Maya: The Illusion of Reality

Understanding Maya according to Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran

The Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran is one of the most important and respected book in Hinduism. It was written by Maharshi Ved Vyas and mainly talks about the life and teachings of Lord Krishna. It is considered the essence of all the Vedas and Puranas. In the age of Kaliyug, it is said that simply listening to or reading this text with devotion can purify the heart and awaken spiritual wisdom.

In the Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapuran, Maharaja Nimi spoke this shlok to remind us how precious the human body is. Out of 8.4 million life forms, only in the human form we have the ability to perform actions (karma) that can lead us toward liberation (moksha). In other forms of life, beings simply undergo suffering without the capacity to change their destiny. That is why this human birth should never be wasted.

• दुर्लभो मानवो देहो देहिनां क्षणभङ्गुरः।
  तत्रापि दुर्लभं मन्ये वैकुण्ठप्रियदर्शनम्॥

  Maharaja Nimi says: The human body is very rare and difficult to get, even though it is temporary and perishable. Even rarer is the opportunity to associate with devotees who are dear to Lord Krishna.

In our journey through countless births, it is only in the human form that we are given the rare chance to question life, seek truth, and work towards liberation (moksha). But even with this opportunity, many of us stay trapped—chasing temporary pleasures, unaware of our real nature and wasting precious life. Why does this happen? According to Shrimad Bhagwat it is because of Maya—the powerful force of Krishna, that keeps us bound to the cycle of birth and death, making the unreal appear real and the real seem distant. Krishna in Bhagwad Gita Chapter 7 Shlok 14 says.

• दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
  मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते

  This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature (sattva, rajas, and tamas), is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

But how does Maya work? To understand this, let's explore the instruments through which it operates.

The Five Elements (Panch Mahabhut) and Five Organs of Knowledge/Perception (Panch Gyanendriya)

The Panch Mahabhutas — Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space — are not only the building blocks of the physical world and our gross body (Sthul Sharir), but they also carry subtle qualities (Tanmatras) that shape how we experience reality through our senses. These senses constantly pull our awareness outward, feeding the mind with distractions and binding it to the external world.

• Earth (Prithvi) – Represents solidity and structure.

  • Subtle quality: Gandh (Smell)

  • Sense organ: Nose

• Water (Jal) – Symbolises flow and adaptability.

  • Subtle quality: Ras (Taste)

  • Sense organ: Tongue

• Fire (Agni) – Governs heat, light, and transformation.

  • Subtle quality: Rup (Form/Colour)

  • Sense organ: Eyes

• Air (Vayu) – Responsible for movement, breath, and motion.

  • Subtle quality: Sparsh (Touch)

  • Sense organ: Skin

• Space (Akash) – The most subtle element, representing openness and vibration.

  • Subtle quality: Shabda (Sound)

  • Sense organ: Ears

Five Organs of Action (Panch Karmendriya)

These are the five organs used to act upon the world, create the illusion of doership.

• Speech (Vak): speaks

• Hands (Pani): grasps, creates

• Feet (Pad): moves

• Anus (Payu): eliminates

• Genitals (Upastha): reproduces

The actions we perform, consciously or unconsciously through these accumulate karmas and deepen our entanglement in Maya.

Four Inner Instruments (Antahkaran)

Maya doesn’t just deceive us externally, it govern our inner world of thought and awareness too.

• Mind (Maan): create thoughts, desires and all sorts of feelings like doubts, fear and pleasure (according to Shrimad Bhagwat, in Kaliyug, the mind by default works against us).

• Intellect (Buddhi): judges, analyses, and decides — again often clouded by ignorance because of Kaliyug's presence.

• Ego (Ahankar): The sense of 'I', 'me', 'mine', and the belief that 'I am the doer'.

• Memory (Chitt): stores habits and impressions (sanskars).

Even though the senses (gyanendriyas) are hard to manage, it's still possible to bring them under control, but it’s extremely difficult to manage Antahkaran. Think about it—does our mind stay steady even for two minutes? When someone does something wrong, how do we react? What occupies our thoughts all day?

There’s a beautiful story from the Mahabharat which reveals how Arjun surrendered himself completely to Krishna. During a war council, the Pandavas and their commanders were discussing how to stop Bhishma, who was devastating their army each day. They decided that the only way to defeat him was to have Shikhandi as a charioteer, knowing that Bhishma, due to Amba’s curse, would not raise weapons against a woman. Everyone turned to Arjun and insisted he use this strategy, but Arjun became furious. “I am Arjun! I will defeat Pitamah Bhishma with my Purusharth (strength and righteousness) and not through trickery.” He rebuked his brothers for even suggesting such a plan and walked out of the tent in anger.

