MAYA:
As it is
creation of Supreme Lord, Parmeshwara. Maya is the most distinctive power of
the Universal self in its creative aspect. It is beyond the comprehension of
our senses. As on aspect of universal self, it is eternal.
The one entity with dual aspects is the sole Reality which represents
itself to view as the infinitely varied picture of the universe. The two are
inseparably combined in every atom which, itself and its forces possess the
elements not only of vitality but of further development in all degrees of consciousness
and will. The ultimate substance is Shakti, which is of dual aspect as Cit Shakti
which represents the material aspect. These are not separable. In the universe
the former is the sprit-matter and the latter Matter spirit. Manifested Shakti
or Maya is the universe. Un manifest Shakti is feeling consciousness Maya Shakti
appears as subtle mind and as gross matter and as the life-force and is in Herself
consciousness
The universe arises through a negation of veiling of true consciousness. As
the Spandakerika says “By veiling the own true form its Shakti ever arises”.
(Suarupavarane casya saklayah satalotthitah). In Shakta Advaita vada it is consciousness
which without creasing to be such yet veils it self.
Maya Shakti is gunamayi (Her substance) despite being Cinmayi (consciousness).
As there is no second principle, these gunas are Cit Shakti. “In the words of
Yogini hridaya Tantra the Devi is Prakashavimarsha samarasyarupiri. There is
thus truly no unconscious Maya and no Cidabhasa. All which exists is consciousness
as Shakti.
Shakta doctrine says consciousness appears to be unconsciousness or more
truly to have an element of unconsciousness in it (for nothing even empirically
is absolutely unconscious) owing to the veiling play of consciousness itself is
Maya Shakti.
According to Shakta philosophy, Maya Shakti is only Shiva in the aspect,
which He assumes as the material cause (upadanakarana) of the universe.
Tantrashastra, being a practical philosophy views the matter from the Jiva standpoint.
According to Tantrashastra universe and our selves are real and Ishvara the Creator,
also is real. Therefore, there is a Creation and Shiva as Shakti creates by
evolving into the universe and then appearing as all Jivas. According to the
Shakta doctrine, Maya Shakti is an evolute of Cit Shakti and Cit Shakti is involved
into Cit or Brahma.[1]
Jivas are many and eternal. But it is by way of sport that the Supreme
Shiva or mahalinga assumes upadhis or malas and reassumes Siva-hood by washing off
malas. A jiva with malas washed off becomes automatically Shiva. By the
knowledge of Shiva, there is liberation from the bonds of Maya consisting of
three malas. By realization one attains the supreme Shiva tattva.
Siva and Jivatman are of the same status, though the original powers of
Jiva are closely circumscribed or limited by malas or pashas as so much so that
from the point of powers jiva is like an atom as compared with Shiva. The term
anu for Jiva is not used in a spatial sense. When the Malas are completely washed
off or the bonds are cut asunder, the Jivatman attains his original Shiva-hood consciousness
is the common factor between Jiva and Shiva.
All sects of Shaivism explain that though Jiva and Shiva are of equal status
and possess the same powers originally the powers of the Jiva are restricted
due to the limiting factor called pasha, mala, ajana, pashitva, tamas or avidya
– all synonymous for ignorance.
There are, however, some slight differences in the implications of each,
but they are grouped together as each of these is, as per usage of different Shaiva
writers a limiting factor.
But by ‘Ignorance’ Shivas do not mean ‘total absence of knowledge or
total ignorance but only a partial one. They say that the concept of total
ignorance will reduce the individual soul whose special characteristic sin-qua-non
is chaitanya, to the category of a stone or a clod of earth. The problem
however is that if Jiva and Shiva are equal in status, how is it that the
jivatman got ‘soiled’ with mala (dirt) or got enchained in para at all. Shaivas
attribute it to the will power of Parana Shiva which drastically restricted the
powers of the Jiva and made him an atom This consciousness of imperfection creates
an innate limitation in that anu (Jiva) and is hence called anava mala. This
mala is beginning-less but it ends in the moksa stage.
This anavamala makes the Jiva believe in the identity of the body and the
soul. It is only in the moksa stage that this mala is washed off completely.[2]
In consequence of its limitation of Shakti reality which is all consciousness
becomes the mala covered samasarin.
