Most people consider Maya as money only, their understanding is limited to interpreting Maya as money only but there is a deep divine meaning behind this word (“Shabad”) Maya and needs to be understood its real meaning and how it operates.
Let us look at what Maya really means.
The Omni Present, Infinite Part of the Only Creator and the Only Doer, Great ,great ,dear ,love, always full of love, Supreme Transcendental Lord of all ,who is beyond limits, unlimited , Timeless Lord (“ Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmesar”) is His attribute less formless form ,divine Supreme light, Complete divine Light (“Nirgun Saroop, Param Jyot, Puran Parkash”), which is beyond the boundaries of time and space, which has no shape size or color, which is self created and self supported, which never dies and is never born, was always present and will always be present everywhere, which cannot be seen with the normal human eye, which can only be seen with the Divine Eye, which can only be experienced and felt with in inside, which can only be felt and experienced in deep meditation ( “Smadhee”) and selfless deep meditation (“Sun Smadhee”), which can only be realized with full commitment and belief, which can only be met with complete surrender to Him and the Guru, which can’t be seen with the five human senses, which can only be achieved through Guru’s Gift of graceful grace (“Gur Parsaadee Gur Kirpa”) – Eternal Blessings and Guru’s divinely gifted Lord’s eternal name (“Gur Parsaadee Naam”) – One God Named Truth (“Ik Oankaar Satnaam”), which can be easily realized in the Guru’s blessed, blessed congregation (“ Gur Sangat”) of a Complete Saint Truth Guru (“Puran Sant Satguru”), a Complete Knower of Universal wisdom (“ Puran Braham Gyani”),Giver of ambrosial nectar (“ Amrit Ka Data”), Supreme complete being creator of all’s destiny (“Puran Purakh Vidhata”); such an unlimited Eternal Power – Great ,great ,dear ,love, always full of love, Supreme Transcendental Lord of all ,who is beyond limits, unlimited , Timeless Lord (“Dhan Dhan Shree Paar Braham”) is beyond the three qualities of Maya – shape, size and color.
Everything else is Maya, anything that is visible with the human eye due to its size, shape and color is nothing but Maya. A deep understanding of this divine wisdom is absolutely necessary and mandatory for a merger in to the Universal Divine Light, great, great, dear, always dear, love, God named Truth “Satnaam”, beyond boundries, unlimited Supreme in all, Transcendental Lord of all, Timeless Lord (“Braham Parkash Dhan Dhan Shree Satnaam Paar Braham Parmesar”). The winning over Maya is mandatory divine law to become one with Almighty, to obtain the Supreme State (“Param Padvi”).
To become a Complete Saint Truth Guru (“Puran Sant Satguru”), a Complete knower of universal wisdom (“Puran Braham Gyani”), a Pure Being (“Khalsa”). The salvation while living in this world is the salvation from Maya –Freedom (“Mukti”) from Maya, winning over Maya, and having a control over Maya.
The biggest enemy of the Saints (“Sants”) and True Devotees (“Bhagats”) has been defined as Maya in Guru’s word wisdom (“Gurbani”):
Enemy of saints, beloved of three worlds
(“Santan Ki Beran Teen Lok Ki Pyari”)
Maya is the biggest roadblock in the way of spirituality. Maya is the biggest and most serious hurdle between our soul and the Almighty. Maya will try to distract us from moving on this path to realm of Truth (“Sach Khand”) at every moment. Everything that is visible with the naked eye is defined as Maya. Be it a material object, or our own human body, our family members, for that matter anything that has shape, size and color is the Maya. Let us try to understand what is the mode of operation of Maya, how it works, and how exactly it hinders our soul from moving on the path to Realm of Truth (“Sach Khand”).
There are three properties of Maya that needs to be understood for developing a complete understanding of the mode of operation of Maya, and how it affects and acts as a major roadblock in between the Almighty and us. These three qualities of Maya were also produced by Great, great, dear, love filled, Supreme Timeless Lord of all. (“Akal Purakh”). Basically Maya is the creation of Great,great,dear,Love filled,Supreme,always giving ,always prevailing ,Omnipresent, Lord of all Lords ,Timeless Lord (“Dhan Dhan Akal Purakh Jee”), which runs the normal person’s life, only the Complete Saints (“Puran Sants”) are not under Maya, they always remain one with Timeless Lord (“Akal Purakh”), and Maya serves them instead of directing them, Maya remains under the feet of such Complete Saints (“Puran Sants”), Complete Knower of Universal Wisdom (“Puran Braham Gyanis”). There are three distinct properties (“Gun”) of Maya: “Tamo” Properties (“Guns”) are: Five Theives (“Panj Doots”) – (“Kaam”) – lust; (“Krodh”) – anger; (“Lobh”) – greed; (“Moh”) – family attachments and (“Ahankaar”) – ego; Duality, Hatred, (“Raj”) – worldly positions; (“Joban”) – attractions due to bodily beauty; (“Dhan”) – money; (“Maal”) – material things; (“Roop”) – beauty; (“Rus”) – taste of tongue; (“Gandh”) – smell; (“Spursh”) – feel of touching something exciting: “Rajo” Properties (“ Gun”) are: (“Asa”) – desire; (“Trishna”) – a deeper desire; thirst for worldly things; desperation to own something, (“Mansha”) – desire; “Sato” Properties (“Gun”) are:
(”Daeyaa”) – kindness, (“Santokh”) – contentment, (“Dharam”) – religion, (“Jat”) – control over lust, Sat – the truth. Most masses consider Maya only as money, which is untrue, everything is Maya as explained above, so please remove this illusion from your mind that money is only Maya and whatever is visible is Maya and operates as explained above. The soul which concentrates and operates under the “Sato” Properties (“Guns”) of the Maya, eventually is eternally blessed and gets involved in the Guru’s Divinly Blessed (“Gur Parsaadee”) Game, then does Complete Devotion (“Puran Bhagtee”), and breaks all barriers of Maya, wins over Maya and goes back to the Infinite Part of the Universe (“Braham”), becomes one with Universe (“ Braham”). There is no price for Infinity, nobody can buy it with whatever, except pure, pious and unconditional love, sacrifice and service to Him, and only such a soul understands His Complete divine blessed, blessed command (“Puran Hukam”) and speak the complete truth, see the truth, hear the truth and serve the truth.
