The Concept Of Maya (Prakruti-Purusha) in Hindu Philosophy

Maya is one of the most fundamental concepts in many religions, having diverse elucidations and words to denote it. Maya is the word used in Hindu philosophy for this concept. The direct translation of the word Maya is illusion. It refers to everything in the universe which traps most men and leads many of them to sufferings.

The term relates to our main identity being divine. Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy, stresses that the original identity of humans is divine and pure. Both Hinduism and Buddhism have elaborated on the nature of human beings and their inability to understand the true potential that which lies within.

Massive Changes And Increased; Sufferings Society has undergone a massive transition from what it was; belief systems have changed and the construal of religion has seen significant change as well. Evil has become rampant and humans have become increasingly vulnerable to changing circumstances. Suffering has never been higher than it is in the present age.

No More Introspection As humans, because of the way societies have evolved, we have almost completely lost the ability to look within and discover our own selves. Maya refers to nothing but this; it refers to the inability of humans to realize the magnificent potential we are all given. The term basically relates to humankind living in a false world, trying to seek answers and explanations from the outside without realizing the power that is inherent inside.

Desires Are Illusions This very inability to know the real power of the mind, the body and spirit has given rise to the term Maya which actually describes a state of living - that we as humans are living in a state of illusion and embrace irrational beliefs about the mind and body. It Focuses On The External Happiness Thus, Maya can be said to exist in order to lead humans along the path of absolute happiness by tapping the power inherent in every human life.

Human body and mind are such that they adapt to anything and everything over a certain period of time. However, desires being regulated by the wordly pleasures which act as a bait for the man, we focus only on the achievement of external desires and believe they are the need of the body and the mind. Wealth, Bodily Desires And Attachment While living in the society we grow up in environments which induce us towards Maya.

Such as being jealous of others' success, competing with friends and neighbours in terms of wealth and looks, just so that we attain happiness. Buying certain kind of dress or wanting to accumulate wealth are desires, the attainment of which makes us happy. But all these desires keep growing and such achievements have a tendency to perish over time. Such happiness is nothing more than illusion.

Man develops attachment with the accumulated wealth and it brings hurt to him when he fails in his goals or when that wealth leaves him. Thus, the illusory happiness is what we call Maya.

Shakti stands for the concept of Mother Goddess in Hinduism. The sound ‘sa’ stands for prosperity and ‘kti’ stands for prowess. So the word ‘Shakti’ in Hindu religion stands for the Goddess who is the embodiment of prosperity and prowess.

Goddess Shakti is the power incarnate. Shakti stands for the concept of Mother Goddess in Hindu Religion. Shakti is categorized term for all Mother Goddesses, as the sole, active, compassionate deity.

Shakti is also called Bhagavati, the one who combines in herself knowledge, affluence, power etc. Shakti is the female energy (consort) of Shiva. She has two characters, one benign like mother and the other all consuming fierce form.

The Shakti sect is based upon Samkhya philosophy, according to which purusha (Shiva) is inactive and prakrti (Shakti) is productive and the universal material cause. The Rig Vedic Goddess Vak who was addressed as Chinta Devi, became Kalaimagal (Goddess of learning) later. Durga was considered as the primordial Shakti and Lakshmi and Saraswati as her aspects.

Upanishads speak of maya as an inseparable power of Brahman. The theistic Vedanta identifies maya with prakriti (Devi) and mayin as Maheshwara. In Lalita Sahasranama, parashakti is life giving inspiration. The trimurtis (Brahma Vishnu Maheshwar) function on account of Shakti (Ananda Lahari). She can be worshipped by the methods of Saguna, upasana.

Saundarya Lahari of Adi Shankara opens with these words when Shiva becomes united with Shakti, he is able to exercise his lordly powers; if it be not thus, the God does not, indeed, have the skill even to move. Shiva and Shakti are related as Prakasha and Vimarsha (the power latent in absolute).