Karma mala is objectless, limited will power of the Soul and its
existence depends on the innate ignorance called anava mala. In the beginning
of the universe, this will power is objectless. It is due to the will of the Lord
that the desire to enjoy objects is generated. This results in an unending series
of births and deaths. This is regarded as Shiva’s play fullness. As
Abhinavagupta says that God of devas creates the bondage and it is that God Himself
who releases him from the bond. It is not destroyed even in pralaya when the
whole universe is annihilated. It sticks to Jiva immediately after the
recreation of the new universe, this pasha drags the Jiva from one birth to
another.
Maya is a very complex term in Indian philosophy great controversies both
oral and written have been recorded in many books in India
The bondage caused by Maya is mayiya mala. By the term Maya the Trika Shaivas
mean the misconception of the Jiva born that his physical body is the real self
or soul and that it is distinct and different from other objects. The fact of
the matter is that there is no difference or distinction between I (aham) and
the world outside this misconception causes pleasure pain and rebirth.
The normal individual is known as sakala. He has all the three malas – karma,
mayiya and anava. After many rebirths during which he is the play-thing of
Nature both physical and psychic he is seized with psychic fever and tries to
know the whence and wither of this life. This is the first expression of the anugrata
of Shiva.
If he is not very cautions and indulges in lower kinds of yoga, he may
become a pralayala. He is free from karma mala
and has only mayiya and anava mala, but he has neither Jnana nor kriya.
This is not a desireable state. At the time of pralaya or withdrawal of the
universe every sakala becomes a pralayakala.
Vijnanakala is an experient of a higher stage. He has risen above maya but
is still below Suddha Vidya. He is free from the Karma and Mayiya malas but has
still anava mala. He has Jnana and Iccha, but no kriya.
Above the Vijnanakala are the experients in successive ascent known as
Mantra, Mantreshvara, Mantra, Mahesvara and Shiva-pramata. These are free from
all the three malas but they have varying experience of unity of consciousness-Involution
starts from the pure I consciousness of Shiva. Evolution gets back to the same
pure consciousness but the pilgrim goes back to his horne enriched with the
experience of the splendour of Shiva he has had on the way. Veil after veil
lifts and he is now poised in the heart of Reality.
According to the dualistic Followers of the Trantras neither knowledge
nor Karmasamya can be regarded as the cause of Shaktipata. They hold mala paripaka
the maturation of impurities, to be the real cause of Shaktipata. There can be
no Shaktipata when two opposite karmas e.g. religious and irreligious
intermingle. The facts is that when mala becomes mature for destruction, grace
descends and Self is revealed in its true nature. The Lord sends the Jivas into
the world for the sake of mala paripaka. The differences in the nature of Shaktipata
are dependent mainly upon the differences in the degree to which the mala
becomes ripe.
Ignorance is of two kinds. Loss of freedom in consciousness and loss of consciousness
in freedom. In the Tantric tradition, they are known as paurusa ajnana and
bodha ajnana. Ajnana is nothing but imperfect knowledge and is a manifestation
of divine freedom. While intellectual ignorance is an affection of the self
caused by internal or external stimulus spiritual ignorance is purely the consciousness
of limitation and is present in the transcendental state of the limited self.
It continues to exist throughout the four states at mala, before reaching the
state of final annihilation. It is beyond internal and external sensation.
Somananda does not completely agree with the principles of the Vedantic
monism, because according to Vedanta, the Godhead of the Lord and the manifestation
of the phenomenon are new appearances based on the effect of Avidya. Where from
did Avidya originally emerge, asks Somananda. The principles of beginning-less-ness
and inexplicability of avidya does not appeal him. To him it is a sort of escapism.
He lays stress on the principle of the absolutely independent will of the Lord and
says that this will knows no restrictions or obstructions. He appears as He
wills and doing so becomes as it were all the elements of which the phenomenon
consists. So, on the one hand, He is the absolute reality consisted of only an
unlimited all containing, self-radiant and absolutely pure consciousness and on
the other hand whatever appears in the universe is He and He alone. Even an
inanimate object is, in reality, as much God as God is His transcendental
aspect.[3]
A deluded individual, who overcome by ignorance and its consequent non
apprehension, apprehends mis-apprehension and sees plurality in this world. He
recognizes the plurality because of maya. Man is confused or cheated by this
infinite power called Maya. Maya is itself the ignorance and ignorance is
caused by vasanas. Maya is the total ignorance and avidya is individual
ignorance. Because of avidya there is
the non-apprehension of Reality. Non-apprehension of Reality is there because if
vasanas and vasanas give rise to the causal body and these vasanas project a
multiple world of plurality the avidya or causal body projects a mind and
intellect and the mind projects the multiple world Pushed by our own vasana’s we
see a multiple world.
