Maya - Illusion YS II - 22

Yoga Sutra II-22 -KRTARTHAM PRATI NASTAM APY ANASTAM TAK ANYA SADHARANATVAT - Although destroyed for him who has attained liberation, it [the seen] still exists for others, being common to them.

"According to the Vedantic term, nature is called Maya or illusion. To whom is it maya? To the person who has understood it. To others it is still real." -Swami Satchidananda. An analogy is given of a factory operation with raw materials coming in (like wood, or iron) and it coming out as a finished product to be sold. This analogy is likened to the world being our factory. We are passed through the "world factory " being shaped continuously by the different experiences we have. Swami Satchidananda says that "Eventually we understand the world completely and have no business in the factory any longer." When this understanding arises, we no longer run after the worldly pleasures. "When we stop running after the world, the world says, 'All right, sir, I won't bother you any more. But whenever you wish to make use of me, I'm ready to serve you.' Then the world runs after you."

We are further informed that "We can't shape ourselves without the of the factory's help. We should know nature first." This is why nature is called the Mother and only through her can we know the Father. We are told to know nature well, don't run from it and ultimately we cannot escape it. If we do, "we will have to face a more difficult form later on." As Swami Satchidananda concludes the commentary, we are told to be alert and aware with maya as it will come from all directions. We must have eyes everywhere as well as "face it, understand it, analyze it, and solve its test." Once we understand and solve our problems, we become masters and are no longer bound by nature. "It becomes our slave."