Introduction Of Maya Panchakam Session 1

Adi Shankaracharya begins the Maya Panchakam by presenting a striking paradox: How can the one, indivisible, eternal Consciousness appear as a world of multiplicity and division?

He declares the Self to be pure, partless, nondual awareness — beyond all distinctions and thought-constructs. Yet, in that very Self, there appears the illusion of separation between God (Ishvara), the world (Jagat), and the individual soul (Jiva).

This illusion is the work of Maya — the mysterious power that makes the impossible seem real. Though Brahman is undivided, Maya projects division, causing the One to appear as many, the infinite to seem finite.

This opening verse introduces the central theme of the text: the bewildering capacity of Maya to conceal the truth of nonduality and create the illusion of bondage in the ever-free Self.

Transcription

Gratitude to Srimad Jagatguru Adi Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya has composed many stotras. Till now we have practiced two stotras, Atma Shatakam and Atma Bodh. Today we will practice his third stotra, Maya Panchakam. These stotras are different, the purpose of practice is different. The new paths that will open up with practice are different, but where we have to reach, that destination, that is one and the same, that is Akhandananda. Shankaracharya has shown us the way to reach that Akhandananda through different paths, has shown us the path. Whatever people like, sometimes one thing, sometimes another clicks in our mind. So this is also a very wonderful stotra. All the stotras of Shankaracharya are wonderful and this one is also very wonderful.

The power of Maya and the story of the prison

Let me start today's stotra with Maya Panchakam. Before I tell you what is the power of Maya, what is the strength of Maya, I want to tell a small story. There was a jail in a village and all the prisoners of the village lived in the jail. Once the President of India visited that jail. He had come to the village and said, let's go to the jail to see it. The jailer told all the prisoners, today the President will come so everyone should talk respectfully. Then the President came and went to the first prisoner. He said, "Do you have any problem in this jail?" The prisoner said, "I am in trouble, look at my size, I get only two rotis here. I need four rotis, sometimes six rotis." The President told the jailer, "Give him more rotis." That was done. He went to the second prisoner, in the second room. He asked him, "Do you have any problem?" The prisoner said, "Yes, look at this room, it is so dirty, it is small, there is no light, there is no fan. Get it cleaned, install a light and a fan." The President ordered, "Do this." His work was done.

Appeal for pardon and release

The President went to the third prisoner. "Do you have any problem?" The prisoner held the President's feet. Tears came to his eyes. He said, "I know who you are, what is your power. I know what your strength, what your capability is. I have only one request. I made a mistake, I committed a crime, so today I am in jail. This is my only request to you, forgive my crime and release me." Because the President of India has such power, it is called mercy. The President, the President of India, any person in jail, any punishment, be it death penalty, life term, any crime, the President can pardon them. Even if the Supreme Court has given them punishment.

To know more about the wonderful stotras of Srimad Jagatguru Adi Shankaracharya and the power of his Maya, today's practice will provide a new direction and new guidance for us. With your blessings and love, we will move forward on this path and achieve Akhandananda.

President's power and right to pardon

The President has the power to pardon someone. If the President wishes, he can pardon. The President of India has this right due to the Constitution of India. So that man said, "I know what your power is. No one can pardon my crime, even the Supreme Court cannot pardon it. You can, you release me, set me free." The President set that prisoner free.

We are all in the prison of this world, sometimes happiness, sometimes sorrow, we are imprisoned in this body, in these relationships, in sorrow, in pain, in problems. We are locked in a prison of loneliness, fear, worry, nervousness. Sometimes we get happiness, sometimes we get sorrow. And if we are locked in this prison, what do we say to God? "Give us more food, give us a car, give us a bigger house." God has the infinite power, he has the power to liberate us. We can get eternal happiness. We will read and practice this stotra, its power is that we can get salvation, we can get eternal bliss.

The amazing power of Maya

If we ask God to give us two extra rotis, we are earning 25,000, we can earn 50,000, we can get one car, two cars, saying all this means not recognizing that power. Maya, which is our topic Maya Panchakam, is the amazing power of Maya. The power of Maya is many times greater than that of the President. Maya can give us salvation.

