# The Material Energy (Māyā) *On illusion, how māyā works, and the covering of the soul* --- ### Accepting Distress as Happiness > Actually, in this material world there is no happiness; everything is distress. But on account of our ignorance we accept distress as happiness. That is called *māyā. Māyā, mā-ya,* "that is not." We are accepting something... The same example. Just like a hog is feeling happiness by eating stool. But it is not happiness actually. One who is not in *māyā,* one is not in the hog's body, he says, "Oh, what nasty food he's taking." — [[spoken/1976/760619sb.tor|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.3, Toronto, 1976]] --- ### Sleeping on the Lap of Māyā > Although we are sleeping on the lap of *māyā, kota nidrā yao māyā piśācīra kole,* so we can be awakened by simply this chanting process, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. — [[spoken/1976/760609sb.la|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.43, Los Angeles, 1976]] --- ### Swept by Māyā's Waves > Just like a river, in the river there are waves and current. If you are thrown in that current sometimes you will drown in the water and sometimes you will float in the waves. It is very troublesome. Therefore so long we will remain under the control of *māyā* we will have to be carried away by the waves of *māyā. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.* Sometimes you receive a human body, sometimes you get a tree body, sometimes you get a demigod body, sometimes you get a Governor's body, sometimes you get a dog's body, this is not in your hands. — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Material Vision > To think "This is material, this is mine, I will use this for my sense gratification," is material vision. Material means where there is no connection and remembrance of God. Absence of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Actually there is nothing as material, because, *īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam, janmādy asya yato,* everything has emanated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Covered by Eight Elements > By the covering of māyā, this material coverings, earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego, the spirit soul has been covered. He is covered by the gross and subtle bodies, that is called *bhava-roga* or material disease. We should get out of that. — [[spoken/1976/761015bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 7.1, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### The Illusion of Mine and Yours > This is called illusion. *Ahaṁ mameti,* "It is mine, it is yours." *Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti.* Why they should think like that? We have seen practically in India. During the partition days, when the Britishers left India, there was fighting between the Hindus and Muslims. The fighting was between Hindu and Muslim, but when they died, the dead body is piled up. The land remained there, and these people fighting between themselves, that "This is mine, this is mine," they finished their life. The land remained where it was there. — [[spoken/1976/760630sb.nv|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.16, New Vṛndāvana, 1976]] --- ### Disease of Material Life > The real aim of life is how to get out of the clutches of *māyā* which is forcing me to accept the cycle of birth and death. That is my disease. Therefore *tapasya. Tapasyā* means restricted life, not unrestricted life. So if we do not follow the restricted life, that means I shall continue my disease or increase my disease. — [[spoken/1976/761227r1.bom|Room Conversation, Bombay, 1976]] --- ### Māyā Is Very Powerful > The *māyā* is so powerful. *Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā.* Until you surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead you will be tortured in every way. Know this for sure. *Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.* Until you take shelter of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet you will have to go on suffering. — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Knowledge Taken Away > What is the value of university degrees? His actual knowledge has been snatched away by *māyā. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.* This knowledge will not help you. Therefore *śāstra* says, *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet.* For real knowledge you approach a bona fide guru. — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Working Without Understanding > The modern civilization, we are teaching how to enjoy this material world to the fullest extent, *bhogaiśvarya,* sense gratification, and for sense gratification, material opulence. But he does not know that he is killing himself. He is aggravating the disease. He has to accept another body. But that he does not know, that he'll have to take birth and die, again the same business. — [[spoken/1976/761227r1.bom|Room Conversation, Bombay, 1976]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the material energy (māyā)* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]