Māyā

Meaning

illusion
An instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience.
hallucination
An experience involving the apparent perception of something not present.
mirage
An optical illusion.
perdition
A state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death. The cycle of births and deaths.

“Māyā Illusion, Hallucination, Mirage, Perdition” (illusion), the world of names and forms, is a veil that this pure manifestation of the cosmic consciousness must realise and conquer. It is as infinite as cosmic consciousness. Realising the nature and the presence of “māyā” in our being is important to our path to cosmic consciousness.

Ahaṅkāra (egotism – cell 55) is the highest manifestation of this weakness. The number two could also signify “duality” which is the primary nature of “māyā”.

In the context of “Māyā”, there is an interesting dialogue between Ramana Maharshi (M) and his disciple (D).

D: What is the illusion?

M: To whom is the illusion? Find it out. Then illusion will vanish. Generally, people want to know about illusion and do not examine to whom it is. It is foolish. The illusion is outside and unknown. But the seeker is considered to be known and is inside. Find out what is immediate, intimate, instead of trying to find out what is distant and unknown.

― Ramana Maharshi, Talks with Ramana Maharshi: On Realizing Abiding Peace and Happiness. Ramana Maharshi further explains: “There is nothing like ‘within’ or ‘without’. Both mean either the same thing or nothing.”

Mythology is replete with stories that try to explain the experience of māyā. Some of them are quite abstract in nature and have been retold separately later in the book. However, the story of Nārada requesting the knowledge of māyā from Vishnu is very pertinent to this discussion.

Nārada, the son of Brahma, is also known as the “knowledge giver”.

Being born with Brahma Gyāna he has always rejected the 6 passions and has never been drawn into the web of māyā. However, one day, as he is strolling with Lord Nārāyana, he asks the Lord to share with him the secrets of māyā, as that is the only knowledge that he has left un-touched. The Lord replies that he is thirsty and will share with Nārada, the secret of māyā, once his thirst has been quenched.

As Nārada runs of excitedly into the village to fetch water for Nārāyana, he gets pulled into māyā. He forgets about his purpose of fetching water and becomes enchanted by a beautiful girl. He marries her and becomes a householder and spends many happy years entrapped in māyā. When he suddenly breaks free from this entrapment through a deep call for the Lord from within, he finds that he is standing infront of a thirsty Nārāyana for whom he had left to fetch water only a few moments ago.

The most important aspect of māyā, time, is revealed in the story. Time is an element that is “true” for every being within the web of māyā. Time also implies change, and change as a function of time is again also just as true. However, one can not deny the presence of the eternal self within, which remains unaltered / untouched by the perception of time.

The player can break herself away from the perception of māyā through gyāna, tapa and dhyāna. With this knowledge, she moves forth to find herself in the next cell, now immersed in the infinite web of māyā.