Dialogues Of Self And Soul — 7

MAYA — the illusion…

M. C. Escher painting — the Waterfall demonstrates the Hindu concept of Maya. The impression of water-world the sketch gives, in reality is not what it seems. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waterfall.svg

Continued from Dialogues Of Self And Soul — 6…

“Calm down, I will answer all your questions. But first let us return to our garden of bliss.”
She said and started walking.

I followed her, instinctively turning my head to look back to find the young boy standing at the edge- he was smiling.
She turned around, looked at me and smiled. I rushed to stand by her side. She took my hand in hers and together we took a step forward.
The scene changed abruptly, we were now standing by a pond. I looked around; it was our beautiful garden of bliss-filled with flowers of multiple colors and mesmerizing fragrances. The pond was filled with water so sparkling that it seemed to light up the sky. She sat down by it’s side and I followed. I lied down beside her with my head on her lap. I looked up-she had lowered her head to gaze at me with her dazzling eyes.
“We are safe now!”
“What is the meaning of all this? If not for that boy, the dreadful fire would have killed me today.” I said.
“It was Maya! Fear is one of her favorite trick to entrap a soul.” She said in a grim voice.
“What is Maya? Please explain.” I said eagerly.
“ Maya means-that which is not…illusion. Every living being possesses three Gunas or qualities, namely Sattva-good and constructive, Rajas-passion and activity and Tamas-dark and destructive. Tamas influences the soul through senses which starts to identify with the temporary body and everything related to it. In doing so the self starts serving lust greed anger and fear and in its constant efforts to find false happiness it falls deeper in to Maya-the illusion.”
I was fascinated by the idea.
“So, Maya creates the falsehood which entangles or entraps a soul in the worldly pleasures.” I tried to show off my newly acquired knowledge.
With her big black kohled eyes fixed on me she gave me a beatific smile.
“But, why would Maya try to harm me?” I threw another question at her.
“You are a Yogi and meditation makes Self to move away from Tamas and towards Sattva. As the Self begins to realize the reality, all activity ceases and soul gradually escapes from the clutches of Maya and moves towards liberation. Maya tries to obstruct this path by every means. The jungle fire was one of them.”
“I see! And that boy?” I asked.
“It was Sattva- the intelligence, virtue and goodness that creates harmony, balance and stability inside every living being. It is the principle of clarity, wideness and peace, the force of love that unites all things together.
Through meditation you have risen above the two Gunas of Rajas and Tamas resultantly your Sattva has increased. That is what saved you today.” she explained.
“I have the power! Have you seen my splendid wings?” I boasted.
“Yogi! You are entering into a new tranquil spiritual world where there is no struggle and in that vacuity there is no use for pointless powers. One day you would be able to fly even without these wings. Enlightenment is the point where everything else disappears, only the reality remains which ultimately brings about bliss and liberation.”
Her soft hand touched my forehead and I closed my eyes in solace.
I have come to know the true deceptive nature of the material world and Maya-the illusion as described in Shvetashvatara Upanishad…a sacred text written three thousand years ago.
After a while, when I slowly opened my eyes…I was all alone.