THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com

"""""""""""""""""oTHE DOCTRINE OF MAYA.v. 30. 21, and v. 30. 6, Sayana emphatically givesthe meaning sakti (power).Again, keeping aside for a moment Mandalas andi.x. of R.V. which are now supposed on good evidenceto have been subsequently added to the originalcollection we find the same want of fixity of themeaning conveyed by the term in the other books ofR.V. For instance, according to Sayana s traditionthe word is used in the sense ofdeceptionin R.V.ii. ii. 10, iii. 34. 6, iv. 16. 9,vi. 20. 4, vii. 104. 24,and so forth, while both the meanings "power"anddeception" are taken in v. 30. 6 simultaneously.In v. 31. 7 the word is taken to mean a youngwoman." This meaning too has its own justification and is not unconnected with the other twoIn what sense a woman can be calledmeanings.mayd is not to be discussed here, but will find itsappropriate place in the sequel.The two chief meanings, therefore, which theword is assigned in R.V. are power (Prajna, lit.knowledge and") deception(" Kapata/ Vancana).The above examination of the various passages in which the word occurs has shown us thatwherever it means power the idea of mysterynecessarily goes with it ; i.e., it does not mean anyphysical power, but a mysterious power of thewill" which we would translate into such Sanskritexpressions as sankalpa- sakti or icchd-sakti. InR.V. iii.53. 8, for instance, Indra isspoken of asassuming many different forms," and it is not