Mysterious Maaya

World – God – Individual

These three things have been the topics of any religion.

These three things even engage a person into wondering as to whether he has
understood any of these three which he is dealing with day in and day out. In these
three things namely, world (creation) – God – individual; God is not readily perceivable –
so there are various theories proposed by as many religions including atheists who say
there is no God.

Can logic explain God?

Most of the other systems of philosophies including many intellectuals try to establish
God purely upon logic. The Vedas points out that one can never establish God through
pure logic – the ordinary people may accept such logic but there will be logical fallacies.

For God the primary basis is Vedas alone and logic can only be a support and not as the
basis or proof. Logic is man-made and God is not. Time and space also should be
understood as an integral part of creation – they are not outside the creation.

So when creation is talked about we also have to talk about the cause of time and space.
We are talking about the cause (of creation) which existed before the arrival of time and
space. That means we are talking about a cause that is beyond time and space. God is a
trans- time and space principle. Logic is based on data that exist within the framework of
time and space. So it cannot explain God. So using logic for God is as unintelligent as
like using the eyes to hear a sound!

About Maaya

The Vedas declare that these three things – world (creation) – God – individual; they all
evolved from “maaya”.

The word “maaya” is difficult to translate into English. So the word maaya will be used as
it is hereafter.

Maaya is of the nature of ignorance. Maaya is directly experienceable by everyone.

The entire inert universe is a condensed form of maaya only. This is external maaya.
Even our body and mind are inert. However, we see that the world is not just made of
inert objects but also beings that are sentient (living/intelligent beings – like man,
animals, plant etc). So the world is having both inert and sentient components.

Take the example, “I have apple experience”. The portion, apple experience has two
parts – apple and experience. The apple is inert and the experience (knowledge or
awareness) is the sentient part. Any name or form (apple etc) is maaya and the sentient
part is called as Atma.

When you close your eyes and stop all your sensory functions including the mental
functions – like in deep sleep - you experience total blankness – ignorance - darkness.
This internal darkness experienced by us is internal maaya.

So no effort is required to experience the all pervading maaya; right from a small child
to an illiterate person!

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Normally the inert world is not called as maaya. But this inert world is the result of
maaya – manifestation of maaya and therefore can be also called as maaya. For
example, in the liquid form H2O is called as water and in the solid state it is called as ice
– in both states it is the same H2O only.

Maaya is available as the inert world of objects and is clearly perceivable by us. So let us
try to understand the status of maaya.

Direct perception – experience:

Maaya will come under real category – it is existent since it is clearly perceptible
by all of us (irrespective of one’s religion)
From the Vedas:
Maaya is not there in the three fields of time – past, present and future. So
maaya is unreal.
Logical – intellectual angle.
From reasoning angle, both the above statements cannot be negated because
both are source of knowledge. So, to assimilate intellectually you have to take
both into account. You cannot say maaya is real&unreal since these two are
opposite to each other and therefore cannot co-exist. So the world comes under a
fourth category that is outside real, unreal, real&unreal categories.

Taking both Vedas and direct perception into account – maaya is said to be
different from real and unreal. In Sanskrit language, the manifestation of maaya
is categorized as mithya – seemingly existent – not having independent
existence.

Since world is seen by us – world cannot come under unreal category. So it is

real.

Since Vedas negates it, the world will cannot come under real category – so it is
unreal.

Combining these two, we say the world is different from real and unreal. This is
from the logical angle – for grasping intellectually. Logic is sub-ordinate to the
sources of knowledge (direct perception & Vedas) and therefore has to reconcile
both these source of knowledge.

A new status to the world is – mithya - seemingly existent – not having independent
existence. This is a lower order of reality. Like the dream, the world has a lower order of
reality – temporarily leaving out the waker, the dream is given a reality. The scientists
depend upon only direct perception. For comprehensive rationality one has to take into
account the Vedas also for a balanced vision.

What is the real thing?

The Vedas also declare that Atma is the only real thing – the Sanskrit word for real is
sath or sathyam. Since Atma is the only real thing – maaya is an unseen power of the
Atma.

