[Advaita-l] Define MAYA ?

[Mahadevan Iyer]

Pranams Atman,
I came across many definitions & descriptions of Maya.

1. As per Wikipedia (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(religion)#Advaita_Vedanta)

> *Māyā is the empirical reality that entangles consciousness.* *Māyā has
> the power to create a bondage to the empirical world, preventing the
> unveiling of the true, unitary Self—the Cosmic Spirit also known as
> Brahman.*


 2. *MAYA – The seed-state as POTENTIAL ENERGY. *

> Due to the connection between the PURE CONSCIOUSNESS (BRAHMAN) and MAYA,
> the phenomenon called ISHWARA as CREATOR naturally transpires.

( *Brahman with Maya = Ishwara* )



> Due to the connection between the PURE CONSCIOUSNESS (BRAHMAN) and AVIDYA
> (IGNORANCE), the phenomenon called the individual (JIVA) naturally
> transpires.

( *Brahman with Avidya = Jiva* )


3. MAYA - That which is *wielded by ( attribute of ) Ishwara to create Jiva
& Jagat*.
4. Maya is *Brahman with apparent Avidya*, which causes Ishwara.
6. Maya is the *Cosmic dream of Brahman.* ( but brahman is nirguna )
7. Maya is *Ignorance from Ishwara perspective* ( like avidya is ignorance
from Jeeva perspective )
8. *Maya is Anadi*, hence it has no inception. But *has an end through
Moksham*.

   - Is Maya a noun or a verb ?


   - Avidya is clearly understood as the ignorance of Jiva. The locus of
   avidya is in the jiva's mind. But what about Maya ? Could we say that the
   Maya is the ignorance of Ishwara ?


   - Kindly convey the best definition for MAYA ?

*Hari Om,*
Mahadevan Iyer