Five Names Of Maya In Vedanta Chintamani

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In Vedanta Chintamani, that Maya has been described in five ways.The five names of Maya are, Tamas,Maya, Moham, Avidya and Anitya. Tamas is that which hides the knowledge of life. Maya is that which is responsible for making one who is the form of the world appear different from it.Moha is that which makes a different one look real: sukti rajata bhranthi — creating an illusion that mother-of-pearl is made of silver. Avidya is that which spoils Vidya (learning). Anitya is transient, that which is different from what is permanent and real. 

On account of these five Mayas troubles appear in the Atma like the cinema pictures on the screen. Only to remove this Maya it is said that the whole world is mithya (unreal).Atman is like the screen. Just as you come to know that the pictures that are shown are dependent on the screen and do not exist otherwise, so also, until one is able to know by Selfenquiry that the world that is visible is not different from Atma, it has to be said that this is all mithya. 

But once the reality is known, the whole universe will appear as Atma only. Hencethe very people who said the world is unreal, have subsequently said that it is only Atma swarupa. After all, it is the outlook that is important. 

If the outlook changes, the troubles of the world will not worry us. Are the waves different from the ocean? Why do the waves occur at all? If asked, what reply can we give? The troubles in the world also are like that. Waves come and go. If it is found out that they are not different from Atma this worry will not exist.”

Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI

-- Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth JalasutramLove And Love Alone