God
PART TWO
We are covered by the veil of Maya, which
deludes us and diverts us from the real path of God, to the path of
“Loka-vaancha” [worldly desires]--“Those whose wisdom has been carried away by
Maya, and who have embraced the demoniac nature, such foolish and vile men of
evil deeds do not adore Me”. (Gita 7: 15). But at the same time scriptures
state that Maya was created by Lord Narayana.
Gita 7: 14 “For this most wonderful Maya
(veil) of Mine, consisting of the three Gunas (modes of Nature), is extremely
difficult to break through {Don’t worry the Lord Narayana has given solution
for this} ; those, however, who constantly adore Me alone are able to cross
it.”
BELIEVING A TEMPRARY REALITY
TO BE A PERMENANT REALITY IS
MAYA.
But I think most of you do not know the
meaning of Maya. Many Vedic scholars have given explanation for Maya in many of
their works. Our “LORD GOD LAHARI
KRISHNA” explains in a very simple way about Maya in the following parah—“Now
we’ve got five senses. These five senses cannot bless you. You ask any Hindu he
will know: These five senses is Maya. There is only one sense which is eternal;
that is Faith.” “The Hindu yogis, they don’t want to follow the five senses.
Because that is Maya. What you see is not eternal. But we think, this world is
very eternal. This is not eternal. Within hundred years, all of us will not be
here. We would have gone to Eternity. A new generation comes. But we live as if
we are going to live here permanently. If you know that revelation, you’ll
change your life immediately. We are like in a chatram [Inn]. We are just here
come in to stay - like an aerodrome. Nobody will put a garden in the aerodrome.
Nobody will try to sit there and keep on stitching. They will be thinking about
going. Any moment you can go.” “You know, when I was going to America this
time, they talked about Mayan culture. This Mayan means, it’s a Tamil word -
Maya! ‘Vanity, vanity, all is vanity’ - ‘Maya, maya, everything is maya’. So
this culture was called Mayan culture - Red Indian culture. How they called
them Red Indians? [because] They know they came from India”.
“All is vanity. Why do you fall into this
world? If you love this world and the things of this world, the love of the
Father [our Creator] is not in you! Don’t touch the things of this world. That
cannot save you! Look to God! God calls you! God calls you for Life!”
“So God said, “Vanity, vanity, all is
vanity.” Is it not we who go into vanity! At first what thought is there?
“Somehow I should get married.” Then a child is born. Then the love goes there,
saying, “O my eye, my gold; my eye, my gold.” Then we lift the child, and it
smiles, “kitchi-kitchi-kitchi”. Then we sing a lullaby. Then when we start for
the office, it will discharge faeces on the shirt. We will bear it however
nasty that stink may be, because that is child’s foul smell. Then we go on like
that. And when he grows big, he questions us: “Why did you beget me? Why did
you beget me?” - “Yes, that was wrong that I gave birth to you. Only because I
begat you, I am undergoing these difficulties. If I did not beget you, I would
have been somewhere else.” That is why Pattinathar said, “You will give birth
to children in large numbers; you neither know how to protect them nor do you
forsake them. Just like a monkey released the wedge keeping its tail
in-between, you will get caught in that and suffer.” So he tells the sufferings
which he had undergone.”
Given below are Slokas from BHAJA GOVINDAM
which deal with this topic-Maya. There is a story attached to the composition
of Bhaja govindam. It is said that Shankara was walking along a street in
Varanasi one day, accompanied by his disciples. He heard an old scholar
teaching his grammatical rules. Taking pity on him, he went up and advised him
not to waste his time on grammar at his age but to turn his mind to God in
worship and adoration. The Hymn to Govinda was composed on this occasion and
this was named as the song as it begins
with the words "Bhaja Govindam"
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BHAJAGOVINDAM
slokas which tell about MAYA. |
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Oh fool! Give up your thirst to amass
wealth, devote your mind to thoughts to the Real. Be content with what comes
through actions already performed in the past. 2 Do not get drowned in delusion by going
wild with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest. Bodies are
flesh, fat and blood. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your
mind. 3 Uncertain is the life of man as rain
drops on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease,
ego and grief. 4 So long as a man is fit and able to
support his family, see the affection all those around him show. But no one
at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to old
age. 5 When one is alive, his family members
enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body,
even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse. 6 Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost
by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many past
things. Alas! Hardly is there anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman. 7 Who is your wife? Who is your son?
Strange is this samsara. Of whom are you? Where have you come from? Brother,
ponder over these truths. 8 There are many who go with matted locks,
many who have clean shaven heads, many whose hairs have been plucked out;
some are clothed in saffron, yet others in various colors --- all just for a
livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones see it
not. 15 Strength has left the old man's body; his
head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then
the attachment is strong and he clings firmly to fruitless hope. 16 Behold there lies the man who sits
warming up his body with the fire in front and the sun at the back; at night
he curls up the body to keep out of the cold; he eats his beggar's food from
the bowl of his hand and sleeps beneath the tree. Still in his heart, he is a
wretched puppet at the hands of passions. 17 Who are you? Who am I? From where do I
come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as
essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream. 24 Do not waste your efforts to win the love
of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See yourself
in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely. 26 |
“For the creature was made subject to
vanity, not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not
only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the spirit, even
we ourselves groan within ourselves; waiting for the adoption, to wit the
redemption of our body.” ( Holy Bible. Rom. 8; 20-23).”
A man who is free from desires beholds the
majesty of the Self, through tranquility of the senses and the mind; becomes
free from grief [caused by Maya}. KATHOPANISHAD 2: 20
SO, beholding THE SUPREME SELF is the only
way to relive ourselves from the grief of Maya.
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