माया
Maya
The illusion of material reality
📜Understanding Maya
Maya is the cosmic force that makes the infinite appear finite, the eternal appear temporary, and the one appear as many. It is not that the world is an illusion in the sense of being unreal, but rather that we misperceive its true nature. Maya causes us to take the ever-changing world of names and forms as the ultimate reality, while overlooking the unchanging consciousness that underlies it all.
🕉️Related Shlokas(15)
Gita 2.63
→Bhagavad Gita • Chapter 2
Anger clouds the mind, clouded mind forgets wisdom, forgotten wisdom destroys judgment, and without judgment, one is utterly lost.
Gita 4.35
→Bhagavad Gita • Chapter 4
Once you know this, delusion ends permanently—you will see all beings existing within your own Self and within the Divine.
Gita 5.16
→Bhagavad Gita • Chapter 5
When knowledge destroys ignorance, what remains illumines the Supreme like the sun revealing a world that was always there.
📖Related Stories(15)
Golden Deer Deception
→Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda
Maricha disguised as a golden deer lured Rama away, enabling Sitas abduction. The story warns that desires for beautiful illusions lead to catastrophe.
Nala and Damayanti
→Mahabharata, Vana Parva
King Nala, possessed by demon Kali, loses everything through gambling and abandons his devoted wife Damayanti. Through suffering and self-improvement, he overcomes his weaknesses, learns new skills, and eventually reunites with his family.
💬Related Dialogues(15)
The Mirage of the World
→Janaka & Ashtavakra
Seeing the world as a mirage does not lead to indifference but to effortless engagement without delusion or desperate clinging.
Damayanti Recognizes Nala - Love Beyond Disguise
→Damayanti & Nala (disguised as Bahuka)
True love sees past every disguise. Running away to protect someone denies them the choice to love you completely. The real test of marriage isn't the good days—it's the cursed ones.