Category Archives: Maya

Maya ~ Two Aspects

Maya, is often described as having two aspects: Avarana and Vikshepa.

Avarana refers to the concealing or hiding aspect of Maya. It represents the veil of illusion that shrouds the true nature of reality, preventing individuals from perceiving the eternal spiritual truth. It creates a sense of ignorance or forgetfulness about the ultimate reality, leading individuals to identify with the temporary material world and its fleeting pleasures. Avarana deludes the soul into believing that the material world is the ultimate truth, thus perpetuating the cycle of birth and death.

Vikshepa, on the other hand, refers to the aspect of Maya that involves faking or projecting something else. It represents the deceptive and misleading nature of the material world, which lures individuals into pursuing false hopes, desires, and ambitions. Vikshepa creates an illusion of satisfaction and fulfillment in material pursuits, leading individuals astray from their true spiritual nature. It perpetuates the cycle of attachment, cravings, and disappointments, further reinforcing the illusion of the material world.

Together, Avarana and Vikshepa work in tandem, creating a complex web of illusion that keeps individuals bound to the material world and ignorant of their true spiritual nature. Understanding and transcending these aspects of Maya is considered essential for spiritual seekers to attain enlightenment and break free from the cycle of birth and death.

क्या हक़ीकत का एहसास हक़ीकत है?

अगर सपने के मोबाइल फोन
का model सही हो सकता है
caller ID भी perfect
और ringtone भी
ये माया भी ग़ज़ब है
झूट को सच दिखाने में expert है
कैसे यकीन हो की ये दुनिया असली है

मनीष वर्मा

Maya – Kabir

Maya - Parallel Arrows

Maya Mari Na Mann Mara, Mar Mar Gaya Shareer
Asha Trishna Na Mari, Keh Gaya Das Kabir

Meaning:  Neither maya nor the mind, only body attained death*. Hope and thirst did not die, so said Kabir.

Kabir Maya Papini, Phandh Le Baithi Haati
Sab Jag Tou Phandhe Padya, Gaya Kabeera Kaati

Meaning: Maya is sinful, sitting with its noose in the bazaar. The whole world got trapped in the noose, Kabir has cut the noose.

*The body gets old and eventually dies but maya and mind are not affected. The desires may still be there at the time of death.

Sleep & Maya

The verse below compares sleep with maya:

image

[Panchadasi, Chapter 8, Kootasthadeep Prakraran, Verse 63]

Meaning: We see that our sleep too (which can be called as our maya) does create the conscious Jiva and Ishvar of the dream. Then, why should you be surprised if the grand maya creates conscious Jivas and Ishvar?

Maya

Maya - Parallel Lines

Illusion works impenetrable,

Weaving webs innumerable,

Her gay pictures never fail,

Crowds each other, veil on veil,

Charmer who will be believed,

By man who thirsts to be deceived.

[Emerson]

PS: In the image on the top, the two lines appear to be of different lengths but they are not of different lengths.