Cosmologists now believe that while the actual parts of spiral galaxies
consist largely of ordinary stars, their outskirts are dominated by dark matter
that see cannot we directly. But one of the fundamental problems is to discover
the nature of the dominant form of dark mater in these outer regions of
galaxies. Before the 1980s it was usually assumed that this dark matter was
ordinary matter comprised of protons, neutrons and electrons in some not
readily detectable form perhaps gas clouds or MACHOs “massive compact halo
objects” like white dwarfs neutrons stars or even black holes.
However, recent study of the formation of galaxies has led cosmologists
to believe that a significant fraction of the dark matter must be in a
different form from ordinary matter. Perhaps it arises from the masses of very
light elementary particles such as axions or neutrinos. It may even consist of
more exotic species of particles, such as WIMPs “weakly interacting massive
particles” -that are predicted by modern theories of elementary particles but
have not yet been detected experimentally.
Various cosmological observations strongly suggest that there should be
much more matter in our galaxy and other galaxies than we see. The most
convincing of these observations is that stars on the outskirts of spiral
galaxies like our own milky way orbit far too fast to be held in their orbits
only by the gravitational attraction of all the stars that we observe.
Scientists have known since the 1970 it that there is a discrepancy
between the observed rotational velocities of stars in the outer regions of
spiral galaxies and the orbit velocities that one would expect according to
Newton’s laws from the distribution of the visible stars in the galaxy. This
discrepancy indicates that these should be much more matter in the outer parts
of the spiral galaxy.
Scientists equipped with state-of-the-art detectors deep underground in
Northern England have begun a search for one of the most tantalizing secrets of
the universe i.e. dark matter. Scientists around the world are racing to be the
first to discover the truth about dark matter, which cannot be seen because it
does not emit light. They believe it makes up most of the matter in the
universe. Scientists say stars account for less than 1 percent of the universes
mass / energy content with gas clouds and other objects accounting for close to
another percent. Based on an analysis of how gravity works theorists believe
roughly 30 percent of the universe consists of dark matter, with the other as
percent traced to a property of the universe that is just as puzzling called
dark energy.
No one is quite sure what makes up dark matter. In a bid to identify the
prime suspect known as weakly interacting massive particles or WIMPs British
Scientists have installed detector 3,000 fact down a salt mine at Boulby on the
North Yorkshire moors.
They are buried deep under ground in an area of low natural
radioactivity, where intervening rock should shield them from interference and
filter out cosmic bombardment. This is an outstanding research facility
equipped with some of the world’s most sensitive dark matter detectors.
It is a crucial addition to the U.K’s
resources in a research field where physicists around the globe are out
to discover these exotic, as yet undetected dark matter particles. “The theory
is that although billions of subatomic particles called WIMPs are passing
through the atmosphere and earth every second, they only rarely encounter the
nucleus of an atom. The detectors are designed to be able to detect these tiny
collisions – interactions so rare that scientists say less than one WIMP a day
will strike the nucleus of an atom in a 1 kg block of material and make it
more.[4]
This theory of dark matter is similar to the concept of Maya in Tantra to
whatever we call saptalokas that is Bhuh, Bhuwah, Swah, Nahah, Janah, Tapah and
Satya. These are mainly divided in three parts as lower loka, upper loka and
middle loka. This very middle loka is earth. This is in the centre of world.
Lower loka is patal. Generally it is said that there are seven patalas but in
fact they are innumerable. Patal Tola, Vital Rasatal etc. are different parts
of it. In the lower part of patal there is hell. This hell has three parts.
These three parts are divided into thirty two parts. These are divided into
innumerable parts. Below this hell in the climax of hell. That is totally dark.
Here not even a single ray of sunlight enters. That is why it is called avichi.
Vichi means ray or wave. There, where not even a single ray of light can be
found is avichi. Here we cannot find vibrations. That is why it is said. : asurya
nama the loka andhena tamasavrita. Below this whatever state is there, is
called kala. From which kala creation starts. It is that very kala whatever is
called kalagniruddha, this is that very place. After this there is no world. World
ends here.
This avichi is the very part about which scientists are trying to know. Maya
is said to be the material cause of the universe. This dark energy is also said
to be the material cause of the universe. Maya is darkness. This dark matter is
also darkness.