Outside, he saw Krishna approaching and told him what had happened. Krishna calmly said, “Yes, Arjun. This is the only way to stop Bhishma.”Without a moment’s hesitation, Arjun replied, “If that’s what you say, Madhav, then so be it.” That is the level of surrender Arjun had. No ego, no second thought, no hesitation—just complete trust. This is why Arjun was so dear to Krishna. Krishna says in the Bhakti Yog: "मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।" Fix your mind on Me alone, place your intellect in Me.

The Three Bodies

Our existence is layered, like an onion. These are not who we truly are, yet we cling to them. Hindu philosophy explains the three bodies that cloak the Self:

• Sthul Sharir (Gross Body): physical form made of the five elements.

• Suksma Sharir (Subtle Body): Includes the four Antahkaranas, Gyanendriya, Karmendriya and Tanmatras along with pran (life force).

• Karan Sharir (Causal Body): the root of ignorance, containing the seed of karma (3 gunas) and past impressions (sanskars).

Suksma and Karan Sharir are the ones that carry forward in our next life, karma that we do through Sthul Sharir and Suksma Sharir gets stored in Karan Sharir. Our thoughts, desires, and intellect are deeply shaped by the impressions of our past lives, and the karma we are performing now will profoundly influence our future lives as well.

The Three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas

All of us are influenced by the three Gunas (qualities) of nature.

• Sato Gun uplifts the soul. It brings peace, clarity, devotion, and wisdom.

• Rajo Gun fuels action, passion, and desires, but often leads to restlessness and attachment.

• Tamo Gun causes laziness, confusion, ignorance, and resistance to growth.

These three forces exist everywhere: in our thoughts, emotions, the food we eat, the people we surround ourselves with, and even the decisions we make. They constantly influence how we feel and how we act. Observing these Gunas in daily life is the first step to mastering them. To rise above Maya and become Gunatit (beyond the three gunas, like God), one must first strengthen Sato Gun through satsang, association with a Guru, devotion, right knowledge, and self-discipline as guided by the scriptures. Only then can all three gunas be transcended, leading the seeker toward true liberation.

Going Beyond Illusion

Maya is powerful, it makes us forget our true nature. Upanishads state: “Brahma satyam, jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah" Brahman alone is real; the world is an illusion; the individual self is none other than Brahman. Once a devotee asked my Gurudev, “If we are divine, why don’t we know it?” He replied, “When a pond is covered with dirt or algae, it can’t reflect the sun or moon. Similarly, when the soul (Atman) is covered by karma — both good and bad — it cannot realise its true nature.” That’s why we must first purify ourselves through disciplined practices (as explained in the paragraphs below). These practices were taught by saints who walked the path of spirituality and attained liberation, as well as by Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita. They help spiritual seekers gradually dissolve the illusion created by Maya.

The Upanishads also describe Maya as Anirvachaniya (indescribable, beyond logic) and Anant (endless, infinite). When a seeker tries to rise above Maya, it often pulls them back by offering what they truly desire. Therefore, saints and scriptures caution that a Sadhak (one on the spiritual path) must remain extremely careful. Not all Maya is harmful. The Maya of Avidya (ignorance) entangles beings in external attachments such as kaam (lust), krodh (anger), lobh (greed), moh (attachment), mad (pride), and matsar (jealousy). On the other hand, Vidya Maya—which includes gyan (right knowledge), vivek buddhi (discernment), vairagya (dispassion/detachment), and bhakti(devotion)—helps dissolve these bonds and supports progress toward liberation.

The illusion of Maya can be dissolved, but first, a seeker must decide with firm determination to attain liberation (moksha). Nothing truly worthwhile in this world can be achieved without such determination. Once the goal is clear, a path can be chosen according to one’s nature—such as self-study (swadhyay), devotion and prayer, meditation, performing karmas without attachment to results, spiritual practices (sadhana or tapasya), and, most accessible of all, the grace of a Guru. This grace can be received through Guru-bhakti, Guru-seva, or surrendering mind and body to the Guru.

I used to simply remember and recite the stotrams instead of understanding its meaning, but after meeting my Guru, I understood the meaning and importance of the Guru Paduka Stotram written by Adi Shankaracharya.

• अनन्तसंसार समुद्रतार नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् ।
  वैराग्यसाम्राज्यदपूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्

  I bow to the feet/scandals of my Guru, which is like a boat that helps me cross the endless ocean of life. He filled my heart with devotion and, through his worship, I gain the strength to give up worldly attachments.

• कामादिसर्प व्रजगारुडाभ्यां विवेकवैराग्य निधिप्रदाभ्याम् ।
  बोधप्रदाभ्यां दृतमोक्षदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्

  I bow to the feet/sandals of my Guru, which is like Garud, driving away the serpent of desire. He gave me the precious gifts of wisdom and detachment, blessed me with true understanding, and helped me quickly reach liberation.