What is Maya?

Dec 1 2017 Bangalore, India

What is Maya?

The word “measure” in English comes from the Sanskrit root word “Maya.” Maya means that which can be measured. So, saying, “All this is Maya”, means everything here can be measured.

Water can be measured, volume can be measured, temperature can be measured, distance can be measured, time can be measured, and so on. Everything in this creation is time and space, and both can be measured, and so it is all Maya.

Click To Tweet This Article

What is not Maya?

What cannot be measured? Joy cannot be measured, love cannot be measured, life cannot be measured, so that is why these are not considered Maya.

Truth cannot be measured. Truth, consciousness, and bliss – this is what God is. What is God? “Sat” means truth, “Chit” means consciousness, and “Ananda” means bliss. God is truth, consciousness, and bliss – these cannot be measured. And this is what you are too! The nature of your spirit is bliss. Bliss cannot be measured, love cannot be measured, and that is what is not Maya.

What does it mean to be drowned in Maya?

When someone says, “You are drowned in Maya,” it means you are drowned in small little things that are not permanent, because Maya means that which is always changing. Ever-changing events and things around you are what Maya is. And if you are drowned in the ever-changing, and you are not logged on to the non-changing, life is very unstable. Stability comes when you log on to something in you that is not changing – that remains the same throughout time. That is termed as “getting out of the web of Maya.”

There is another meaning of Maya – that which has an appearance, but when you try to catch it, it doesn’t get into your hand. That is how everything in the world is. You see something so beautiful, and you try to possess it. The moment you possess it, you find the beauty is gone. It is no longer where you thought it was. You think happiness is out there and you chase after that; when you get there, it is not there.

If you are stable, still, and content within yourself, then everything runs towards you. That is why I have said from the very beginning – If you follow joy, misery follows you; and if you follow knowledge, fun follows you.

The 3 Types of Maya

There are 3 types of Maya
1. Moh Maya
2. Maha Maya
3. Yoga Maya

Moh Maya means attachment.

READ MORE

What is Karma?

Feelings arise within each of us. All of these feelings propel or cause some action. The feeling is called Karma, and the resultant action is also Karma.

READ MORE

 

Subscribe

If you enjoyed reading this content and would like to receive a notification on our future updates, you can subscribe here.

Enter your email address:


You can also write to us on webteam.wisdom@artofliving.org for any questions or comments.

4 Attitudes That Are Good To Have

"A strong mind can carry around a weak body, but a weak mind cannot even carry a strong body." 

Experiencing a disturbed mind?
In this article Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares 4 attitudes that help keep you in a peaceful
state of mind.

READ MORE

 

 

Read earlier posts

  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    September 23, 2019
  • September 23, 2019

    7 Steps to Cope with Frustration

    November 23, 2018
    • In life you will have 101 reasons to get frustrated. However it is up to you keep the enthusiasm alive without allowing the frustration to seep in. Here are some pointers to help you keep frustration at bay.
  • May 1, 2018

    The Best Form of Donation

    April 28, 2018
    • It is important to donate at least 3 percent of what we earn - says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. In this article he further talks about the best form of donation
  • Is Buddhism a Part of Hinduism

    April 25, 2018
    • It is often asked - Is Buddhism a part of Hinduism? Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar sheds light on the origin and similarity between the two religions

    The 5 Types of People

    April 23, 2018
    • A must read: There are 5 types of people in society - find out which type are you in this knowledge sheet by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

CONNECT WITH GURUDEV

THE GURUDEV APP

Read wisdom from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Blog, Facebook, Twitter and Live Talks.

IPHONE | ANDROID

Subscribe to wisdom updates