April 19, 2025

By Guest

Who is Maya in Hindu Philosophy?

In Sanskrit, Māyā (माया) means illusion, magic, or that which is not what it seems. But Maya isn’t just a trick or deception—she is a divine power, closely associated with Shakti (the Goddess, the creative energy of the universe).

🌍 Maya's Role in Our Life

1. She Creates the Physical World

Everything we see—our bodies, thoughts, emotions, the entire universe—is shaped by Maya.

Conclusion:

🔹 Example: Just like a movie appears real on screen but is made of light and images, Maya makes the world feel real, though it's ever-changing and temporary.

2. She Binds Us to Samsara (Cycle of Life & Death)

Maya causes attachment to:

  • Material pleasures
  • Relationships
  • Ego, desires, fears

Conclusion:

This keeps us bound in the cycle of: Birth → Life → Death → Rebirth (Samsara) We forget our true Self (Atman) and think we are the body or mind. That illusion is Maya’s play.

3. She is Not Evil – She’s a Teacher

Maya is not a demon or enemy. In fact, she is part of the divine design. Her purpose is to:

  • Test us
  • Challenge us
  • Guide us to seek the truth

Conclusion:

Through spiritual practice, wisdom, and inner awareness, we can recognize Maya and rise above her illusion.

🔱 Maya in the Scriptures

  • Bhagavad Gita (7.14) –“This divine Maya of mine, made up of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), is difficult to overcome. But those who surrender to me can cross it.”
  • Advaita Vedanta – Says Maya is beginningless but not ultimately real. She vanishes when we realize the Self (Brahman).
  • Durga Saptashati – Durga is called Mahamaya—the great illusion who both deludes and liberates.

🕉️ How to Deal with Maya?

  • Self-Inquiry (Who am I?)
  • Detachment (Know that all things are temporary)
  • Devotion (Bhakti helps dissolve ego and illusion)
  • Meditation (Pierces through the fog of Maya)
  • Wisdom from Scriptures (Lights the path of truth)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What exactly is Māyā in Hinduism?

🧘 Answer: Māyā is the divine illusion or cosmic power that makes the eternal, unchanging Brahman appear as the changing, physical universe. It's what causes the soul to mistake the body and world for reality, hiding our true spiritual nature.

Q2: Is Māyā the same as “illusion” or “falsehood”?

🧘 Answer: Not quite. Māyā doesn't mean the world is completely false—it means it’s relatively real. Like a dream feels real while you're in it, the world is real until you awaken to your higher Self.

Q3: Is Māyā a negative force?

🧘 Answer: No. Māyā isn’t good or bad. It is neutral energy—a divine tool of the universe. While it can trap us in ego and suffering, it also provides the stage for spiritual growth and liberation.

Q4: Who controls Māyā?

🧘 Answer: In Shaktism, Māyā is none other than the Goddess herself—Mahāmāyā Durga. In Vedanta, it is the power of Brahman, and in Shaivism, it is Shiva’s Shakti.

Q5: How does Māyā affect our daily life?

🧘 Answer: Māyā manifests as:

 

  • Attachment to the body and possessions

  • Desire, ego, fear, and comparison

  • Belief that we are separate from others or God

  • Running after temporary pleasures or goals

Q6: What is the connection between Māyā and Karma?

🧘 Answer: Māyā creates the illusion of individuality, leading us to act based on ego and desire. These actions generate karma, which keeps the soul bound in the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara).

Q7: How can we overcome Māyā?

🧘 Answer:

 

  • Jnana (Wisdom): Realizing “I am not this body or mind.”

  • Bhakti (Devotion): Surrendering to God/Goddess beyond illusion.

  • Meditation: Detaching from illusion and centering in the Self.

  • Seva (Service): Acting selflessly breaks ego's grip.

Q8: Is Māyā the same as Shakti?

🧘 Answer: In many traditions—yes. Especially in Shakta philosophy, Māyā is the creative aspect of Shakti, the Divine Mother who both veils and reveals the truth.

Q9: Does Māyā exist after enlightenment?

🧘 Answer: For an enlightened person, Māyā may still appear, but they see through it—like seeing a magician’s trick after knowing how it's done. It no longer binds or deceives them.

Q10: Why did Brahman create Māyā at all?

🧘 Answer: From a divine perspective, Māyā makes possible the dance of life, allowing the One to experience itself as many—joy, love, struggle, and awakening. It’s the Leela (divine play) of the universe.

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