Vedic Glossary: Maya

Maya (માયા) is the divine, inanimate power made of the three gunas that causes the soul to forget its true self and become trapped in the cycle of birth and death. According to Akshar-Purushottam Vedanta and the teachings of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, maya is the cause of ego, attachment, and the illusion that we are the body or mind.

In this reflection, Anuj explains how maya causes the soul to pass through countless lifetimes and how only through the grace of the Satpurush can we transcend the misery of maya and become Akshar Mukta—free forever, equal in nature, chaitanya, and full of happiness and devotion for Parabrahman, Bhagwan Swaminarayan.