Maya is also a power of God, so we will salute Maya too, we will bow to her. Maya has bound us in Maya for a long time. Now we will understand Maya, accept her, understand her power, understand her power. We will ask her only this, "Let us go to eternal bliss." Sometimes happiness, sometimes sadness, this is the world of children's toys. The desire to get something more, we should become famous, we should be praised, people should listen to us, we have done all these things like children's toys. Now we have to rise above these and go to eternal bliss.

The path to liberation from Maya

In Maya Panchakam, we will recognize the power of Maya. Shankaracharya will make us recognize the power of Maya. We will recognize what amazing and impossible things Maya can do. The path to liberation from Maya will open automatically. Some things happen for liberation, then if you get the understanding, you get liberation. Have you ever gone to a new hotel, it got locked, there is a new bathroom, it got locked. If you understand how that lock got closed, then you can open it. Understanding will open it again.

The practice we are doing should help everyone find the path to eternal bliss. Today, there are only five shlokas in Maya Panchakam. Shankaracharya will make us recognize the different powers and strengths of Maya in five shlokas. We will recognize the power of Maya, recognize its power, recognize what amazing and impossible things it can do. The path to liberation from Maya will open automatically. Some things happen for liberation, then if you get the understanding, you get liberation. May we all find the path to eternal happiness, this is my prayer.

Need to understand the power of Maya

You keep banging your head, nothing will happen to it. Right now you are alone inside, no one can come from outside. Right now you will have to understand how the lock has closed, how you are trapped inside, and then you will open it. If you understand, then you can open it. Maya has power, we will understand its five directions. There are five shlokas, we will understand all five. Because Maya is a very big power, we will request God, that unique power, Maya, to give us the power to understand your power.

If we understand, then we can easily find a way out of Maya. What is outside Maya? There is unbroken bliss. If we are inside Maya, then sometimes there is happiness, sometimes sadness. Shankaracharya says, Maya is like magic. I will say, it is my practice, understand it like magic. When you go to see magic, the magician is standing on the stage, you know, he is doing magic. He shows in his hand, "Look, there is nothing in the hand," and then he takes out a pigeon from the hand.

Relation between magic and illusion

What happens in magic? What is not there, is visible. Sometimes magicians make a girl stand on the stage and cut her inside a box. When they cut the box, the girl appears to be cut into two pieces from both sides. What is not there, is visible to us. And what is there, is not visible. Magic means that what is not there, is visible and what is there, is not visible. I say it again, what is magic? It is not that the girl is cut into two pieces. It does not happen, but you see that a girl is cut into two pieces. What is not there, is impossible, is visible. And the girl who is there, is alive, but she is not visible. Magic means that what is not there, is visible and what is there, is not visible in reality. This is illusion. What happens in illusion? What is the power of illusion? That we all see what is not there in this world. And what is, is not visible in actual, it is not felt at all.

The path to liberation from Maya

That is why we live in so much sorrow, pain, sometimes happiness, sometimes sadness. We live in this world of illusion, because what is, is not visible. We are seeing what is not there. That is why I like a verse of Narasimha Mata very much. I always say, "Jaagi ne jo to jagat dise nahi, ungama atap khel bhase." It is in Gujarati, it means awkward, gadbad, gadbad dikhata. This world looks completely messed up, messed up. Everything looks messed up, so much sorrow, so much pain, so much worry, so much kalesh. According to Jagadguru Shankaracharya, when you are in Maya, it looks awkward. "Jaagi ne jo to jagat dise nahi, ungama atapta khel bhase." The mind is hanging in the form of Chaitanya Vilas Brahma. We are living in this wonderful magic of Brahma. First of all, you have understood that you are living in a world of magic. You do not need to go to Disneyland, you do not need to go to see magic.

You are living inside magic, you are on the stage of magic. Recognizing the power of Maya is the way to freedom from Maya. In this Maya Panchakam, Shankaracharya makes us recognize the amazing and impossible powers of Maya. When we gain this understanding, the way to come out of Maya opens up automatically. This Maya Panchakam gives us the power to understand that by coming out of the magic of Maya, eternal happiness can be achieved. This composition of Shankaracharya shows us the way to recognize the real power of Maya and get freedom from it.

