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Aptavani-8
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it is not like that. Maya means that it does not let you understand vastu (The Self) exactly as it is – that is called maya.
Otherwise, the Atma is real (Brahma satya) and the world is unreal (jagat mithya), they said all that to make people renunciate (tyaagi): ‘that my dear fellow, all this is unreal (mithya), what are you going to get out of this unreality (mithya)? So forsake your worldly ways, become a tyaagi, renounce it and move ahead.' It was with this intention that they said that. But really one should say what the world is, as it is. So then it would be easier to climb that way! Or else, not everyone would accept illusion (mithya)! Only some people will accept unreality (mithya). They may speak it, but no one accepts illusion. If this little boy is given a kite in his hands, would he throw it away? We may say to him, “it is not real (mithya), throw it away.' Would he throw it away? He would not throw it away. Therefore, the world is a relative truth (satya). Yes, no one will say, that it is a real truth (satya). Because it can readily tear, can it not? And at that very moment the affection for it instantly goes away by itself. Whereas with the eternal element (avinashi tattva), there is no question of it tearing.
So this world is not false (mithya) either. The world is relative correct and the Atma is real correct. Relative correct means it is temporary correct. It is only there for a certain period of time. Some may last for a hundred years; some will last for five-hundred years, some will last a thousand years, some will last five thousand years, while some may last for five years, or they may even last for a single year. Things that last for a certain period of time; are all relative correct, and things that prevails through past, present and future time (trikaad), are real correct!
Some people come and tell me, ‘No, but the world is just an illusion (mithya)!' Then I would tell them, that if the world is an illusion, do they see anyone throwing money away in the streets? If you go out and about in the streets, would you find money laying about? People lose their money, do they not? They
