Hindi

Noun

माया • ‎(māyā) f ‎(Urdu spelling مایا)

1. illusion, deceit, delusion (caused by magic or supernatural powers)

   यह संसार माया है।

   This world is an illusion.

2. maya, divine power

   ईश्वर की माया अनन्त है।

   The divine power of God is infinite.

Related terms

• मायी ‎(māyī)

References

• Platts, John T. A dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English Oxford. 1884.

Pali

Alternative forms

Noun

माया f

1. fraud
2. deceit
3. magic
4. jugglery

Sanskrit

Noun

माया • ‎(māyā́) f

1. art, wisdom, extraordinary or supernatural power (only in the earlier language)
2. illusion, unreality, deception, fraud, trick, sorcery, witchcraft magic
3. an unreal or illusory image, phantom, apparition
4. duplicity (with Buddhists one of the 24 minor evil passions)
5. (philosophy) Illusion (identified in the Sāṃkhya with प्रकृति ‎(prakṛti) or प्रधान ‎(pradhāna) and in that system, as well as in the Vedānta, regarded as the source of the visible universe)
6. (Shaivism) one of the 4 pāśas or snares which entangle the soul
7. (Vaishnavism) one of the 9 shaktis or energies of Vishnu
8. Illusion personified (sometimes identified with Durgā, sometimes regarded as a daughter of Anṛta and Nirṛti or Nikṛti and mother of Mṛtyu, or as a daughter of Adharma)
9. compassion, sympathy
10. Operculina turpethum ( <= Convolvulus turpethum)
11. name of the mother of Gautama Buddha
12. name of Lakshmi
13. name of a city
14. name of two metres
15. (in the dual) (māye indrasya) name of 2 sāmans

Declension

References

• Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1898) A Sanskrit-English dictionary etymologically and philologically arranged with special reference to cognate Indo-European languages, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 0811