Tattva-viveka
maya as mercy
Hari Bhakti - October 25, 2004 2:57 am
In Guru Maharaja's commentary on Bhagavad Gita 4.6 the last line reads "Another meaning of the word maya is mercy.". I am wondering if anyone can provide some insight on this or some scriptural reference to this definition?
Swami - October 25, 2004 4:04 pm
This is a good question, especially for preaching in circles where others are familiar with the Gita, but not the Vaisnava conception. As I recall this is your situation, Hari-bhakti devi, with regard to your yoga teacher's training course, which includes a weekly discussion of the Gita.
Srila Prabhupada repeatedly makes this point (maya also means mercy) without documenting it. The Goswamis also make the point, and I believe that Sri Jiva Goswami documents it with a particular Sanskrit dictionary definition. I seem to remember referencing that somewhere in one of my books—somewhere. However, in my Monier Williams dictionary, ma = to measure, apportion, grant, to help anyone to anything, or of course negation as in "not that." MW also defines maya as art, wisdom, supernatural power, etc. So we need Sri Jiva's explanation.
Brghu are you there? Babhru? Anyone have the Amara Kosa or any other Sanskrit dictionary?
Otherwise, in Vaisnava theologywe have the dual conception of yogamaya and mahamaya. While mahamaya usually deontes a negative illusion tanamount to ignorance, yogamaya denotes an illusion that facilitates the higest knowledge. The highest knowledge is love. Raja vidya (the king of knowledge) of the 9th chapter of the Gita is pure bhakti, the art of love. So yogamaya is associated with knowledge and mahamaya is associated with ignorance. Thus it is clear that maya means both wisdom and illusion. We need to go another step to come to mercy, although even mahamaya is associated with compassion, a kind of tough love if you will.
Swami - October 25, 2004 4:17 pm
Here is something from Srila Prabhupada commenting on Bg 4.6:
The word mäyä, or ätma-mäyä, refers to the Lord’s causeless mercy, according to the Visva-kosa dictionary.” Thus Krsna appears by His mercy to fulfill His own desire and to uplift others."
I think it is safe to say that when Srila Prabhupda says that Visva-kosa defines maya or atma- maya as causless mercy he is saying that this particular dictionary defines the word maya as mercy. But if it defines only atma-maya as mercy, no harm. That is how I have written about it. Needelss to say, I do not have the Visva-kosa.
Babhru Das - October 25, 2004 4:23 pm
Brghu are you there? Babhru? Anyone have the Amara Kosa or any other Sanskrit dictionary?
I only have Monier-Williams. I'm waiting to see if Bhrigu has anything.
Hari Bhakti - October 26, 2004 5:40 am
Thank you both for taking the time to respond to my question! If any additional info is un-earthed please keep me posted.
SashidharaDasa - October 28, 2004 6:44 am
Harekrishna,
There is CD titled Yogmaya from our beloved Maharaj ji.
I have really enjoyed listening to it and had listened to it quite a few times. Its worth listening to it to understand about Yogamaya and Mahamaya.
ys
-Sashidhar
Ramakesava - October 28, 2004 12:57 pm
Brghu are you there? Babhru? Anyone have the Amara Kosa or any other Sanskrit dictionary?I only have Monier-Williams. I'm waiting to see if Bhrigu has anything.
I have the Vaman Shivram Apte Student's dictionary, and after ten minutes of trying to find the Sankrit entry 
, I get:
maya:
1. Deceit, fraud, trick, trickery: a device, an artifice;
2. Jugglery, witchcraft, enchantment, an illusion of magic;
3. (Hence) An unreal or illusory image, a phantom, illusion, unreal apparition;
4. A political trick or artifice, diplomatic feat;
5. (In Vedanta phil.) Unreality, the illusion by virtue of which on considers the unreal universe as really existent and as distinct from the Supreme Spriti;
6. (In Sanskrit phil.) The Pradhana or Prakrti;
7. Wickedness;
8. Pity, compassion;
9. N. of the mother of Buddha.
Entry 8 looks a lot like mercy, but looking up atmamaya was too hard; I simply can't find it.
Babhru Das - October 28, 2004 4:33 pm
Good one! The "grown-up" Apte is much better. I'd prefer to have both Apte and MW. Someone gave me one years ago, but it seems to have disappeared in one of my moves.
Ramakesava - October 28, 2004 4:53 pm
Good one! The "grown-up" Apte is much better. I'd prefer to have both Apte and MW. Someone gave me one years ago, but it seems to have disappeared in one of my moves.
You can have my student's one if you want, though. I use it seldomly--maybe twice a year.
Babhru Das - October 28, 2004 6:42 pm
Somehow my student's edition (red cover, right?) lasted longer than the other. The fuill edition was printed in Japan, as I remember, and was a medium-format book with Bible paper, wo it was less cumbersome than MW. I think I still have the student's edition somewhere, unless I gave it away when I moved back to Hawaii. Thanks for the offer.
NrsinghaDas - October 29, 2004 3:07 pm
There is a section of Harinam Cintamini at the end of the chapter about offenses to teachings of the Vedas,called (at least in the transelation I have) "The mercy of Maya is necessary"
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that we must ultimatley be favored by Maya devi to come to the platform of pure devotion.He describes that she is an unalloyed servent of Krsna whos service is to rectify the rebelious jivas. That in it self is a form of mercy, but he also describe two divisions of her mercy one is niskapata kripa meaning direct or non-duplicitious and the other sakapata meaning that is deceptive.Niskapata kripa reveals the path of devotional service to the sincere soul but covored by some material conceptions.The sakapata kripa is money, fame etc. and will generally weaken ones desire for Krsna consciousness.If we are sincere then Maya devi being a servent of Krsna will function as an agent of our diliverence.
(please excuse any spelling mistakes)
Zvonimir Tosic - February 26, 2008 12:32 am
Joining this discussion after 4 years .. 
In some languages, maya is an affectionate expression for mother. A very humble and affectionate name we utter to call our mum to bestow her mercy, her compassion, to give us something not readily available or accessible.