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I wish to share the wonderful lecture delivered by His Divine Grace Purushottam Swamy Maharaj at ISKCON, Perambur Temple, Chennai on 16.01.2011.

What is Maya?
 
One day, Narada Muni visits Vishnu Lok to inquire Lord Vishnu “What is Maya”?
 
Lord Vishnu tells Narada that he will explain “What is Maya” by having a walk in a garden.
 
While having a walk, Narada feels very thirsty and requests Vishnu that he will first quench his thirst so that he can listen to Vishnu with more attentively about “What is Maya”, for which Vishnu okays with a smile.
 
Narada goes to a nearby river to quench his thirst and takes some water with both his hands near to his mouth.  Suddenly he hears from a tribal person shouting “Please Wait, Don’t Drink that Dirty Water, I have Pure, Distilled, Cool Water in my House, Please come to my house and accept my most humble seva”.
 
Narada is pleased to get pure, distilled, cool water and therefore, goes to the tribe’s house.  While offering water to Narada, it suddenly strikes to the tribal person that it is SIN to offer ONLY water, without offering any fruits to a sage; hence the tribal person requests Narada to wait for few minutes so that he will bring some fresh fruits from the forest.  Narada feels happier for the hospitality of the tribal person and agrees to wait till the tribal person brings fruits from the forest.
 
Within few minutes, the tribal person brings some fresh fruits from forest and offer to Narada along with pure, distilled & cool water.  Narada with full happiness and contentment, eats the fruits and drinks the water and expresses his gratitude to the tribal person.
 
Before leaving from the tribal person’s hut, he sees the daughter of tribal person and falls in love with the daughter of the tribal person.  Narada expresses his willingness to marry the tribal person’s daughter.  The tribal person feels very much excited to hear that Narada muni is interested in marrying his daughter and immediately agrees for his proposal and does marriage of his daughter with Narada Muni at the very moment.
 
Ha!!! In due course, Narada Muni is blessed with a son also.  Now Narada Muni is fully engaged in his daily busy schedule for earning livelihood for self, family, son, brother-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, etc.,etc., ploughing fields, cultivating farm, etc., etc.  Narada Muni has NO time to breath, FORGET about remembering SRI HARI, who is waiting in the garden for Narada Muni to join HIM for discussion.
 
One day, Narada Muni hears a big sound in river.  On inquiring, he comes to know that his son has fell in the river.  After sometime, he again hears big sound. On inquiring, he comes to know that Narada’s wife has jumped into river to save her son and she too is drowining.
 
Then immediately, Narada comes out of his hut and try to rescue his wife with Tambura (Narada’s musical instrument) and finally Narada also falls in the River.
 
When Narada is about to DROWN, then Narada remembers his lord SRI HARI and starts shouting NARAYANA….NARAYANA…NARAYANA….
 
On hearing the shouting NARAYANA….NARAYANA…NARAYANA….Lord Sri Hari pats on the shoulder of Narada(who is holding water in his both hands) and asks WHAT HAPPENED?
 
Then Narada realized that what all happened is just a dream, but not in reality.
 
Finally Lord Hari asks Narada Muni, NOW DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MAYA???