The Maya Panchakam is a 5 verse
composition by
Adi Shankara
describing the illusory qualities of Maya.
It explains how Maya
causes people to mistakenly believe in differences and attachments to
impermanent things like the body, senses, and material world.
Voice of Sankara
मायापञ्चकम्
MAYA PANCHAKAM
Verse 1
मायापञ्चकम्
निरुपमनित्यनिरंशकेऽप्यखण्डे
मयि चिति सर्वविकल्पनादिशून्ये ।
घटयति जगदीशजीवभेदं
त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ १॥
Máyá which is skilful in accomplishing the impossible brings about the distinctions of the world. Èshvara, and jèva in my consciousness, which is unique and eternal, partless and impartite, and which is free from all distinctions.
Verse 2
श्रुतिशतनिगमान्तशोधकान-
प्यहह धनादिनिदर्शनेन
सद्यः ।
कलुषयति चतुष्पदाद्यभिन्ना-
नघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ २॥
Máyá which is skilful in accomplishing the impossible deludes at once, alas, even those who can clarify hundreds of Veda and Vedánta texts by showing up wealth, etc. and makes them non-different from quadrupeds.
Verse 3
सुखचिदखण्डविबोधमद्वितीयं
वियदनलादिविनिर्मिते नियोज्य ।
भ्रमयति भवसागरे नितान्तं
त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ३॥
Máyá which is skilful in accomplishing the impossible makes the Self, which is of the nature of bliss and consciousness which is impartite and non-dual, whirl round very much in the ocean of samsára by associating it with the created ákásha, air etc.
Verse 4
अपगतगुणवर्णजातिभेदे
सुखचिति विप्रविडाद्यहंकृतिं च ।
स्फुटयति सुतदारगेहमोहं
त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ४॥
Máyá which is skilful in accomplishing the impossible causes the appearance of notions ., and the passion for son, wife and house in the bliss-consciousness which is free from the distinctions of quality, colour, and caste.
Verse 5
विधिहरिहरविभेदमप्यखण्डे
बत विरचय्य बुधानपि प्रकामम् ।
भ्रमयति हरिहरभेदभावा-
नघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ५॥
Máyá which is skilful in accomplishing the impossible deludes, alas, very much Harim Hara, and others, though wise, by introducing the distinctions of Brahmá, Hari and Hara in the unitary reality.
Verse 6
इति श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ मायापञ्चकम्
सम्पूर्णम् ॥
