MY JOURNAL-9: MY ENCOUNTER WITH MAYA

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MY JOURNAL-9: MY ENCOUNTER WITH MAYA

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Maya is an intriguing and fantastic thing in Hindu philosophy. Also much-talked about subject. Still it confounds many.

The Divine Mother has many names and forms. When she bestows wealth and grace on her devotees, She is Mahalakshmi; when she bestows knowledge and wisdom, She is Sarasvathy; when food, She is Annapoorneswari; when she takes a fierce form, She is Kali or Durga. 

But the Supreme Mother is always Mahashakthi, repository of Energy and Power. Consort of Shiva. 

When she came to Earth as Dhakshayini, She annoyed Shiva, who asked her to getaway from Him. She begs for mercy, cringes and cries, but Shiva doesn't relent. Then She shows Him that She is Mahamaya and what She could do; also that He cannot not function without Her. Realizing the truth, Shiva makes up with her (as husbands do on earth) and apportions a part of his body to Her and becomes Lord Arthanareeswara or Madhorubagan. Then hey appear before the devotees as SHIVASAKTHI.

Maya is none other than the All-Powerful Shakthi. Even gods, avatars and great souls however great they may be, cannot escape her realm and survive without her grace.

Probably disgruntled and dissatisfied with my dull and drab official and personal life and impelled by some mysterious inner urge, I started testing myself with public life. Probably something wanted some distraction from my mundane life or expansion from my stifling contracted life. 

Whatever it is, at the beginning it felt good, doing something new and creative;  initially in our Recreation Club and after that in the Departmental Canteen. Something worthwhile could be achieved in both the places. My encounter with Maya commenced soon.  Was jolted and thrown out from both and felt very much hurt and disheartened by the unappreciation of my tireless and selfless efforts.

In public life,  any overenthusiastic and arduous efforts are looked at with suspicion of vested interests. Nobody likes it.

Then I tried public activities outside my official domain. Homeopathy! It was fascinating and very absorbing. Plunged into it wholeheartedly. A lot of happiness and satisfaction ensued. This time the jolt was severe and painful.

Resolved that I would not to be tempted by any public activity in future. However, after some years, was drawn into *FASOHD*, a forum with a lot scope for my talents and interests. I had a freehand and could do many creative and wonderful things promoting the real aim and objectives of the forum.

But a small set of people hogging the limelight and smirking in stolen glory made my life miserable, because of jealousy or some such thing.

It was disturbing to see people who didn't contribute much or anything taking all the credit for work done by others shamelessly and enjoying the encomiums. 

It is then I started taking a searching look at Maya.  It has been defined in so many ways and so much has been talked about it.

For me, who is a little spiritually by association with good friends, I found a definition in some book (which I don't remember now) looked perfect.

MAYA IS NOTHING BUT NAME AND FORM.

Without a name, everybody and everything, loses identity. If not name, at the least you need some form, some shape, sith which to identify. When you forget the name of somebody, you try to visualize and present Him to others by his forms: say, something like lean, tall, fair, bald and things like that. 

If there is no name and no form, you are completely lost, as you are left with nothing. The world becomes completely dark and foreboding.

I interpreted this very simply to apply to public. If and when do some good work selflessly for some noble cause, you derive a lot of  satisfaction from the very work you do. That should be more than a reward. Further, you have found an outlet for your creative ideas and talents. What more could you want?

Reasoning thus, I avoided limelight by avoiding the stage (easy as I had stage fright and not good at public speaking); ensured my name is not highlighted anywhere; avoided photographs leaving them to people who desire them.

So my *FASOHD* (Forum for Advancement of Science of Human Development) days were getting on well with a many a great thing achieved. It was almost a good chapter in my life. I learnt a lot. I came out of my Himalayan diffidence. Definitely it made a better man of me. So I have a lot to be thankful for.

Without *NAME AND FORM*, practically nothing exists. So, as a matter of fact, all actions are in the sphere of Maya, where She reigns Supreme and nobody can escape from her clutches without her grace: God, King, Rich or Poor.

Remembering these simplest tips, probably one can escape  some misery and suffering. 

Anyway that's not the end. Her tentacles are not just two: *Name and Form*. *Her tentacles are more than that of the octopus*. But let me stop here, when the going is good and safe.

It will be proper only if  conclude this post with my humble salutations to the Mahamaya, who is also Mahashakthi, an offer of grateful thanks for bestowing her grace on me and for putting up with my human feebleness, frailties, foibles and stupidities.

*Om Shivashakthi!*

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