All things are known to be just as they present themselves. The concrete
actuality of being known (pramiti) irrespective of content, is itself the
vibrant (spanda) actuality of the absolute. Liberating knowledge is gained not
by going beyond appearances but by attending closely to them. The maheshvarananda
says ; is that Liberiation while alive (Jivamukti) is the profound
contemplation of Maya’s nature. No ontological distinction can be drawn between
the absolute and its manifestations because both are an appearing (abhasa) the
latter of diversity and the former of the true light of consciousness which is
beyond Maya and is the category of Siva.
Those who have attained the category of pure knowledge above Maya and
have thus gone beyond the category of Maya see, the entire universe as the
light of consciousness just as the markings (on a feather) are nothing apart
from the feather similarly when the light of consciousness is manifest the
whole group of phenomena is manifest as the light of consciousness itself.
Within the sphere of Maya every entity’s own nature corresponds to its
specific manifest form. Accordingly it is defined as that which distinguishes
it from all else and from which it never deviates. Above the sphere of Maya
that is above the level of objectivity is realized the domain of the subject. At
this level everything is realized to be part of the fullness of the experiences
and hence no longer bound by the conditions which impinge on the object. Here
the part is discovered to be the whole that is consciousness in toto. In this
sphere beyond relative conditions the Yogi realizes that (all) the categories
of existence are present in every single category. The Yogi experiences every
individual particular as the sum total of everything else. He recognizes that
all things have one nature and that every particular is all things. This is the
essence (sara) or co-extensive unity (samarasya) of all things.
When the power of awareness gives rise to a sense of separation between
subject and object with all the consequent limitations it imposes upon itself
it is called ‘Maya’. As Maya if veils consciousness and obscures the individual
subject’s awareness of its essential unity.
While the non dualist Vedanta maintains that Maya is an indefinable
principle that gives rise to the cosmic illusion of multiplicity falsely
superimposed on the undivided unity of the absolute according to Kashmir
Slavism, Maya is the power of the absolute to appear is diverse forms. The speration
between subject and object is the product creative will and not of an illusion.
The variety of objects and objects with their characteristic differences
is made manifest by the creative power of the Lord, who knows them.
The crative freedom (Svatantrya) of
the absolute and its deluding power of Maya are identical. When the power of consciousness
is recognized to be the spontaneous expression of the absolute made manifest in
the variety of forms it assumes without compromising its essential unity, it is
experienced as the pure vibration (Spanda) of its freedom. It, however, the
cosmic out pouring (visvollasa) of consciousness is felt to consist of diverse
and conflicting elements, the same power is called Maya. The field of operation
of the freedom of the absolute is the kingdom of universal consciousness while
that of its power of Maya is the world of transmigratory existence. The
difference between them is based on the degree of insight we have into the
nature of reality. Due to this power the object appears to be projected outside
the subject even though it is always manifest with in it and is the inner
reality of the object. The creation of diversity is accordingly defined as “the
projection of (one’s) us own nature into the Self from the Self.
As the source of diversity Sakti is the absolute’s creative power of Maya.
Due to Maya Shakti an initial contrast emerges with in universal consciousness between
the conscious (cit subject) and the unconscious (acit-object). This split goes to
develop into the innumerable secondary distinctions which obtain between
specific particulars. The one power made manifest in this way appears to be
diverse due to the diverse forms of the object. There is no object or event
that does not disclose the presence of Shakti. “The universe” says the Siva Sutra
is the aggregate of (Siva’s) powers”.
Each power is a means channel or outlet (Mukha) through which Siva though
formless (anamsa) and uncreated becomes manifest in a particular form. The very
being (Satta) of on entity consists essentially of its capacity to function (arthkriya)
within the economy of consciousness. All things are endowed with Shakti in the
form of their causal or pragmatic efficacy (Karmasamarthya) it is on the basis
of an entity’s causal efficacy that we lay that it is what it is and not
anything else. Thus there are innumerable powers in every object. Although
these power cannot be known directly they are inferred from their effects.
