Hari Aum.
I attended an online satsang recently in which the topic of discussion was Maya. As spiritual seekers, most of us have encountered this term before-- we have some idea of what it represents. It is a very important and complex concept though and therefore worth reflecting upon from time to time.
The yogis say that Maya is difficult to fully understand (except for realised souls). They describe it as a 'deluding power'. They tell us that it is that force which makes us repeatedly search for joy where only sorrow is to be found. In this sense, it is a dark force, a negative energy that works against our quest for happiness. It is the essence of all obstacles that block our spiritual progress.
How do we experience this in our lives on a practical level? We need to know what we are dealing with. We need not see Maya as an enemy, because this energy is also one aspect of the Divine-- but it is a delusive aspect that keeps us trapped in the cycle of samsara (worldly existence) according to the yogis. Maya allows the play of the world to continue as a divine lila (play). We need to overcome Maya in order to attain the spiritual goal of life, the state of liberation, of true happiness and wisdom.
So, where does Maya exist in our lives? Well, the mind is said to be the seat of Maya. We cannot see the mind, but it is the essence of what we experience as our personality in our day-to-day lives. We experience thoughts almost constantly-- different types of thoughts, some are rational/analytical, some are based on feelings and emotions, some are spiritual, some are worldly.
The yogis say that it is the mind alone that leads us to liberation, and the mind alone which leads us into spiritual bondage. The direction of the mind, controls the destiny of the soul.
As we know, for spiritual liberation, the mind needs to be directed towards God. The yogis tell us that we should be thinking of God in the midst of all activities, whether eating, drinking, walking, talking, working or relaxing. Whatever we do, the mind should think of God.
We know what we ought to do. And we want to do it. But, let us be honest, it is no easy task. Why is it not easy? What stands in our way?
The answer in one word is Maya. This one word represents all obstacles, within and without, that prevent us from thinking of God, from seeing God in the world. Maya makes us think of the world as separate from God, it persuades us to see the world as outside God, as something other than God.
The yogis say everything and everyone is a manifestation of God. But that is not our daily experience. We see different people and different things. Our feelings towards these people and things may not be divine at all. We may feel desire, anger, greed, jealousy, hatred and pride-- all undivine thoughts, and aspects of Maya, according to the yogis.
To use an analogy, Maya is that force which convinces a thirsty man to search for water in a barren desert, while persuading him to believe that there is no such thing as a river. The desert represents the world seen as separate from God, while the river is God (present within and transcendent to the world). Needless to say, our thirst will not be quenched when we seek bliss in the world as separate from God, it can only be found within the world if we understand it as a manifestation of God and deal with it accordingly.
The yogis tell us we are mostly in the grip of Maya. When we sit to meditate upon God, and our mind wanders to other things, that is the effect of Maya. When our mind is gripped by a desire for anything other than God, that is Maya.
Is it easy for us to overcome Maya? No, it is not, say the yogis. It is very powerful. There is only one thing more powerful than Maya. That is God. Can we stand up to Maya on our own? No, we cannot. But, as drowning person reaches out for a rope to save himself, we too, who are drowning in samsara, can reach out and grasp the name of God. In whatever condition we find ourselves, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we can, even if just from time-to-time, remember the mantra or name of God. This will allow us to overcome the grip of Maya over time.
Narada, the great devotee of Narayana, once asked Him to reveal the power of Maya. In answer, Narayana allowed Narada to briefly come under its influence. As a result, Narada completely forgot about the existence of Narayana and was immersed in worldly affairs without any spiritual understanding. As expected, he experienced grief while living in this way, and whilst he was lamenting at the unfortunate events that had taken place in his life, Narayana lifted the spell of Maya. As soon as He did so, all of Narada's suffering disappeared like a mirage of water in a desert. Narada thus understood the extraordinary power of Maya.
So let us not underestimate the power of Maya. It acts upon us every moment of our lives. Equally, let us not underestimate the much greater power of the names and mantras of God. Just as we cannot truly see how we are affected by Maya, similarly, we cannot fully understand the effect of the names and mantras of God. Let us therefore trust our teachers, our Gurus, who have successfully walked the spiritual path before us, and hold fast to our spiritual practice to extricate ourselves from the mire of samsara. Let us repeat our favourite names and mantras of God as often as we can during our waking hours.
Om Namo Narayanaya.
May He rescue us all from Maya and samsara.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
P.S. There are a couple of eclipses coming up in the next few weeks which, the yogis say, are a particularly good time to repeat mantras and names of God.
