Why do Sikhs name their daughter "Maya" when maya is an obstacle etween us and Vaheguru?

[Guest Kaur 2]

VJKK VJKF

This question has been eating at me for quite a long time now. I thought that maya what something that distracts us from Vaheguru so why do people call their daughters maya? Do you think it comes from Bollywood? Just a thought.

VJKK VJKF

 

[MrDoaba]

5 minutes ago, Guest Kaur 2 said:

VJKK VJKF

This question has been eating at me for quite a long time now. I thought that maya what something that distracts us from Vaheguru so why do people call their daughters maya? Do you think it comes from Bollywood? Just a thought.

VJKK VJKF

You're not alone in wondering why people do this. As far as my observations, people who name thier daughters maya don't have a clue what maya is or the concept of maya. These people tend to be Sikh in name only.

They do it purely to be modern while keeping an 'indian flavour' to thier childs name.

[sikhni777]

There is a Sikh girl named Amaya. I would not say that her parents belong to the religious group. 

People in our community tend to believe that Sikhi gives you options to choose. Well, God has given all the free will to choose between religion and maya and between specifically which religion you would want to follow.

However, God is also the one who makes people forget about him and he is the one who reminds people about his existence too. 

Tudh aap vishoreya aap milaya. 

We as Sikhs need to understand that God is still in control. Who are we to judge people. 

A good example is if you met Jagraj Singh before he was a devoted Sikh, would you have the same to say about him 10 years later?

You never know who God is going to choose to become a devoted and blessed Gursikh next. 

Apne karam ki ghat mae kya jaanu, says bhagat Ji. 

Judging others is wrong. Looking at so and so and criticizing them is wrong. We are supposed to look at our own selves. If we keep looking at others, then we are neglecting ourselves - it is ourselves that we need to improve. 

Hum nahi change bura nahi koi.

Realise that everybody is at a different level - however we will all get there in the end.

[Ranjeet01]

57 minutes ago, Guest Kaur 2 said:

VJKK VJKF

This question has been eating at me for quite a long time now. I thought that maya what something that distracts us from Vaheguru so why do people call their daughters maya? Do you think it comes from Bollywood? Just a thought.

VJKK VJKF

 

Because it sounds trendy and fashionable and they don't know what it actually means.

It's like those people who get Chinese writing tattoos on their arms.

[Guest]

It would be more concerning if their child had a naam sanskar when they were born. (Assuming their parents are religious)

Otherwise, so be it

[Kira]

Maya can be good or bad. Maya is illusion which keeps the world asleep and enslaved, which is bad. But its also God as well,  As God is the ultimate illusionist as well, since he also fools the world when he wishes. Not sure if its a good name for a child though. The context is vital guys, 1 word can have multiple meanings so the context determines the arth. 

E.G - Kaal can mean death, time etc and so on.

Anyone know any Puratan Singhs or Singhnis by its name? I know certain names were avoided at the time, was this one of them?

[MrDoaba]

1 hour ago, Kira said:

The context is vital guys, 1 word can have multiple meanings so the context determines the arth. 

Anyone know any Puratan Singhs or Singhnis by its name? I know certain names were avoided at the time, was this one of them?

This is a very good point. But tbh the people who name their child maya probably don't concern themselves with such matters. The only context which matters is that it sounds modern, fashionable etc. However, if these people provided some valid reasoning for their choice such as the name referring to Maya Devi/Lakshmi Ji, I'd be less likely to dismiss it. Even so, in Sikhi the word maya usually has negative connotations or is at least perceived to.

I asked my Dadi and she strongly objected to the name saying "sade ni eh naa rakhde". Occasionally the oldies are right.

In your opinion what are some other names which would have been avoided?

