshetrajna-samyogat
tad viddhi bharatarsabha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 27)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know that it is from the union between the field and the knower of the field. (Purusha is the knower of the field; Prakriti is the field; Shiva is another name for the knower of the field and Shakti is the field; Spirit is another name for the knower of the field and Matter (Prakriti) is the field).

"prakrityaiva cha karmani
kriyamanani sarvasah
yah pasyati tathatmanam
akartaram sa pasyati" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Thirteen verse 30)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, One who can see that all activities are performed by the nature (Maya) alone and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees." (The Self is the silent witness).

"ishvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese ’rjuna tishthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 61)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, The Supreme God is situated in everyone’s heart, and moves them to act by his divine Maya, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."

Ramakrishna on Maya

Ramakrishna acknowledged the power of Maya in life. He was all love and reverence for maya, perceiving in it a mysterious and majestic expression of Divinity. To him Maya was God.

In the guru Ramakrishna's experience, Maya was divine. Ramakrishna "did not, like a Vedantic scholar, repudiate the world as maya, but gave it a spiritual status, seeing in it the manifestation of Chit and Ananda." Ramakrishna had a "vision of the divine Maya, the inscrutable Power of God, by which the universe is created and sustained."

According to Ramakrishna, Maya projects and withdraws the world.
Further, "Maya . . . is the Mother of the Universe, identical with the Brahman of Vedanta and with the Atman of Yoga.

Ramakrishna discovered that maya operates in the relative world in two ways and he termed these "avidyamaya" and "vidyamaya.' Avidyamaya sustains lower planes, but vidyamaya is enlightening, including qualities like kindness. Vidyamaya elevates a man to a better consciousness. With the help of vidyamaya he then gets free of maya, if only for a while. The two aspects of maya are two forces of creation.

Ramakrishna said further: "When I think of the Supreme Being as inactive - neither creating nor preserving nor destroying - I call Him Brahman or Purusha . . . When I think of Him as active - creating, preserving, and destroying - I call Him Sakti or Maya or Prakriti, the Personal God.

To Ramakrishna maya itself was God - everything was God - [maya] was one of the faces of [the Godhead].

As per Ramakrishna: Maya can not be distinguished from the supreme [Godhead]

As per Ramakrishna: The mighty weaver (Maya) is none other than the Divine Mother.

As per Ramakrishna: Maya releases from bondage.

"I tell you the truth: there is nothing wrong in your being in the world." - Ramakrishna

Vivekananda on Maya
This universe is maya - Vivekananda

Maya is used incorrectly to denote illusion or delusion. - Vivekananda

Jai Shri Krishna

Spirituality & Religion

Spirituality concerns itself with matters of the spirit. It is quite different from the dogmas of a particular religion. Spirituality is basically what is taught in Bhagwat Gita. The great teachings of Bhagwat Gita are beyond any religion. A particular religion of this world teaches us about the practices to be followed in a particular religion. But spirituality is personal, subjective dimension of religion, particularly that which pertains to liberation or salvation of an individual soul. Spirituality is a state of being incorporeal. Spirituality is basically one's character or quality that makes one transcend the barriers of worldliness, caste, creed and sensuality; and realize one's connection with the Truth.

In contrast a religion is a set of stories, symbols, beliefs and practices that a person believes in or inherits. Religions are many in this world & so are it's different symbols, faiths & beliefs.

As per one report "More and ‘more Indians taking to spirituality", an increasing number of Indians are moving away from conventional religion and embracing spirituality.

As per spiritual leader Sri Samadarshini "Spirituality alone can help at times of crisis. It is beyond religion. Circumstances are never under our control but spirituality helps you give yourself an opportunity amid crisis and come out of it, Therefore a number of people are actually moving away from conventional religion.”

“Not just the corporate sector, people from all fields are now coming forward to learn about spirituality in order to learn how to handle stress,” said Samadarshini.

In Bhagwat Gita also Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to leave all religions & take shelter in Him . God is teaching spirituality only through the discourse of Bhagwat Gita to Arjuna. So Bhagwat Gita is really beyond any religion & is in reality teaching spiritualism. Bhagwat Gita teaches us about the truth of the Spirit rather than any dogmas of religion.

"sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayisyami ma suchah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eighteen verse 66)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

Breathing

Here is a beautiful post on Breathing, the great energy that rises from the depth of our soul & gives life to our material body. Read the post here.........................Breathing in I calm my body

Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Mangalmurti - Lata Mangeskar - Music Video

"Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Mangalmurti" is a Devotional song of the Hindus sung in the praise of "Lord Ganesha - Son of Lord Shiva". Let's all Pray to Lord Ganesha. It is sung by Lata Mangeskar.

Lord Ganesha is a Hindu God who removes all obstacles in life. Lord Ganesha is the son of Hindu God Shiva.

As per the Hindu mythology, God is ONE. Lord Krishna is same as Lord Rama & also same as Lord Shiva. As per Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten Verse - 23, God himself declares that He (Lord Krishna) is same as Lord Shiva. So Lord Ganesha is actually the son of Supreme Lord of this Universe.

BELOW ARE LYRICS OF THE ABOVE: Sukhakarta Dukhaharta Varta Vighnachi Nurvi | Purvi Prem Krupa Jayachi || Sarvangi Sundar Uti Shendurachi | Kanthi Jhalke Maal Mukta Phalachi || Jai...|| Ratnakhajitphara Tuj Gouri Kumara | Chandanachi Uti Kumkum Keshara || Jai...|| Hire Jadita Mukuta Shobhato Bara | Runjhunti Nupure Charani Ghagariya || Jai...|| Charnichya Ghagariya Runjhun Vajati | Tene Nade Deva Ambar Garjati || Jai...|| Runzun Runzun Nache Ganapati | Shakar Parvati Kautuk Pahati || Jai...|| Lambodar Pitambar Phanivar Bandhana | Sarala Sonda Vakra Tunda Trinayana || Jai...|| Das Ramacha Vaat pahe sadana | Sankashti Pavave Nirvani Rakshave Survar Vandana || Jai...|| Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Mangalmurti Ho Shri Mangal Murti Darshan Matre Mana Smarne Matre Mana Kaamana Purti   Read also..........................Who is Lord Ganesha?

Peace of Mind

"Dil Hai Ki manta Nahin" was an Aamir Khan, Pooja Bhatt Starr Hindi bollywood movie but here I am not going to talk about that movie. Basically this post is about how our Dil (heart)/ Mind wanders after "Things of Desire" & is uncontrollable.

Below is a verse by a poet:

"Hazaro Khawaishain Aaise, Ki Har Khawaish Pe Dum Nikle,
Mere Armaan Bahut Nikle, Par Phir Bhi Bahut Kam Nikle."

"There are thousands of desires of mine for different worldly objects & each desirous object is unique & beautiful, But Alas! neither of these desires could be fulfilled & my mind became sad & kept on weeping for these desires."

In life, we want to get every possible object of this world in our lifetime. But just see, have you got everything, whatever, your mind has thought of getting in life? As per me certainly not, as mind imagines to get everything in life but one does not get everything what is wished by the mind. It can be due to want of resources with you or to fulfill such desires are not just within your reach. So what do you do at that time? Compromise, yes, you adjust to this reality that such & such desires of yours cannot be achieved by you & you tell your mind just to forget about these desirous objects. Though you tell your mind that all these objects of desire are not within your reach but still, "Dil Hai Ki manta Nahin" & this mind still wanders about these objects & always want more & more.

In fact, nature of our mind is to crave for worldly pleasures of all kinds but constant hankering of mind about the "Things of Desire" & agony of not getting these makes the mind restless. It can cause psychological problems also & your mood may remain depressed due to this wandering nature of your mind. That's why in "Bhagwat Gita" Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to control his mind & let it not wander about worldly objects.

"evam buddheh param buddhva
samstabhyatmanam atmana
jahi satrum maha-baho
kama-rupam durasadam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 43)


"Sri Krishna said: Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence and thus—by spiritual strength—conquer the desires which is the insatiable enemy."

So if you want to have peace of mind in life, you need to control your mind & let it not hanker always after desirous objects. Best way to control your mind is to divert your mind's attention towards God or Spiritual practices like listening to devotional songs (Bhazans), reading spiritual literature, chanting religious mantras, doing Yoga etc. It is a certainty that mind finds peace in Godly practices.

