Dr. Eshwar Dutt beautifully explained about the summary of the Bhagavad-Gita and about the “SELF “in his postings. But to be one with the SELF or to realize it what is it that is obstructing all of us, is our ignorance or in Sanskrit it is called as MAYA. To understand the concept of MAYA It has been explained lucidly in the book Kaivalya Navaneeta through questions and answers. They are enlightening. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi used to talk about this to his devotees. Here they are:
1) What is Maya?
In sanskrit it is called as "Anirvachaneeya" or it cannot be explained.
2) Who is affected by the MAYA?
The jeeva or the mind or the ego is affected, who thinks that he/she is a separate entity from the "SELF".
3) How did it originate and where is the root of the MAYA?
No answer to that question. It is the sport of the brahman.
4) How did the MAYA arise?
Because of our lack of enquiry "WHO AM I" and we are not doing the vichara.
5) If the self and Maya both exist in the individual, how is the advaitha theory explained?.
It is not contradictory. Maya is dependent on the "SELF". It has no separate existence of its own. It is like super-imposing the internet on the computer screen. We are able to see so many things on the screen through the internet and as such the internet can not be used without making it appear on the computer screen.
6) If the "SELF" and Maya are one, then is it not the self, also of the nature of maya and so is illusory?.
The answer is no. The "SELF" can create illusion with out being illusory. We can give the example of a magician, who creates so many things for our entertainment during the show. But when once the show is over it is only the magician who is true and not the things he created. Everything he created disappears after the show. He just created the illusion for us to believe in him. He is not part of the vision but solid and real.
This is a very complex topic. I tried to put it as simple as possible. Any questions and comments are welcome.
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MAYA and FREEWILL
ReplyDeleteHere is what Swamy Mukundanandaji explained.
Question: Radhey Radhey Swamiji, It is really a pleasure listening to you, and thank you very much for giving us such deep knowledge in simple language so that souls like us can understand it. I have one question, "Why did God create maya, when He wanted us to love Him. He created this world and moved us out from his Mahodar, or stomach, to enjoy His love. But because of maya we forget him and suffer."
Answer:
To enable all readers to comprehend your question, let me first explain its context. The Vedic philosophy states that creation follows successive cycles of srishti, sthiti and pralaya, or creation, maintenance and dissolution. Upon dissolution, the entire material energy and all the materially conditioned souls go into a latent state, and reside in the stomach, or mahodar, of God. Then, at the time of creation, the material energy unwinds itself, and the world comes into existence. The souls are again placed in appropriate bodies in this world, based upon their accumulated stock of sanchit karmas.
Now, to rephrase your question, you have asked that when God creates the world, in order for us to be able to love Him, and brings us into it from His mahodar, then why does He create maya alongside, which puts us in forgetfulness of Him and makes us suffer? This question has puzzled innumerable philosophers in history, with the paradox that if God is all good, then why has he created something bad like maya, that gives souls the opportunity to deviate from the true path and commit sin. The answer to this cannot be comprehended totally before God-realization. However, an attempt can definitely be made.
Let me tell you a story in this regard. There was once a very rich man, who had a fifteen-year old son. One day, the son was alone in his father's office, when he saw a fifteen-year old newspaper. It had an article titled, "Billionaire adopts orphan child". The boy was stunned to see his father's name mentioned there. When his father returned, the son accosted him, "Father is this article true?"
The father replied, "My son! It is true."
"Does that mean I am not your child?"
"That is right, you are not my child."
The son was shocked. "Then why did you adopt me?"
The father explained, "I had no shortage of money, and everything that money could buy. However, I did not have anyone with whom I could share my wealth. I adopted you so that I could give you everything that I possess."
Similarly, God is perfect and complete in Himself, and the possessor of unlimited opulences. He creates us so that He may be able to share that He possesses with us all. However, He can only do that when we truly love Him. And, to enable us to love Him, He has created us with a free will. A machine cannot love. Only that creature can love who possesses a free will.
Those souls who have exercised their free will in loving God, are with Him in His eternal abode. We conditioned souls are here in the material realm because we exercised our free will to turn our backs towards Him. So for us Bhagavad vimukh souls, God has created this realm of maya, where we can live under the illusion that we are separate from Him. However, this maya energy performs various tasks. It provides us with allurements to enjoy in forgetfulness of God. But it also keeps troubling the soul through the three-fold miseries, to encourage it to decide to love God. Thanks to the slaps we receive from maya, if we can realize our folly, and exercise our free will to love God, we can attain His Divine abode for the rest of eternity. We do not realize this favor that maya is to doing, and we blame it for our miseries. So, maya is not our enemy; it is in fact our well-wisher, and a servant of God.