mAyA

[Hemant]

----- Original Message -----
From: "D.V.N.Sarma" <narayana at HD1.VSNL.NET.IN>
To: <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 7:16 AM
Subject: Re: mAyA


> On 6 Jan 2002, at 06:56, Jaldhar H. Vyas  wrote:
>
> > > Etymologically Maya is that which measures.
> >
> > That doesn't sound right to me though I'll have to find where I put my
> > Amarakosha to know for sure.
> >
> mAna = measure
> mAta = one who measures
> mEya = that which is measured
>
> regards,
>
> Sarma

That was the origanal sense of the word mAyA and there was no sense of any
illusoriness(bhrama) about it.
For example consider the following quotations from the Rg veda:
            By the name of the Lord and hers they shaped and measured the
force of the Mother of Light ; wearing might after might of that Force as a
robe the lords of Maya shaped out form in this Being.
            The Masters of Maya shaped all by his Maya ; the fathers who
have divine vision set Him within as a child  that is to be born.
References Rg Veda III. 38; IX. 83. 3.
Into later adwaita there crept this notion of bhrama or illusoriness (eg.
optical illusion = dRishti bhrama). One good example of this is in
manasollasa of sureSvara VII 27--30.
Regards,
        Hemant