Let us look at some of the divine wordings (“Shaloks”) from Great, great ,dear ,beloved, lover of all Guru Granth (“Dhan Dhan Shree Guru Granth Sahib Jee”) that tell us the story of Maya’s three qualities as described above;
The three qualities hold the body in bondage; whoever comes into the world is subject to their play.
(“TARIHU GUN BANDHEE DAYHUREE JO AA-I-AA JAG SO KHAYL”) (SGGS 21)
All the deeds of a normal person are bonded with in the three qualities of Maya, all the actions and reactions, daily routine and daily life of a person operates under these three qualities of the Maya; (“Tamo Gun, Rajo Gun and Sato Gun”), and this is how every one is engaged in the play of Maya, and this is how the entire world is playing in the hands of Maya.
In the three qualities, intuitive balance is not obtained; the three qualities lead to delusion and doubt.
(“TARIHU GUNAA VICH SAHJ NA PAA-EE-AI TARAI GUN BHARAM BHULAA-AY.”)
(SGGS 68)
We can never obtained a balance of mind as long as we are being played at the hands of Maya, means our mind control is not possible as long as we are operating under these three qualities of Maya; all our illusions, delusions and doubts are due to the influence of these three qualities of Maya.
He has no form, no shape, no color; God is beyond the three qualities.
(“ROOP NA RAYKH NA RANG KICHH TARIHU GUN TAY PARABH BHINN”). (SGGS 283)
Almighty is beyond these three qualities of Maya, there is no shape, size or color of Great, great, dear, Love filled,Supreme, always giving ,always prevailing ,Omnipresent, Lord of all Lords, Timeless Lord (“Shree Paar Braham Parmesar”). His Attribute less ,formless form (“Nirgun Saroop”), which is the infinite part of God (“Braham”), is just a Unique Divine Light; (“Param Jyot”); Supreme Brightness (“ Puran Parkash”), Light Form (“Jyot Saroop”), which can’t be seen with a normal human eye, but can only be seen with a Divine Eye (“Div Drishtee”). Anything that has a shape, size or color and is visible runs under the control of Maya, and it’s mode of operation falls under the three qualities of Maya “Tamo” Property (“Gun”), “Rajo” Property (“Gun”) and “Sato” Property (“Gun”).
Hope and desire have both been dispelled; I have renounced my longing for the three qualities.
(“AASAA MANSAA DO-OO BINAASAT TARIHU GUN AAS NIRAAS BHA-EE”).
(SGGS 356)
All the desires, desperation to own worldly comforts can only be dispelled from our inside, if we understand how Mayacontrols all our deeds, how Maya is controlling our daily life, and by denouncing these three qualities of Maya. Breaking our bondage with Maya is mandatory to win over the Maya.
The world is under the influence of the three qualities.
(“TARIHU GUN MEH VARTAI SANSAARAA”). (SGGS 389)
The entire world is being run by these three properties of Maya, everything that is visible is operating at all the times under the influence of Maya.
Trapped by the three qualities, people come and go, far from the Lord.
(“TARIHU GUN UPJAI BINSAI DOORAY”). (SGGS 832)
Our departure and distance from the Almighty is due to our soul being trapped in the web of Maya, this is the reason for our continuation in the cycle of life and death, means as long as we are under the control of Maya, we will continue to remain in the cycle of life and death and will not be able to achieve salvation.
In the three qualities, they are destroyed; they cannot cross over to the other side.
(“TARIHU GUN ANTAR KHAPEH KHAPAAVEH NAAHEE PAAR UTAARAA HAY”) (SGGS 1029)
As long as we are trapped in this loop of (“Maya”0, we will never be achieve the salvation, we will never be able to meet the Almighty, means we will have to break the barriers of Maya to merge in the Infinite Part of the One God (“Braham”), which is the attribute less Formless Form (“Nirgun Saroop”).