The mithya cannot affect sathyam. Therefore, mithya world cannot affect sathyam Atma.
Atma is ever free. The example that can be considered is the dream experience cannot
affect the person who has woken-up. The next step is – Vedas declare, “you (the
individual) is indeed that Atma” – so what ever you experience is mithya. You the
sathyam, are never affected by the seemingly existent maaya.

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Creation

Before creation, maaya holds the creation in unmanifest - dormant form in itself. All the
names and forms are in hidden like in a lump of clay has got the all the forms of the pot
in a hidden manner. The shape of the lump is not the shape of the pot but is a hidden
form of the pot. Once the form is got from the clay, the name – form and function –
usefulness become operational.

When the universe is in the potential (unmanifest) form, conventionally it is said that it
as good as non-existent. It is like saying the butter is now non-existent in the milk. Only
when the milk is churned, the butter comes into existence from the milk.

So the function of maaya is that it brings about the existence of the world by manifesting
during creation and the non-existence of the world during dissolution of the universe;
just like unfolding and folding up a painted cloth. Thus creation is cyclic – so it does not
have a beginning or an end.

Maaya is independent and also dependent – difficult to categorize – it seems to have

both the faculties.

1. With regard to its existence, maaya is dependent upon Atma as maaya does not
have an existence of its own and its existence is borrowed from Atma. So all
matter don’t have their own independent existence – the existence is dependent
on something else. Example: consider the gold jewels – the bangle, the ring, the
chain all are made of gold – the bangle or ring or chain is not a “substance” –
only the gold is the substance in these jewels; so the jewels don’t have an
independent existence apart from gold.

2. Even to prove its existence, maaya depends upon Atma. Maaya being inert, can
never prove itself – only a conscious entity can do it and consciousness also
belongs to Atma. Nothing can be proved/experienced without consciousness. For
example a table cannot announce its presence – whereas a person can announce
himself. So all inert objects are dependent upon Atma for proving their existence.

Therefore as can be seen in 1 and 2 above, maaya is dependent.

Once having come to existence, the various functions done by maaya are not borrowed
from Atma. From this angle maaya is independent. Maaya seemingly transforms Atma
into this universe.

The divisionless, changeless Atma is “changed” into 3 fold divisions by maaya – interms
of

1. the ever changing universe,

After “producing” the universe, maaya manifests as
2. (a) God and (b) the living beings

Just like in the magic show, the magician cuts a lady into two and then rejoins the cut
pieces, maaya “cuts” Atma into many pieces comprising of this universe! Like magic, the
effect of maaya is experienceable but not explicable.

The aspect of how the changeless Atma can be changed is answerable in only one way.
It is not a real change but is a seeming change just like rope - snake example; in semi-
darkness when the visibility is not clear, the rope appears as a snake – the rope is
seemingly changed into snake; not changed into a real snake. Another example is the
dream which is seemingly real but after waking up is negated.

Maaya has the extra-ordinary power to bring about this apparent change! It performs
the impossible (changeless Atma is changed into the world, God and the individual) not
once in a while but all the time – its only job!!! Maaya borrows existence from Atma and
“converts” Atma into something else.
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The very charateristics of maaya is these mysterious powers – all these powers are
intrinsic in its nature – like for fire, burning is its very nature. Maaya’s nature is to do all
illogical things – intellect which is designed to understand logical events, is stunned in
front of maaya. So if anyone says, “I don’t understand maaya”, then that statement is
normal!

Vedanta talks about the intrinsic illogicality of maaya. You can never logically establish
maaya. Another Sanskrit word for maaya is anirvachaniyam – that which cannot be
logically explained.

Influence of Maaya upon the Individual

Maaya will continue its extra-ordinary spell in the mind of a person, as long as a person
is ignorant (till he knows his real Atma nature ) – it is like a bad dream (lower reality)
that will frighten you as long as you are dreaming – the dream cannot disturb you after
you wake-up (to the higher reality).

Suppose the dreamer has to get out of power of dream, then he has to wake up and
know that he is the basis of the dream i.e. he only produced the dream. Instead, if the
dreamer keeps saying in the dream that he has to become a waker, it is of no use! Thus
a waker knowledge alone will not remove the dreamer’s problem – he has to actually
wake up; transcend to the higher reality.