The Amazing Magic of the World

Now magic is visible everywhere. There is no need to look for new magic, because the whole world is itself a magic. Why is there magic? Because what is visible does not exist and what exists does not appear. Today we will try to get such a divine vision through which we can see what exists. Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "Vimudhaanaam pashyanti jnana chakshushah". Which means that those whose eyes of knowledge have opened, they can see the truth. Our eyes have been closed by Maya. Now if we open them, we will see the truth.

Maya making the impossible possible

Shankaracharya says, "Tvaghatitaghatanaghatiyasi maya." This is the power of Maya, which makes the impossible possible. If we are complete bliss, unbroken bliss, Sachchidananda, then why is there so much suffering? It is Maya that makes the impossible possible. There will be many explanations of suffering in life. People will say that the cause of your suffering is your karma, your past mistakes, your family sins, God's wrath, or someone's curse. According to astrology, the position of the planets can also be the reason. All these explanations may be correct.

But Shankaracharya gives only one reason: "Tvaghatitaghatanaghatiyasi Maya." It is the power of Maya that makes the impossible possible. You, who are the eternal bliss, the form of Sachchidananda, are made to feel sad. The power of Maya is such that it makes the impossible possible. Shankaracharya says that it is Maya that makes you experience this sorrow and pain. It is the power of Maya that transforms the eternal bliss within you into sorrow. Therefore, we need to recognize and understand the amazing power of this Maya. For this, we need divine vision, so that we can see the truth and be free from the trap of Maya. The practice of Maya Panchakam will guide us in this direction and show us the path to attain eternal bliss.

Amazing effect of Maya

Many explanations will be found like God's anger, curse, bad wishes, and confusion of planets according to astrology. We are not rejecting these explanations, all explanations can be correct. But Shankaracharya gives only one explanation, tells only one reason: "Tva ghati ghati ghati yaasi maya". This is the strength of Maya, this is the power of Maya, which makes the impossible possible.

Converting Akhandananda into sorrow

Shankaracharya says that Maya makes the impossible possible. Akhandananda, the form of Sachchidananda, you are shown by making it sad. This is the power of Maya which makes bitter gourd sweet and health bitter. Making the impossible possible is the power of Maya.

Maya's creation of distinction

Maya creates two parts in your mind, creates distinction. Decreasing Jagdish Jeev Bhed - Maya creates distinction within you. What is this distinction? Maya shows you as separate, small and Jagdish (the one who makes the rules) as separate.

Integrity and effect of Maya

Your existence is whole, but Maya creates distinction within you, due to which you consider yourself as a separate, small person and you consider Jagdish, the one who makes the rules, as separate. This creation of distinction by Maya is the root cause of your suffering. The effect of Maya is so amazing that it makes the impossible possible. There is only one way to get out of this Maya, that is knowledge and divine vision. As long as the distinction of Maya remains, there can be no liberation from sorrow and pain. Therefore, we have to identify this Maya and understand it.

Shankaracharya's Maya Panchakam will guide us in this direction and show us the path to attain eternal bliss. To move towards Akhandananda and Sachchidananda, it is necessary to eliminate the distinction of Maya.

Slave of circumstances

I am trying to live my life and such a big world, so many people, such a big family, such a big company, such a big government, such a big existence, all of them control me. We feel that I am being controlled, I am a victim, I am a slave of circumstances, I am a victim of coincidence. The world has dominated me, nothing is in my hands. Maya creates a distinction within you, that I am a small powerless victim and the ones who make rules, those who run the rules, those who run the world, those who control me, are all different. Maya creates such a distinction.

Living in fear and uncertainty

Now you think, if such a distinction is created then how will you enjoy? You will walk in fear, you will always walk in fear. Anything can happen, what is in my hands? Sometimes something, sometimes something else. I can fall ill, I can die, people in my family can fall ill, they can die. My reputation, my respect, my honour, my love can be lost. My business can suffer losses, my career can end, my plans can fail. We live in this experience, we live in this fear because we forgot, Maya made the distinction.

