Mayabheda


Mayabheda,, means the breaching or removal of Avidya. It means the destruction of the illusion caused by Maya which occurs coinciding with the gain/dawn of Right Knowledge, the knowledge of Brahman. The Rig Veda Sukta R.V.X.177 addressed to Mayabheda in its three Mantras in its own cryptic way serves this purpose. The central theme of this hymn is the discernment of Maya or illusion, the cause of material creation. Mayabheda is also one of the Rigvedic deities.

About Sukta R.V.X.177

The Rig Veda is an ancient anthology of Sanskrit poems mostly in the form of prayers to the Vedic gods. It consists of Ten Books or Mandalas. The Tenth Mandala contains 191 Suktas addressed to Agni, Indra and many other deities. The Purusha sukta, the Hiranyagarbha sukta and the Nasadiya Sukta are a part of this Mandala in which there are many more important hymns.
The Tenth Mandala of the Rig Veda also contains Sukta R.V.X.177 of Rishi Patanga Prajapati which is addressed to the Vedic deity, Mayabheda. It is a very short Sukta consisting of just three mantras. The first mantra is in Jagati chhanda to be sung or recited in Nishad Swara, the second mantra is in Virat-trishtup chhanda to be sung in Dhaivata Swara and the third, in Nichrit-trishtup chhanda also to be sung in Dhaivata Swara. The third mantra also appears in the First Mandala in the "Riddle Hymn" as Sukta R.V.I.164.31 in the hymn addressed to the Vishwadevas, in which regard it is said that in this mantra is to be found the culminating point of the whole doctrine of the Transmigration of souls.

Sukta - text

by Laurie L. Patton and c) freely as per Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s interpretation.)

Import

According to the Asvalayana Srauta Sutra IV.6, Mantra ||2|| of this Rigvedic hymn is the inviting verse of the immolated to Vac, and is used in the pravargya rites along with Mantra ||3||. Mantra ||1|| does refer directly to the Sun. In the Vidhana literature the richness and ambivalence contained within the rite is lost when vide IV.115 it is said that one should constantly mutter that which is destructive of ignorance, and which begins with patangam which hymn is indeed destructive of illusion and repels all sorts of illusion; and vide IV.116 it is suggested that one should, by means of this hymn, prevent illusion, be that of Sambara or Indrajala; one should, by means of this, ward off the illusion caused by unseen beings. Here the enemy is one that can create maya, and interfere with the abilities to discern what is true and what is not.
According to Wash Edward Hale the first mantra could refer to the myth of the Svarbhanu hiding the Sun with darkness until it was found by the Atris; if so, this is the only occurrence of asura, in the singular, referring to a mythological evil or demonic being.