Read also.............Be Calm like an Ocean

Read also.............Desire

"Saanware Mat Ja" by Lata Mangeskar - Music Video

"Saanware Mat Ja" is a beautiful bhajan sung in the praise of Lord Radhe Krishna. It is sung by Lata Mangeskar. It is a song from an old bollywood classic movie "Meera Shayam (1976)". Movie was Produced By Sh. K.C.SHARMA & Sh. KAMAL BHATTIYA. This movie was directed by Sh. SATISH KUMAR & music given by Sh. GOVIND & Sh. NARESH.

A lovely bhazan sung in reference to the Gopis of Vrindavan when "Saanwara Krishna" got separated from them. Pangs of separation are shown in this song.

You are a Wave of the Ocean

Whenever you see the Ocean in it's calm state, there are no waves in it. It seems peaceful, calm & still. But when you see the ocean raging with turbulence, then you see waves in it. Sometimes these waves takes the huge proportion & are also called "Sunami", which causes lot of destruction.

Now, what basically these waves are? These waves are nothing but water of ocean only which are having lots of energy in it, which makes it to rise & fall in the ocean. When, there is no such turbulent energy in the ocean which can make it's water rise & fall, then there are no waves in it & ocean is still & calm.

Can you differentiate waves from the ocean? No, as waves are the water of the ocean only. Waves are Ocean only. Waves & Ocean are one & the same thing. Just due to turbulent energy of the ocean, waves appear to be different than the ocean. Waves are nothing but the effect of turbulence in the ocean. Is there any independent existence of Waves? No, it has it's existence only in relation to Ocean. Basically, Waves have no independent existence as Ocean is Waves & Waves are the Ocean. When waves merge in the Ocean then it's existence disappears & it's Ocean only that remains. So basically, sometimes waves only appear to be a separate identity but in reality it is the Ocean only in totality.

Same is the case with this world. This whole universe is appearing to be real. But in reality it is the result of the energies of that Universal Soul (God). This whole world has it's existence in that Universal Soul only. Universal Soul (God) is like the ocean & this whole world is appearing to be having it's own independent existence just like the waves in the ocean, but it is not so in reality. Just like the waves have no independent existence other than the ocean, similarly this whole universe has no independent existence other than the Universal Soul (God). In reality this whole seemingly universe is nothing but that Universal Soul (God) only. As you cannot separate the waves from the ocean, so in the same way, you cannot separate the Universe from the Universal Soul (God). Both are one only. That's why it is said that we should treat each person, each living creature of this world to be God only.

So, You are the waves, You are the ocean. We are all waves of the same Ocean. There is no higher or lower wave. The waves and the ocean are one. You have to plunge yourself in the ocean & be one with it. Just leave aside your ego of your independent identity in this world. Be humble & lose your ego. It's your ego only which is keeping your separate identity in this world. Just lose your ego & dive yourself in the ocean of Universal Soul.

In Bhagwat Gita Lord Krishna also tells us about the creation of this universe from the un-manifest God.

"maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na chaham tesv avasthitah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Nine verse 4)

"Sri Krishna said: By Me, in My un-manifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

"avyaktadini bhutani
vyakta-madhyani bharata
avyakta-nidhanany eva
tatra ka paridevana" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 28)

"Sri Krishna said: All created beings are un-manifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and un-manifest again when annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?"

"athakasa-sthito nityam
vayuh sarvatra-go mahan
tatha sarvani bhutani
mat-sthanity upadharaya" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Nine verse 6)

"Sri Krishna said: Understand that just as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, so do all created beings rest in Me (Universal Soul)."

Read also............Be Calm like an Ocean

Read also............What is Ego?

Baje Re Muraliya Baje - Lata Mangeskar & Bhimsen Joshi - Music Video

"Baje Re Muraliya Baje" is a beautiful bhajan sung in the praise of Lord Radhe Krishna. It is sung by Lata Mangeskar & Bhimsen Joshi. A Unique bhajan sung by the two great maestros of their field.