The innocent joy of children

Now look, there are small children, each one and a half years old. I was in Mumbai recently, now I have returned to America. When I travel in a car in Mumbai, from home to office, sometimes I look at the road, there are slums, people live on the road. I look at small children. Just now I saw one child near the signal, each one must be a year old, his sister must be elder. That child was not wearing underwear, his mother had made him wear a t-shirt, he was not wearing underwear. He was running behind his sister, the children were happily playing something. They had something like a piece of cloth in their hands, torn. They were pulling each other, playing very happily. That child does not know that I am living on the road, I will get infected, I have not taken the vaccine, there is traffic, vehicles are moving, I do not know anything. He is playing with his sister, existence is immersed in supreme bliss. That small child does not know, but we. That one year old child, who is not wearing underwear, is playing happily, laughing. He is laughing, running after his sister. When I saw him near the signal, his picture got set in my mind that this boy…

Our worries and the innocent joy of children

We have cars in our lives, air-conditioned cars, music playing, yet we live in so much worry. We live with such a mountainous burden on our heads. How did this happen? We have facilities, knowledge, clothes, house, family. Because there is no distinction in the child's mind yet, the effect of Maya has not started. There is a distinction in our mind.

Effect of distinction and separation

What is the first distinction that has happened in our mind? What did Maya do? That we are separate. I am a separate person and the one who is running the world, who is making rules, is separate. When this distinction is made, you become alone. You are not connected to existence. When you are connected to the whole existence, this distinction is gone, then you and we are all connected. If you have felt this, I am with you, I am in America, you may be in India, but we are all connected.

Connection with existence

When you realized that you are connected with the whole existence, this whole existence is one, we are parts of the same body, of the same existence, of the same consciousness. The same consciousness is manifesting in all of us, speaking to each other separately, listening to you. We are all connected, we are a single entity. And in this existence, it is not like someone is making rules and disturbing you. There are rules of existence, there are rules, existence runs according to those rules. Existence runs on its own according to the rules. If you follow those rules, you will live in bliss, in ecstasy. When you are connected with existence, connected with nature, you realized that you are part of the whole, you are connected with everyone, everyone is yours, you belong to everyone.

Nobody is private. That is why see, all religions say that Aparigraha. Parigraha means accumulate everything. My money, my family, my wealth, separate me from everything. My time, my ego, this tendency of ours to be separate from everyone, this difference that we create, that I am separate, this difference is the reason of our suffering. What Shankaracharya says, "Ghatti Ghatti Jagdish Jeev Bhedam. This difference is the cause of Maya only."

If Maya creates the difference of difference and happiness, then a beggar's son is living on the road, he is happy. Why? The difference has not been created in his mind yet. But he is living in a bungalow, has property worth lakhs and crores, difference has been created in his mind. Maya has created the difference, so he became sad. You have recognized this. Now see, what is there in this, it is a matter of recognition, it is a matter of experience. Are you connected with everyone? You are connected with the whole existence. How are you connected?

The rules of existence and their observance

I will give you an example. I say, you say I am alone, I have nothing to do with existence, I have nothing to do with nature, I am different, I am separate from everyone, and then by doing this you say I have nothing to do with anyone, I don't care about anything. Think like this and then you jump from the first floor. Then why will your bones break? Because it is the rule of existence, if you fall from above, you will fall down. You have understood this rule. Come down carefully. You will not fall from the stairs, your bones will not break. So no existence is favouring you. That come on, do some favour to them, do something extra for them, it is not doing this. If you follow the rule, come down peacefully, then you will not have any problem. If you jump from above, your bones will break. The rule is not made by anyone else. No one else is implementing it on you. Rules are rules.

Rules of relationships and existence

When you get connected to existence, you will understand those rules. Insult someone, get angry at someone, criticize someone, do you like it? You don't like it if someone criticizes you or makes you angry. It hurts you. You break your relationship with them. If you do this, your relationship will break. This is the law of existence. If you respect people, you will get respect. If you appreciate people, you will also get appreciation. If you respect people, you will also get respect. If you love people, you will also get love. This is the law of existence. You should follow that rule; wherever you went, whoever you received, express love, respect, honour. Laugh in front of someone with love, connect with them. Wherever you went, if you could say something good, then say it. If you cannot say anything, then remain silent.

