Yugavani

Vidya Maya - Avidya Maya

This universe is created by the Mahamaya of God. Mahamaya contains both vidyamaya, the illusion of knowledge, and avidyamaya, the illusion of ignorance. Through the help of vidyamaya one cultivates such virtues as the taste for holy company, knowledge, devotion, love, and renunciation. Avidyamaya consists of the five elements and the objects of the five senses—form, flavour, smell, touch, and sound. These make one forget God.

A man will cherish the illusion that he is the doer as long as he has not seen God, …. So long will he know the distinction between his good and bad actions. This awareness of distinction is due to God’s maya; and it is necessary for the purpose of running His illusory world. But a man can realize God if he takes shelter under His vidyamaya and follows the path of righteousness.

A jnani sees everything at once—God, maya, the universe, and living beings. He sees that vidyamaya, avidyamaya, the universe, and all living beings exist and at the same time do not exist. As long as he is conscious of ‘I’, he is conscious of ‘others’ too. Nothing whatsoever exists after he cuts through the whole thing with the sword of jnana. Then even his ‘I’ becomes as unreal as the magic of the magician.

The bhakta takes shelter under vidyamaya. He seeks holy company, goes on pilgrimage, and practises discrimination, devotion, and renunciation. He says that, since a man cannot easily get rid of his ego, he should let the rascal remain as the servant of God, the devotee of God. (If the power of avidya is the cause of ignorance, then why has God created it?)

That is His play. The glory of light cannot be appreciated without darkness. Happiness cannot be understood without misery. Knowledge of good is possible because of knowledge of evil. —Sri Ramakrishna