The basic texts for the Shakti school are the Shakta Agamas or the tantras. They are famous for their reverence for women, who are regarded as forms of the Divine Mother. Saiva Siddhanta (southern Shaivism) considers Shakti as pure intelligence. She is Para Shakti or Adi Shakti. For her emanates desire, knowledge and action.

Shiva and Shakti are formless. Shiva is the first cause of the universe and Shakti, his conscious energy) is instrumental cause.

Shakti is also maya or prakriti and is the material cause. The relation between Shiva and Shakti is that of identity (tadatmya). Shakti is the conscious, unchanging, eternal energy called Swarupa Shakti. Shakti and Shiva is considered not as two separate realities, but only as an aspect of the same reality in Kashmir Shaivism.

Shakti is described as the heart and essence of Shiva (Isvara Pratyabhijna – 1.5.14) describes five modes of Shakti; Chit, Ananda, Iccha, Jnana and Kriya. Chit Shakti entails ananda, etc., on the part of Shiva and this gives rise to iccha to create. Creation cannot take place without jnana and, when it is there, real creations start. It is Kriya Shakti (Tantra Sara P 6). Thus, Shiva and Shakti are both immanent and transcendent in the universe, and both are the material and instrumental cause of the Universe.

Ardhanarishvara; The entire concept of Prakriti and Purusha in Hindu philosophy came into existence during the time of Kapila Muni, who created the Sankhya Sutras, which later became part of his Shad-darshanas or six branches of philosophy. This Sankhya philosophy discusses the concept of Prakriti-Purusha in great detail.

The word "Sankhya" literally means "number". This vast system expounds the twenty-five principles based on which the Universe maintains itself. The very anchor of the Sankhya philosophy is the aspect of dualism in this Universe. Neither is it the Dvaita philosophy in Hinduism, where God and the devotee are perceived as two different individuals, separate from each other.

The Sankhya philosophy talks about the clear distinction between the Prakriti and the Purusha, the two aspects that cause the universe to behave in a certain way. According to this school of thought, the Prakriti is the material cause of this universe, whereas, the Purusha is the efficient cause of the universe.

Both Prakriti and Purusha are Sat (good and real) and both are Anadi (without a beginning) and Ananta (without an end - that is, infinite). The Purusha is detached from the material world, hence is Asanga. Prakriti, as the name implies, is the creator, the doer. Hence, the core implication of the Sankhya philosophy is that this universe does not need any intelligent Creator to run it efficiently.

The term "Prakriti" means the "one that is primary". Prakriti comes before everything else. This word is a combination of the words "Pra", which means before and "Krit", which implies, to make. The Prakriti is the One pradhana - the main root, which anchors the entire universe. It is the root of all that is ever created or ever occurs in the universe. Prakriti never emerged from a cause, but it is the cause of all events taking place in this universe.

Hence, while Prakriti is itself detached from and independent of everything, all is dependent on it for support. Prakriti does not apply its creative forces for itself. All that is creates are for the joy of the soul or spirit. Furthermore, Prakriti cannot create anything by itself. Its true power can only be activated in union with Purusha.

Unlike Prakriti, the Purusha is only a Drashta or Sakshi (witness) of events in this universe. It merely plays the role of a spectator and does not create anything. This aspect could be compared to a prism, which emits myriad colors only when light is passed through it. Again, unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not material in nature. It does not depend on anything, nor does anything depend on it. Purusha, hence, is far beyond Prakriti and is totally separate from it.

The Purusha is shashvat (ever present, undying) and nirguna or without qualities. It is omnipresent and goes beyond the boundaries of maya (illusion), buddhi (intellect) and the indriyas (senses). It is far beyond time and space and is permanent and immutable.

This aspect is also unaffected by the effects of the three Gunas or attributes, namely, Sat (good, pure), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (inactivity, darkeness). The Purusha remains unaffected by any and all situations presented by the universe and hence is the Chidrupa or Pure Consciousness.

Purusha is sentient but inactive, while Prakriti is non-sentient but active. Purusha is the alert, conscious mind, but is Akarta (does not do anything). Prakriti, on the other hand is the Karta (the doer), but at the same time, does not work at the level of consciousness.

The three Gunas affect Prakriti, but they do not sway Purusha. Purusha is always unchanging in nature and hence, it is Achala or static. Prakriti, on the contrary, constantly creates changes in this universe, hence is the dynamic one. Though so diametrically opposite to each other, neither can function efficiently without the other. Prakriti and Purusha have to go hand in hand for the smooth functioning of this world. Prakriti and Purusha as the female and male embodiments of the universe. While Prakriti gives shape to things, Purusha helps manifest them as part of the universal consciousness.

Prakriti works through two levels of being, one higher and the other, lower. The lower level includes the five elements of air, water, fire, earth and ether; mind; reasoning and alter ego. This 'feminine' energy's higher power is the life force, which puts into action the above-mentioned elements. This is the Adibhuta, the one, which exists permanently in this world.

At the end of an epoch cycle, all the levels of this energy dissolve into the Universal Prakriti and at the beginning of yet another cycle, it is created yet again. This process goes on and on endlessly. The Purusha silently works to create and maintain all events occurring within Prakriti.

According to the Sankhya theory, there is no 'real' and absolute 'destruction'-taking place. There is only evolution and the changes occurring as a consequence of that evolution. What actually happens is that the process of creation, dissolution and quiescence takes place in a constant cycle. During dissolution, the three gunas are in perfect equilibrium. But the very moment the aspect of Purusha comes into contact with Prakriti, this balance is disturbed and there emerges a state called Vikriti.

From Prakriti arises Buddhi or Mahat or intellect, which gives rise to Ahamkara or ego. Ahamkara creates the mind, the Pancha Indriyas (five senses) and the five organs, namely, feet, hands, mouth, genitals and anus. The internal senses such as the Mind and the Ahamkara work in tandem with the five external senses.

Apart from these, there are the Tanmatras which give rise to the five gross elements of earth, fire, water, air and ether. Including these and others, there is a total of twenty-five principles in the Sankhya philosophy.

Prakriti, which is material in nature, comes into contact with the self or the soul - the Purusha - and begins its cycle of evolution thus. The self, entrapped in this material world, can liberate itself only by understanding how different it truly is from the nature of Prakriti. After showing the latter all the joys in this universe, Prakriti also aims to free Purusha, liberating it entirely of worldly matters.

The Purusha is liberated the minute it learns to observe all events, without getting caught up in the entire experience, which likens Prakriti to the mind and the physical body with all its different parts and organs. The Purusha, on the other hand, is the pure, ego-free, divine Self, residing inside the body. This is a mere observer of the events occurring in the person's life and does not react to any incident whatsoever. It is the indwelling Soul, the Omnipotent,

The Purusha is also of two types, destructible and indestructible. The former is the Prakriti, while the latter is the higher Self. The Supreme Purusha, however, transcends both these types of Purusha. He is the Supreme Truth, the Supreme Knowledge and the Supreme Light. He is far beyond the Purusha and hence is called the Purushottama.

The concept of Ardhanarishvara best explains the aspects of Prakriti and Purusha. Ardhanarishvara, the Androgynous One, is an aspect of Lord Shiva, whose form is half man and half woman. Both the Shaktas (devotees of Shakti) and the Shaivas (devotees of Shiva) of the Tantra school of thought believe in the Divine Unity of Shakti with Shiva as the Ultimate Truth.

The hermaphrodite form of the Ardhanarishvara, above all else, represents this concept of Oneness or wholeness, which goes far beyond all perceptions of duality and from whose womb all existence emerged. Life is created from Him and death is considered as a return back to His Kingdom, only to emerge yet again clothed in another body. Hence, there is no perishing of any creature - it is all only a part of a much larger process of the cycle of life itself.

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