Concept
Maya: FAQ & Sources
मायाMaya is the creative power by which the one reality appears as a world of many forms. It is often called illusion, but the schools read it in different ways.
Frequently asked questions
What is maya?
The power by which the one reality appears as the many, a veil of appearance over the true nature of things.
Is maya the same as illusion?
Not simply. Advaita calls it neither wholly real nor unreal; other schools read it as God's power or as nature at work.
What does the Bhagavad Gita say about maya?
Verse 7.14 calls the Lord's maya, woven of the gunas, hard to cross, and says refuge in him takes one across.
What is yogamaya?
In 7.25 the Lord's own power by which he is veiled from those who do not know him.
How does one go beyond maya?
By knowledge, devotion and refuge in the Lord, as the Gita teaches.
Sources and further reading
- The Upanishads (Shvetashvatara, Mandukya)
- Bhagavad Gita, Chapters 4, 7 and 18
- Commentaries of Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva
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