Biggest Loss in Life's Gamble

Just flash back in your life & think, which was your biggest loss in life till today. For some it might have been a loss of money in business, for others they might have taken a heavy loss in the stock market, while for many others it might have been a loss of money in other ways of life. For many others biggest loss might have been emotional one than money loss. Some might have had a break-up in relationship or loss of some near & dear one.

Any loss of money or relationship is always very very painful in life as our mind is always very much attached to money & our relations. It's a way of life & there is nothing wrong with it. But what should be our attitude at the loss of money or relationship?

Let's first take the case of loss of money in life. Just again flash back in your life & go to your school days. In your school days, daily you used to take pocket money from your parents so that you could buy something to eat in the market or from the nearby school shops. You spent many many years of your school life like that only, living daily on that little pocket money only. That little pocket money used to be so precious that it used to give lot of happiness ,whenever, that little money you used to find in your pocket. Later on, when you started earning money in your job or business, you felt so much inclined toward that money that you always wanted to earn more & more of it. In fact you got attached very much to this money & you hankered always to earn more & more of it. Now this attachment to money started giving you pain, whenever, you did not earn more of it or you had a money loss in life. How different it has become now, that in childhood a very little money used to give so much happiness, while now lot's of money cannot give happiness. You always feel sad as you always want more & more of this money. Now two things are there in your life, one is Greed for money & second is Attachment to this money. Any betrayal of wishful desire of not getting this money, makes you sad, angry & frustrated in life. Any loss of already gotten money makes you really really mad in life.

Though money loss can have some problems in your present life but in the case of money loss in life, our attitude should be like, "How much does it really matters?" or as in Punjabi it is said, "Ki Faraq Painda Hai". In childhood you did not have any money & all this money you earned over here was only later on. So if some money is lost in life too, then how much does it really matters. Life still goes on with or without money. Money is for life, Life is not for money. So take it easy, if you have lost some money in life. Do not take it to the heart but just think, "How much does it really matters?" & just think that money you lost was never yours. Attitude towards money should be of not much attachment. The lesser you are attached to money, the lesser you shall have pain at it's loss.

In the case of loss of relationship or loss of near & dear one, pl. see that all relations are made in this life time only & slowly during the journey of life these relations get separated. In the case of relations too our attitude should be of not much attachment. More you are attached to someone, more pain you shall get at his/her separation.

Just think that one day, you yourself shall have to leave all your money that you earned, all the property that you made & all your relations that you got so much attached to. That moment comes in everyone's life, whosoever, is born on this earth. At death, a person has the biggest loss of his/her life as he/she loses all the money, property & relations who are so dear to that person. It actually occurs to everybody & on that day a person loses everything in Life's gamble. That moment of death shall be very very painful if your attitude in life has been to cling to your money & relations. So let's not hanker always after money & let's not get attached to money & relations very much. Bhagwat Gita also teaches us the same.

Read also............Infatuation is the Cause of Most Sorrows

Read also............Desire

Yoga

Yoga, a most popular concept of different body positions, postures, poses, pranayamas, mudras etc. is well renowned nowadays in the world. All these physical practices fall under the doctrine of "Hatha Yoga" (हठयोग). But the actual meaning of Yoga is very different.


Actual meaning of "Yoga" is the "Union of the self (Individual Soul or Atma) with the Ultimate reality (Paramatma or God)".

Yoga is also the final goal of the followers of the "Bhagwat Gita". There are many types of Yogas explained in Hindu mythology, like "Gyan-Yoga" (doctrine of the way of knowledge) , "Karma-Yoga" (doctrine of the way of action) or "Bhakti-yoga" (doctrine of the way of devotion) etc. Each doctrine shows the way to reach God in it's own aspect. All these different types of Yogas are explained in different religious books of Hindu religion but all doctrine are scattered in different books.

But in "Bhagwat Gita" there is reconciliation of all these different doctrines at one place. There are different chapters in Bhagwat Gita which are dedicated to each of these doctrines. So it is called that if a person wants to get all the different knowledge of Vedas & Puranas, then he/she can get all these in one place at Bhagwat Gita. So it is good for a person to read all these doctrines in Bhagwat Gita than searching for it in different books.