[Advaita-l] Māyā = Mithyā in the Prasthāna-traya

[V Subrahmanian]

namah śaṅkarāya

*Māyā = Mithyā in the Prasthāna-traya*

The *Prasthāna-traya* — the “threefold canon” — represents the three
authoritative sources for understanding *paratattva* (the Supreme Reality):

   1.

   *Upaniṣad-prasthāna*,
   2.

   *Bhagavadgītā-prasthāna*, and
   3.

   *Brahmasūtra-prasthāna.*

Of these, the first — the *Upaniṣads* — is the original and foundational
source for the other two. The *Upaniṣads* are *apauruṣeya* (not of human
origin), while the other two are universally accepted as authored by
*Vedavyāsa*.

In all these three *prasthānas*, the word *Māyā* occurs, and wherever it
occurs, either directly or indirectly, it conveys the meaning of *Mithyā* —
the unreal or dependent reality.
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Upaniṣad Prasthāna

*Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad:*

प्रपञ्चो यदि विद्येत निवर्तेत न संशयः ।
मायामात्रमिदं द्वैतमद्वैतं परमार्थतः ॥

“If the universe truly existed, it would cease through knowledge — no doubt
about it.
But in truth, this dvaita, duality is merely *Māyā*; the ultimate reality
is *Advaita* (non-dual).”
------------------------------

*Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (2.5.19):*

रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव तदस्य रूपं प्रतिचक्षणाय ।
इन्द्रो मायाभिः पुरुरूप ईयते युक्ता ह्यस्य हरयः शता दशेति ॥

Īśvara, desiring that the world may know Him, assumes innumerable forms by
His *Māyā*, appearing as the manifold universe.

Why must these forms be *Mithyā*? Because they are perceptible through the
senses — and the senses, along with the mind, are products of *Avidyā*.
The *Ātman* is truly not the body, yet through ignorance, one identifies
the body as oneself. Since the senses belong to the body, the objects
perceived by them are *Mithyā*.

This same truth is declared in the *Śrīmad Bhāgavatam*:

* (7.2.48)*

यथा मनोरथः स्वप्नः सर्वमैन्द्रियकं मृषा ॥

“Just as a *manoratha* (daydream or waking imagination) and a *svapna*
(dream) are unreal, so too all that is perceived through the senses — this
entire phenomenal world — is unreal.”
------------------------------
Bhagavadgītā Prasthāna

*Bhagavadgītā 7.14:*

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:
“This divine *Māyā* of Mine, constituted of the guṇas — *sattva, rajas,*
and *tamas* — is exceedingly difficult to transcend.
Yet those who take refuge in Me — in My *Ātma/Brahma-svarūpa* — they cross
over this *Māyā*.”

And again He declares:

*Bhagavadgītā 5.29:*

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥

“One who knows Me — the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the
great Lord of all worlds, the friend of all beings — attains *śānti*
(peace, i.e., *mokṣa*).”

Here, *peace is had through knowledge* implies that *bondage (saṁsāra)*
arises through *ignorance (ajñāna)*.
The cause of *saṁsāra* is *Māyā*, and *Māyā* is dispelled by *jñāna* —
hence it is *jñāna-nivartyam*.

That which is negated by knowledge is known as *Mithyā*.
For instance, when one mistakes a rope for a snake due to ignorance, the
snake appears real; but upon gaining knowledge of the rope, the snake
disappears along with the ignorance which caused it — proving that it was
*Mithyā*.

Similarly, *Māyā* too is *Mithyā*.
When there is no knowledge of the *Paramātman*, *Māyā* manifests as the
world.
With the dawn of *Brahma-jñāna*, it vanishes.

Thus, in the *Gītā-prasthāna* also, the *mithyātva* (illusory nature) of
*Māyā* is firmly established. The verses cited are but one example.
------------------------------
Sūtra Prasthāna

*Brahmasūtra (3.2.3):*

मायामात्रं तु कार्त्स्न्येनानभिव्यक्तस्वरूपत्वात् ॥

This *sūtra* occurs in the discussion on dreams (*svapna-vicāra*).
All dream experiences — events, objects, and persons — are *Māyāmātra*,
that is, *Mithyā*.

The *Śrīmad Bhāgavatam* cited earlier (under the Upaniṣad-prasthāna) also
declares the *mithyātva* of dreams.
------------------------------

Thus, in all three *prasthānas* — *Upaniṣad*, *Gītā*, and *Brahmasūtra* —
the word *Māyā* is consistently used in the sense of *Mithyā*.

This interpretation aligns perfectly with *Advaita Vedānta* alone; for
other schools, it proves highly inconvenient, which is why they are
compelled to impose forced and strained meanings upon the term.

*Om Tat Sat*