A devotee’s question: So, if we have a choice between good and evil, does that mean that maya (material illusion) is stronger than our soul?
Swami Nikhilanand Ji’s answer: See, your soul cannot be overpowered by maya. Think of it like this: your mind itself is a part of maya. It is made by maya, and it is actually a tool for your soul. The soul on its own could exist without a mind and a body. The mind and body are made of mayic energy. The soul could exist, but you could not experience anything without a mind, senses, body, and all these things. So they are tools.
Our mind is made of maya, our body is made of maya, and the whole world around us is made of maya. That is one of the reasons worldly enjoyments are so attractive to our mind. Our mind is mayic, and the objects of the world are mayic, so there is a natural attraction between them. But our decision is always ours. Meaning, what do we want, and what are we going to do to get it?
We all want happiness, but some people think,
“Happiness is found only in sensual enjoyments.”
Then they spoil their health by overindulging in everything. So what causes that? Did maya overpower the person? No, that was a decision of their own mind. And their mind, according to their understanding, felt that desire for happiness, and their own learning and understanding told them,
“I can fulfill this desire for happiness by just eating good food or any kind of worldly enjoyment.”
That is a decision of the mind. Nobody made us do it. So that’s where this kind of education comes in, where you have to really think about it.
“Okay, I want happiness. Where is it?”
The Saints say that happiness is in God. So if I start desiring God, my mind will start going in that direction.
So maya overpowers the soul, in a way. We are under the bondage of maya, because we’re bound to be living in this world. None of us can just escape maya and say,
“You know, I’m leaving this world behind, and I’m going to go and stay in the Divine world, which is beyond maya.”
We can’t just do that, not in an instant. There’s a path that allows us to do that, to overcome maya. So in a way, yes, our soul is under maya. But it’s not like maya is making us do anything. We have our own free will, and we can educate ourselves, and then turn our mind in whatever direction we want.
And then once we become God-realized, your mind becomes Divine, so it’s no longer mayic, and then you’re free from maya. Even if you were to keep living in the world, you wouldn’t be bound by maya. You could leave any time you want.
Devotee’s follow up question: So in that case, our soul will be stronger than maya?
Swami Nikhilanand Ji’s answer: You know, the only way that our soul defeats maya is with God’s help. So by surrendering to God, we go beyond maya. Otherwise, maya will continue to keep us under bondage.
