Māyā Pañcakam

निरुपमनित्यनिरंशकेऽप्यखण्डे मयि चिति सर्वविकल्पनादिशून्ये ।घटयति जगदीशजीवभेदं त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ १ ॥

In me — incomparable, eternal, partless, undivided consciousness, empty of all mental construction — māyā, skilled in achieving the impossible, produces the apparent distinction between the Lord of the universe (Īśvara) and the individual self (jīva).

श्रुतिशतनिगमान्तशोधकानप्यहह धनादिनिदर्शनेन सद्यः ।कलुषयति चतुष्पदाद्यभिन्नान् अघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ २ ॥

Māyā is that power which makes the unlimited Self appear limited, the unborn appear born, the free appear bound — thus projecting the entire world upon Brahman without Brahman ever being truly affected.

सुखचिदखण्डविबोधमद्वितीयं वियदनिलादिविनिर्मिते नियोज्य ।भ्रमयति भवसागरे नितान्तं त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ३ ॥

Māyā creates the universe out of three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas), manifests as name and form, and causes beings to believe themselves to be agents and enjoyers — when in essence they are the immutable witness of every appearance.

अपगतगुणवर्णजातिभेदे सुखचिति विप्रविडाद्यहंकृतिं च ।स्फुटयति सुतदारगेहमोहं त्वघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ४ ॥

No logical analysis can account for māyā: it is neither real (for it vanishes at the dawn of knowledge), nor unreal (for it is lived as concrete experience by all). Hence it is called anirvacanīya — indescribable.

विधिहरिहर भेदमप्यखण्डे बत विरचय्य बुधानपि प्रकामम् ।भ्रमयति हरिहरविभेदभावान् अघटितघटनापटीयसी माया ॥ ५ ॥

One who meditates on these five verses on māyā, with discrimination (viveka) and firm conviction (śraddhā), crosses beyond the net of saṃsāra and directly realizes the nature of his own Self — which is immovable, complete Brahman.