Activities of Māyā: Difference between revisions
Manik Gupta (talk | contribs) (Created page with "Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the activities of ''māyā'', or the illusory energy, are the specific mechanisms through which the material world operates to bewilder the conditioned souls. This powerful energy acts to cover the living entity's true identity as an eternal servant of God and drags them into the temporary engagement of sense gratification. While these activities are formidable and difficult to overcome, they are ultimately under the control of the Suprem...") |
No edit summary |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
<div class="toc-right">__TOC__</div> | <div class="toc-right">__TOC__</div> | ||
=== | === Nature of Illusion and Bewilderment === | ||
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the primary function of ''māyā'' is to create a distorted perception of reality, making the temporary appear permanent and the miserable appear happy. Under this spell, humanity becomes fascinated by material advancements and scientific jugglery, forgetting the existence of God and disregarding the instructions of the spiritual master. | Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the primary function of ''māyā'' is to create a distorted perception of reality, making the temporary appear permanent and the miserable appear happy. Under this spell, humanity becomes fascinated by material advancements and scientific jugglery, forgetting the existence of God and disregarding the instructions of the spiritual master. | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
* [[Vaniquotes:Due to the living entity's ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of maya. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called maya|Due to the living entity's ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of maya. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called maya.]] | * [[Vaniquotes:Due to the living entity's ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of maya. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called maya|Due to the living entity's ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of maya. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called maya.]] | ||
=== | === Supreme Controller Behind the Scenes === | ||
Although the activities of ''māyā'' seem all-powerful to the conditioned soul, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that she is merely an agent acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord. While impersonalists wrongly conclude that the Lord's activities are also ''māyā'', the devotee understands that God is the energetic source behind all creation and remains unaffected by the illusory energy. | Although the activities of ''māyā'' seem all-powerful to the conditioned soul, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that she is merely an agent acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord. While impersonalists wrongly conclude that the Lord's activities are also ''māyā'', the devotee understands that God is the energetic source behind all creation and remains unaffected by the illusory energy. | ||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
* [[Vaniquotes:In the material world, if a fragment is taken from an original object, the original object is reduced by the removal of that fragment. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not at all affected by the actions of maya|In the material world, if a fragment is taken from an original object, the original object is reduced by the removal of that fragment. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not at all affected by the actions of maya.]] | * [[Vaniquotes:In the material world, if a fragment is taken from an original object, the original object is reduced by the removal of that fragment. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not at all affected by the actions of maya|In the material world, if a fragment is taken from an original object, the original object is reduced by the removal of that fragment. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not at all affected by the actions of maya.]] | ||
=== | ===War Against Māyā === | ||
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as a direct declaration of war against the activities of ''māyā''. To escape her inevitable onslaught, one must adopt specific spiritual practices such as chanting, regulating one's life, and strictly following the temple programs, as these activities place one under the protection of the internal potency. | Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as a direct declaration of war against the activities of ''māyā''. To escape her inevitable onslaught, one must adopt specific spiritual practices such as chanting, regulating one's life, and strictly following the temple programs, as these activities place one under the protection of the internal potency. | ||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
(See our [[Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles|Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles]]) | (See our [[Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles|Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles]]) | ||
[[Category:Articles - | [[Category:Vanipedia Gemini - Articles]] | ||
[[Category:Vanipedia Articles - The Mechanics of Material Nature (Prakṛti)]] | |||
<div id="vani-provenance" style="display:none;" data-source="Vanipedia" data-author="Srila Prabhupada Vani Temple" data-license="CC BY-NC-SA 4.0" data-origin-url="{{fullurl:{{PAGENAME}}}}">This content is a part of Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani Temple. Source: https://vanipedia.org</div> | |||
Latest revision as of 08:01, 24 January 2026
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the activities of māyā, or the illusory energy, are the specific mechanisms through which the material world operates to bewilder the conditioned souls. This powerful energy acts to cover the living entity's true identity as an eternal servant of God and drags them into the temporary engagement of sense gratification. While these activities are formidable and difficult to overcome, they are ultimately under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, serving to test the living entities and facilitate their desires until they turn back to the Truth.
Nature of Illusion and Bewilderment
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the primary function of māyā is to create a distorted perception of reality, making the temporary appear permanent and the miserable appear happy. Under this spell, humanity becomes fascinated by material advancements and scientific jugglery, forgetting the existence of God and disregarding the instructions of the spiritual master.
- A drunkard, for example, or a person with heart disease, sometimes feels that the land is moving. Similarly, the reflections of trees in a flowing river also appear to move. These are the actions of maya.
- Generally, people are bewildered by the activities of scientists and technologists. Due to maya they think that there is no need of God and that they can do everything and anything.
- In pursuit of false activities, a human being is in the clutches of maya, or illusion.
- For a person to disregard the order of the spiritual master and act by concoction, accepting his nonsensical activities to be spiritual, is maya.
Phases of Entanglement
The entrapment by the material energy is executed through specific phases known as "covering" and "pulling down," which keep the soul bound to ignorance and sin. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that the strongest instrument in māyā's arsenal is the attraction between male and female, which serves to capture the living entity much like a trained she-elephant captures a wild elephant.
- Maya has two phases of activities. One is called praksepatmika, and the other is called avaranatmika. Avaranatmika means "covering," and praksepatmika means "pulling down.
- Even an elephant in the jungle is caught by the use of a trained she-elephant who leads him into a pit. Maya has many activities, and in the material world her strongest shackle is the female.
- Due to the living entity's ignorance of his eternal blissful life, he becomes attracted to material activities under the spell of maya. In this world, he can never experience happiness, yet he works very hard to do so. This is called maya.
Supreme Controller Behind the Scenes
Although the activities of māyā seem all-powerful to the conditioned soul, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that she is merely an agent acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord. While impersonalists wrongly conclude that the Lord's activities are also māyā, the devotee understands that God is the energetic source behind all creation and remains unaffected by the illusory energy.
- One who is less intelligent is captivated by the wonderful activities of maya, but he does not understand that behind these activities is the direction of the Supreme Lord.
- Within a second a very big, dark cloud may come and cause devastation immediately. That is possible. These are the wonderful activities of maya. But still, she is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The impersonalist philosophers cannot understand the activities of the Lord. They think that all His activities are maya; therefore they are called Mayavadis.
- In the material world, if a fragment is taken from an original object, the original object is reduced by the removal of that fragment. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not at all affected by the actions of maya.
War Against Māyā
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as a direct declaration of war against the activities of māyā. To escape her inevitable onslaught, one must adopt specific spiritual practices such as chanting, regulating one's life, and strictly following the temple programs, as these activities place one under the protection of the internal potency.
- I can understand from your letter that you are a quite fit soldier for fighting with Maya. Our Krishna Consciousness Movement is a declaration of war against the activities of Maya.
- In the kingdom of Maya you cannot stop the onslaught of her activities. The only protective measure is Krishna Consciousness. Otherwise there is no alternative.
- If you want to get out of the maya's activities, prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani, then you have to take to Krsna consciousness. There is no way out.
- Western country youngsters giving up illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling is certainly a great reverse in the activities of maya. Therefore she took advantage of my old age weakness and gave me a death dash.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the activities of māyā act as a formidable test for the living entity, creating a world of illusion where misery is mistaken for happiness. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that this external energy is fully under the control of Kṛṣṇa. By taking shelter of the Lord through the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even the most entangled soul can transcend the influence of māyā and return to their original, liberated position.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Activities of Maya. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.
(See our Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles)