Namasthe- Njanappaana 52

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Njanappaana 52 

Maaya kaattum vilaasangal kaanumbol

Jaaya kaattum vilaasangal goshtikal

When we observe the tricks played by Maya or Illusion, tricks played by a woman or wife are very silly.

Alternately, we can also say: if we fall for the insignificant moves of a fickle woman , how can we expect not to be a victim of Maya's tricks? Let us look into the power of Maya and then we will understand how silly are some of the daily scenes we see around us. Also it will help us to realize how hard it is for worldly people like us to go beyond the power of Maya.

Let us look at the word Maya. One meaning of " Ma " is " not there " and " Ya " means " that which is " . So Maya means " that which is not there " or not real or Mithya. Maya plays the trick first on ourselves. Maya makes us identify ourselves with the body and then beautifully builds attachment to everything that is " mine " . The feeling of " I " itself is an illusion and there Maya starts it's tricks. Once she puts that veil on us, we see everything through that veil. This veil changes color to represent lust, greed, pride, hatred, jealousy and egoism. When the color represents greed, for example, with a greedy mind, we see the world and proceed to fulfill greed. This colored veil prevents us from remembering our genuine nature of love, cooperation, humility, purity, kindness and truth. Also this veil decreases our power of discrimination or nithyanithyavivekam. That is why it is said that Bhagavaan gives long rope to us to develop these satwa gunaas hidden in us and known to our Jeevaathma.

Maya not only hides truth, but misrepresents truth. Maya's power is maximum in Kaliyuga because of our inadequacy of Aathma njaanam or knowledge of the self. We are connected to destiny through Maya because we take actions under the influence of Maya. There is a small story illustrating the effect of Maya. There lived two sisters called Sathyam or truth and Asathyam or Untruth. They were swimming and having a nice time in a lake. After bath, Truth came out of water first and by mistake wore the clothes of Untruth and walked away. Untruth came out and could not find her clothes. So she put on Truth's clothes and walked away. It is said that since then Truth is appearing as Untruth and Untruth as Truth to those who do not have the power of discrimination or those who only look at the appearance.

There is a story that says even self realized souls like sage Narada can come under Maya's influence for some time. Here is one version of the story. Once Narada and Lord Krishna were walking together in a hilly area. Narada told Bhagavaan that he did not know what Maya was because he never experienced it. Krishna did not say anything about it. Then he said: " Narada, I am so thirsty, can you get me some water " ? Narada was more than happy to serve Bhagavaan and immediately left in search of a home with a well or a river. Soon he spotted a house a little far from there. He walked in the burning sun and reached there and knocked at the door. A beautiful maiden opened the door and invited him inside and served him with cool and nourishing drinks and introduced her widowed mother also to him. Narada fell for this girl's hospitality and ravishing beauty. They talked for a while and became good friends and she requested him to stay back because she and her mother were alone there. Narada completely forgot why he came there and agreed to everything she said. After a few days, he married her and eventually they had two children and they lived happily.

One day a big storm came and they lost their house in the floods and they ran for their life. Then water level started rising and old mother was lost in the flood water. They were also fighting with the rising water and Narada had his two children holding his hand and the wife was flowing far away in the water. He was also drowning and gasping for breath and he lost the children also in a few moments. He was sad, stressed and cried for Bhagavaan and in one moment he was with Bhagavaan near the hills. Narada was still gasping for breath and Bhagavvan asked him what happened and where was the drinking water He was waiting for. Then Narada understood that Bhgavaan was showing him how powerful was Maya's power.

How can we break the veil of ignorance? Only by knowing the true nature of God. Naamasankeerthanam and remembrance of Bhgavaan will help us to tear off the veil of ignorance and then Ponnthaanam says, we will see the whole world and all that is happening here, including the silly acts (goshtikal) of Jaaya, as a sport or pastime or leela of Bhagavaan.

Let us chant Bhagavaan divine names along with Shri Poonthaanam and millions of other devotees around the world:

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!

Krishna! Govinda! naaraayana! Hare!

Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava!

Sachidaananda! Naaraayana! Hare!

Samasthaaparaadham kshamaswa

Sreekrishnaarpanamasthu

Regards and prayers

savitri