Whenever we talk about knowledge of Atma it should be remembered that it includes

one more component, the knowledge of maaya.

I have to dwell upon the fact that everything that disturbs me is mithya.

The aim of a person should be to grasp the word and then come to the meaning – the
word does not liberate but its meaning liberates. The word is like a container having the
water which quenches the thirst. So don’t get attached to or handle the container –
make use of the water. Word is the carrier of knowledge.

The word maaya is used even in our common parlance – in even magic show. What we
experience intimately when probed, it disappears – that is maaya. Once you know the
magic methodology (secret) you loose interest in it!

The word maaya occurs in Vedas and also in the Bhagawad Gita.

Dream for example, is an experience and therefore cannot be non-existent but the
dream gets totally negated on waking-up; so it cannot come under existent category
also. So dream has to be come under mithya category i.e. seemingly existent. The same
is applicable to rope-snake example.

That which is clearly experienced but cannot be proved as existent is maaya. Vedanta
negates everything except Atma. Vedas do not treat Atma and the world on par.

The creation is a cosmic magic show conducted by God with the power of maaya.

The world also fulfils the conditions of a magic show. Just like the magic show, the world
is enjoyable from a distance but when probed it is just not there. The more you probe
even scientifically, the world disappears.

This fact has to be perceived with the knowledge of the Vedas without any prejudice.

World is not scientifically explainable

This inexplicability of the world will be found at different levels in all fields. Any branch of
science as you go deeper and deeper there will always be unanswered questions.
Ignorance will always be present in one layer or other. The reason is, the basis of all
seemingly real substances is ignorance; like the unreal snake is born out of ignorance of
the rope. This is the glory of maaya.
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What is being probed by science is the available maaya in the form of the world. So by
probing maaya you only end up in deeper mystery.

The world will be an eternal mystery. Mystery is the very nature of the world. Don’t try
to solve it but dissolve it by the knowledge of the Vedas!

An example of the mystery of maaya is given.

Life - how did the living beings originate?

Superficially seeing all the things in the universe is made of matter. When you analyse
this matter – the behaviour of the matter in the living organisms and the inert objects
there is a wide difference i.e. chemistry vis-à-vis bio-chemistry. We don’t know the
answer!

Same way you cannot explain death where the bio-chemistry reverts back to ordinary
chemistry – the body which starts decaying once there is no life.

The cause-effect law is the most easily broken rule in the universe! There are always
exceptions.

So after probing into the various happenings of the world, finally one has come to the
point of saying, “I don’t know”. Intelligent people will not probe too much into the
worldly things i.e. explanation of various things of the world. Instead, they will take to
the pursuit of knowledge propounded by the Vedas.

Any logical questions regarding the universe are illogical since the nature of the universe
is beyond logic. It is maaya.

Any aspect of creation is maaya’s glory.

The conceiving of a live baby itself is a wonder. When the conception takes place the life
is there but not manifest – it will manifest gradually – it has the potential. That is why in
religion, abortion is not allowed. The time of birth of a baby is inbuilt and is not decided
by the mother or the baby.

The individual after birth undergoes various stages of body development of youth,
adulthood and old age. Initially likes and dislikes are not there but develops gradually.
Is this not a wonder?

The same wonder that is seen in the case of a human birth and growth can also be seen
in animals and plants – it is indeed a mystery – all work of maaya.

All the glories of God are due to maaya only. Maaya backed by Atma is the cause of
creation.

One has to remember the fundamental principle – there are many things in the creation
which transcend logic. The ocean of doubts about creation cannot be crossed by logic.
The universe is inexplicable – unfathomable.

Only the Vedas definition of God will be all inclusive – you can worship God in any form
or even in more than one form. This is the glory of Hindu religion. Any other definition of
God will be theological (religious theory or belief), based on exclusivity, like Christianity
or Islam. Such religions say God is located high above in the heaven etc. Tolerance in
such - one type of God - religions will be minimal due to finite concept of God.

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