[singhbj singh]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa

Waheguru ji ki fateh

Mahan Kosh Encyclopedia {ਸੰਗ੍ਯਾ}. ਮਾਤਾ. ਮਾਂ. "ਆਪਿ ਪਿਤਾ, ਆਪਿ ਮਾਇਆ". (ਸੂਹੀ ਛੰਤ ਮਃ ੫) "ਤੂ ਹਰਿ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਇਆ". (ਸ੍ਰੀ ਮਃ ੫)। (2) ਸੰ. ਮਾਯਾ. ਕਪਟ. ਛਲ. ਦੰਭ. ਦੇਖੋ, ਮਾ ਧਾ. "ਇਹੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਪਾਹਿਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ, ਲੀਤੜਾ ਲਬਿ ਰੰਗਾਏ". (ਤਿਲੰ ਮਃ ੧)। (3) ਭੁਲੇਖਾ. ਭ੍ਰਮ. ਅਵਿਦ੍ਯਾ. "ਕੋਈ ਐਸੋ ਰੇ ਭਗਤੁ ਜੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਤੇ ਰਹਿਤ". (ਧਨਾ ਅਃ ਮਃ ੫) "ਏਹ ਮਾਇਆ, ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮੋਹੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਭਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ਲਾਇਆ". (ਅਨੰਦੁ)। (4) ਲਕ੍ਸ਼੍‍ਮੀ. ਧਨ ਸੰਪਦਾ. "ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾਰਨਿ ਧਾਵਹੀ ਮੂਰਖ ਲੋਗ ਅਜਾਨ". (ਸਃ ਮਃ ੯)। (5) ਜਗਤਰਚਨਾ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਣ ਰੂਪ ਈਸ਼੍ਵਰ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਕਤਿ. "ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਈ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਪਰਸੂਤਿ ਜਮਾਇਆ". (ਮਾਰੂ ਸੋਲਹੇ ਮਃ ੩)। (6) ਮਯਾ. ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ. ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦ. "ਤਿਂਹ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਜਿਂਹ ਕਰਹੋ ਮਾਇਆ". (ਗੁਪ੍ਰਸੂ) "ਨਹੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਖੀ". (ਮਾਰੂ ਸੋਲਹੇ ਮਃ ੧) ਨ ਮਯਾ ਹੈ ਨ ਮਾਸ (ਕ੍ਰੋਧ) ਹੈ. ਦੇਖੋ, ਮਾਖੀ ੪। (7) ਬੁੱਧ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਦੀ ਮਾਤਾ। (8) ਹਿੰਦੂਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਪੁਰੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਇੱਕ ਪੁਰੀ. ਹਰਿਦ੍ਵਾਰ ਤੋਂ ਕਨਖਲ ਤੀਕ ਦੀ ਆਬਾਦੀ. "ਮਥੁਰਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਅਜੁੱਧਿਆ". (ਭਾਗੁ ਕ). Mahan Kosh data provided by Bhai Baljinder Singh (RaraSahib Wale); See http://www.ik13.com

Source - http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Maya

Below is a thought provoking verse related to Maya -

ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਉਦਰੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: Kahi Kabeer jis udar tis maya:

Says Kabir, the mammon afflicts any one who has needs (belly).  

ਉਦਰੁ = ਢਿੱਡ।
ਕਬੀਰ ਆਖਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ (ਮੁੱਕਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕਿ) ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਢਿੱਡ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ (ਭਾਵ, ਹਰੇਕ ਜੀਵ ਨੂੰ) ਮਾਇਆ ਵਿਆਪ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।

Source - http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=1160&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=2&p=0&k=1

[singhbj singh]

https://goo.gl/images/8Cr9Yf

[Kira]

4 hours ago, MrDoaba said:

This is a very good point. But tbh the people who name their child maya probably don't concern themselves with such matters. The only context which matters is that it sounds modern, fashionable etc. However, if these people provided some valid reasoning for their choice such as the name referring to Maya Devi/Lakshmi Ji, I'd be less likely to dismiss it. Even so, in Sikhi the word maya usually has negative connotations or is at least perceived to.

 

That's true but it depends on the Granth you consult, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maya is the illusion that the world sleeps in, the deceiver and the blocker to the pure nirgun saroop of Akaal, but in Sarbloh Granth Sahib, Guru Ji also writes "Adi Bhavani Esari Maya ta ko naam" translating roughly to the Primal giver of life is also known as Maya (in this context we can say Maya could be illusionist orrr generous), maya also being the power of Akaal Purkh that created all life.

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I asked my Dadi and she strongly objected to the name saying "sade ni eh naa rakhde". Occasionally the oldies are right.

Yeah I can get why your Dadi is against it, the oldies aren't all senile haha.

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In your opinion what are some other names which would have been avoided?

This is something my oldies taught me, that certain names should be avoided. I know some Sikhs dislike using the name Inder as they believe it refers to Indra Devta, but I had heard a Katha  a while back about how important naming a child is, as the name can have a psychological and spiritual effect on them.