[Advaita-l] What is the nature of maya and how does it impact Isvara and jiva?

[V Subrahmanian]

PROFOUND Q & A ON VEDANTA
BY SWAMI PARAMARTHANANDA

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Question No 98: What is the nature of maya and how does it impact Isvara
and jiva?
Answer: Maya is inexplicable. It does not have origination. It is
beginningless and is dependent upon Consciousness for its existence. It
could not have come from either Brahman or Isvara. Brahman and maya do not
have cause-effect relationship. It cannot also be said that maya is
superimposed in Brahman. If it were to be so, then the question will be
‘who superimposed it’.
Just as we cannot describe what is darkness, we cannot say what maya is.
Time and space are creations of maya.
Sastras say it is mithya, but vishistadvaitam says it is real. Maya is
anadi and cannot be eliminated, but ignorance can be eliminated. Maya is
experienced by all in all the three states – in waking state as ajnanam, in
dream, as a dream world with dream objects and in deep sleep as
moola-ajnanam or self-ignorance. It is the inert cause of the inert
universe. Maya is firmly under Isvara’s control. The avarana-shakti of maya
cannot affect Isvara, but it has its full impact on the jiva. Both the
powers of maya– avarana and vikshepa shaktis have their effect on jiva.
When we say maya comes to an end with jnanam, it means that the existence
of maya is a purely borrowed one. Both maya and its manifestation – the
world – will continue to appear, but with only seeming existence.
In advanced Vedanta, maya is referred to as ajnanam or avidya. Hence, maya
can be negated through jnanam. But, it cannot be eliminated and it can
never become asat or non-existent.