If you have experienced the real connection and difference, then remain silent. If you have created this ownership and connection with the entire existence and have felt that you are connected, with your family, with the work you do, with your business or profession, with your customers, with your neighbors, society, city, country, religion – you are connected with everyone. Your community has come out of this world of difference and has recognized itself as one and the same. Nirupam Nitya Niranjan Ke Khande, Ma Chiti Sarva Vikalpa Naad Shunya. Whatever happened in the past, in the past you have distanced yourself from everyone due to difference, you have made yourself separate from everyone. This happened in the past, forget it. What do we do with everyone?

Maya and the power of image

What is an illusion? You create an image in your mind for everyone. You have created some image or the other for everyone in the whole world. You have created an image in your mind for everyone. That image makes you think that this is the reality, this is the truth. When you recognize that if you remove that image, leave it, everyone in the whole world wants love, everyone wants love and wants to express love. Love connects you with the whole world.

That is why it is said in the Bible that love is God? Why? Because when you are in the experience of love, you are connected. And what does this Maya do? You say, no-no, you are separate, everyone is separate. Don't talk to anyone, don't meet anyone, don't evolve much with anyone, I am separate, he is separate, everyone is separate. My religion is different, his religion is different, his caste is different from mine, my language is different, his rules are different.

Distinction and the power of Maya

This web of discrimination is the first power of Maya. Whenever this discrimination comes in your mind, I am separate, my family is different, all these are different from others, then you are controlling this power of Maya. And when you felt a connection that I am connected to the whole world, I am connected to all the people, whatever I do, the whole world gets affected and whatever people do in the whole world, gets affected on me. These are the rules of the world, that is why our oldest Veda is called Rigveda. What does Rig mean? Rut. Rut means rules. In Buddhism also it is said Buddham Sharanam Gachhami, Dhammam Sharanam Gachhami, Sangham Sharanam Gachhami. Dhammam also means…

Rules of existence and unity

Rules—these rules are not made by Jagdish or anyone else. These are the rules of existence, simple rules: live with love, be consistent in your speech, conduct and behavior. Do what you say. This is the rule of existence. If you say something and do something else, break the rules, then you will be unhappy. So nobody is making you unhappy. If you say something and do something else, break integrity, break unity, tell a lie, tell a lie—if there is no one thread in your life, then you will be unhappy. Nobody is making you unhappy.

The difference of Maya and the rules of life

Ghat yati Jagdish jeeva bhedam. You will create the difference. See, right now I was made unhappy by this one, not by that one. You did not follow the rule. When you took the ownership that all the rules of this world are your rules—whatever rules there are in India, stop at the traffic, don't play—all this is for your convenience, for your happiness. There are rules of existence too – don’t eat too much processed food, eat raw food – eat as existence gives you. You have followed the rules of existence.

Power of Maya and attainment of bliss

When you have connected, you will be situated in bliss. In Maya Panchak, today we saw one power of Maya, that is to create differences. Today we are going to see total five powers. Next week we will see this – money. Next week, the second power of Maya is how we become like animals because of money. Shankaracharya uses this word – animal. So just as one difference is created, similarly another power of our Maya is that we acquire. The difference is created that I am alone, so I have to acquire, I have to bring money under my control. And no matter how much knowledge we have about our tendency to control money, we cannot be more than animals. So today we did the first practice of Maya Panchak that this distinction that we create in life, I am separate, existence is separate – this is the first power of Maya. And if you feel connected to the whole existence, right now in this moment you have felt that you are connected to the whole existence, everyone is yours, you belong to everyone, then right now you have come into bliss. No one is separate, no one is other. All the rules are also yours. You have not resisted any rule – when do we become unhappy? Whatever rules there are, we…

The rules of existence and the power of Maya

There is a rule in our society that when someone comes, he asks for a security card, sign it, write your name. One of our relatives always used to fight, "I will not write my name." Hey, rules have been made for convenience. All the rules have been accepted. All the rules of existence have been accepted. No distinction has been made, "I am different," or "the one who makes the rules is different."

The journey towards non-difference

So when you understand the rule, accept it, understand the power of Maya, accept it and create non-difference - you will not differentiate that all the rules are mine, everything is mine, the existence is mine, the world is mine, the people are mine, everything is mine, all religions are mine, all languages ​​are mine, all countries are mine. When you make yourself as vast as the entire existence, then you will become stable in Akhandananda.

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