Change is the coming to prominence of one power at the expense of
another. When a jar for example, comes into being, the pragmatic efficacy of
the clay ball is superseded by that of the clay jar. In this way abiding
fullness (purata) of the one universal power in a sense alters as one aspect
expands and comes to the fore while another contracts or recedes into the
background. Shakti is this sense, in a state of perpetual pulsation (spanda)
expanding and assuming now this nor that form. Thus, this one power appears to
be many due to the diverse results of its activity. Although Reality is one, it
performs many functions. Various aspects of the one universal potency appear is
each individual entity as its specific functions so the ignorant wrongly assume
them to be divided from one another. The enlightened, however discover the
universe to be power and thus undivided and at one with Siva, their authentic nature
as the possessor of power the second impurity is called the Impurity of Maya (Mayiyamala).
This comes into operations when consciousness has been contracted by the
impurity of individuality. It living the power of knowledge operating in the
individual soul through the inner and outer organs of perception. Due to this
impurity he perceives diversity every where. Finally the third impurity that of
Karma come into play when the individual deprived of the freedom and knowledge
of unconditioned consciousness acts in his limited way prompted by desires and
fears for his personal gain.
In 1948, Herman Bond and Thomas Gold proposed the steady state model of
the universe. Fred Hoyled tried to substantiate this model by imagining c-
field (a reservoir of negative energy) and continuous creation of matter from
this C-field. Now it may be critically analyzed it the inverse can be accepted
as an eternally existing beginning-less and endless one. The big-bang and big
crunch conceived by the astrophysicist of the twentieth century provide
evidence for the birth and death of the universe.
Jnana, Kriya and the third Shakti Maya of the Lord (Shiva) appear as Sattva
Rajas and Tomas in the case of Pasu (the individual Jiva) in respect of the
objective realities which are like his (Lord’s) own limbs What is Jnana in the
case of Shiva appears as sattva in the case of ‘pasu’ or Jiva (the individual)
what is kriya in the case of Shiva (the universal Absolute consciousness) appears
as rajas in the individual, what is Maya in the case of Shiva appears as Tamas in
the individual. By this and other such statements (it is clear that) Citi
(universal consciousness) which is of the nature of absolute freedom and which
is of the nature of absolute freedom and which has the powers of Jnana kriya and
Maya appears owing to excess of limitation in the state of pasu (the individual
soul) as Citta (individual consciousness) which is of the nature of Sattva Rajas
and Tamas. This has been stated in the Ishvara Pratyabhijna of Utpala deva
I.4.3) Shiva which is pure being Shakti which is pure becoming and the world,
which is the offspring of the two are all eternal. Ultimately, they are not
different from each other. The world is the manifestation of Shiva. Unlike the
Vedantin the Shaivaite prefers the concept of Skakti or Svatantraya and regards
Maya as a lower manifestation of the divine Shakti according to him there are
higher levels of reality over and above the level of Maya. The Yoginis who have
transcended the state of Maya have declared that there are still higher levels
of truth. According to Shaivism Maya actually means the principle which
differentiates the universe into a complex of subject and object of thought. It
is styled as Goddess as belonging to the God and is unlike the Maya is the
Vedanta not something different from Him. It hides Shivas real nature when He,
of His own free will enters into the condition of finite individuality by
imposing thereupon the three defilements.
According to L.N. Sharma Shaiva” Absolutist holds that Maya is nothing
but an appearance of the divine Shakti. When it exists in identity with Shaiva,
prior to creation, it is, known as Shakti Maya, the divine freedom itself. It
is known as Tattva Maya, when is manifest as the world. Further, when it is
manifest into different parts, it is known as Granthi Maya.[5]
The result is in the end the same “All is consciousness” but the method
by which this conclusion is attained and the presentment of the matter is
reversed. This presentment again is in conformity with scientific research
which has shown that even so called “brute matter” exhibits the elements of that
sentiency which when evolved in man is the full self consciousness. Sentiency
is an integrant constituent of all existence, physical as well as metaphysical
and its manifestation can be traced throughout the mineral and chemical as well
as the vegetable and animal worlds.
Maya Shakti is the principle which is responsible for the appearance of
the not self to it, the true nature of the self is concealed. In itself it is
the negation of Bliss and is of the form f the power of action.
[1] Shakti and Shakta P. 146
[2] fpUgÙkPNfDrladkspkr~ eyko`r lalkjh AA9AA
Pratyabhijnahridayam
P. 71 Translated by Jaidev Singh, Verse - 9
[3] History of Kashmir Shaivism- B.N. Pandit Utpal Publications Matiyar
1990 – P. 33
[4] Times of India
[5] Kashmir
Shaivism L.N. Sharma
Bhartiya Vidya Prapashan Varanasi P. 292
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