All the diseases of the three gunas – the three qualities – are cured, and tasks of the Lord’s slaves are perfectly accomplished.
(“SAGAL BI-AADH MITEE TARIHU GUN KEE DAAS KAY HO-AY POORAN KAAM”).
(PAGE SGGS)
When we break the barriers of Maya, and all our mental sickness are cured then only we can meet the Almighty. When we win over Maya, then only we will be able to achieve salvation.
In the end we will make a humble request to all the readers and listeners, all the Guru’s divine congregation (“Gursangat”), to kindly spend some time in self evaluation of our deeds in light of above divine wisdom and find out where do we stand now and where do we have to go, with this analysis and affair self assessment, we will definitely be able to find a way out of this loop of Maya, we will be able to break these barriers of Maya and be able to unite with the Supreme ,Divine, Light of Lights, Lord of Lords, Formless, Attributeless, Undefinable, Unlimited, Untouchable, Unimaginable, Undying, UnFathmable, always Truth, Transcendental, Omnipresent, Timeless Lord. (“Param Jyot Nirgun Saroop Akal Purakh”).
The solution to this problem of cycling inside the Loop of Maya, means the cycle of life and death, remaining under the control of Maya for ever, is the Guru’s eternal, divine, blessed, blessed, always blessed, forever blessed, gift (“Gur Parsaad”) and (“Gur Parsaadi”) which has been described in the True Universal wisdom (“ Braham Gyan”) of Great, great, dear, love filled , true, Guru “Granth” King of kings (“Dhan Dhan Shree Guru Granth Sahib Jee”) in hundreds of Divine stanzas (“Shaloks”).
But every one can’t be blessed eternally right away, because it is all pre destined depending upon our deeds in the previous lives, if our good deeds – (“Punn Karams”), from previous lives and also in this life have accumulated to that level when the Supreme Guru Timeless Lord (“ Gur – Akal Purakh”) is pleased and He recognizes them and this is the point when our Guru’s divine gifted (“Gurparsaadi”) Game begins, at this point Timeless lord (“Akal Purakh”) blesses us eternally by Himself, which is done to a very rare soul like great,great,dear,love filled ,always blessing, forever lord ,Guru “Nanak Dev” King of kings (“Guru Nanak Patshah Ji”), or with the Guru’s divine Gift (“Gur Parsaadi”) Guru’s dear congregation (“ Gur Sangat”) of a Complete Saint (“Puran Sant”), a Complete Knower of Universal Wisdom (“ Puran Braham Gyani”), like dear dear,great, “Bhai Lehna Ji” was blessed with the Divine congregation (“Gursangat”) of dear,great,great,love filled Guru “Nanak Dev” –King of kings (“ Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Patshah Ji”), and so He became great,great,dear,love Guru “Angad Dev Ji” with the Guru’s divine gift ,Guru’s eternal blessing ( “Gur Parsaadee Gur Kirpa”) of Great, great, dear, beloved Guru “Nanak “ –king of kings (“Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Patshah Ji”). Only such a Complete Saint Truth Guru (“Puran Sant Satguru”) can give us Guru’s Divine blessed gift name of Lord (“Gur Parsaadi Naam”) – One God Named Truth (“Ik Oankaar Satnaam”), and can eternally bless us, can open our Closed divine doors (“Bajjar Kapaats”), and enlighten us with the Guru’s divine gifted God’s Light (“Gur Parsaadi Prabh Jyot”), can make us Bride (“ Suhagan”) and Forever Bride (“Sada Suhagan”), by helping us complete our Devotion (“ Bhagtee”), and bless us with (“Braham Gyan”) by opening of the tenth divine gate (“Dassam Duaar”), and help us achieve the salvation, win over five thieves (“ Panj Doots”) and eventually win over Maya completely, and obtain the Supreme state (“Param Padvi”), thus break the Loop of Maya and go back in to the Infinite part of the Infinity – (“Braham”). Since this is a Guru’s divine blessed gift (“Gur Parsaadee”) Game and every body’s deeds are different and so is their fate and soul, so in order to be a part of the Guru’s divine blessed gift (“Gur Parsaadee”) Game, we should all pray to the Almighty to eternally bless us with His Guru’s divine gifted (“Gur Parsaadi”) guru’s divine graceful grace (“ Gur Kirpa”), and keep on doing the repetition of Name (“Naam Simran”), listening Guru’s word wisdom (“Gurbani”) and understanding Guru’s word wisdom (“Gurbani”), practicing Guru’s wisdom (“Gurbani”) in our daily life, earning humbleness, and follow all the mandatory divine laws, such as complete surrender to the Guru, and we will definitely be one day blessed with the Guru’s blessed ,blessed divine gifted (“Gur Parsaadi “)Game and so with Guru’s divine gifted truth congregation (“Gur Parsaadi Gur Sangat”) and Guru’s divine blessed ,blessed gifted God’s name (“Gur Parsaadi Naam”) – One God Named Truth (“Ik Oankaar Satnaam”).