मायाभिरिन्द्र मायिनं त्वं शुष्णमवातिरः ।
विदुष्टे तस्य मेधिरास्तेषां श्रवांस्युत्तिर ॥ ७ ॥

Mayabhir Indra Mayinam Tvam Shushnam Avatirah ।
Vidus Te Tasya Medhiras Tesham Shravamsi Uttira ॥ 7 ॥

Meaning:

मायाभिः (Mayabhih) through powers of knowledge; through wisdom powers; through forms of divine intelligence. Here ‘माया’ (Maya) does not mean deceptive illusion. It refers to the divine power of knowledge, wisdom, and the divine intelligence that reveals truth. This light of knowledge becomes the power that removes the darkness created by ignorance and desire.

इन्द्र (Indra) Lord of powers; destroyer of demonic tendencies. Here ‘इन्द्र’ (Indra) refers to the supreme power that destroys inner demonic tendencies and elevates the human being. The power to overcome mental obstacles such as desire, anger, and delusion comes from divine grace.

मायिनम् (Mayinam) one who is full of deception; one possessing deceptive forms. This word refers to the inner enemy that appears in many forms of deception and cunning. Desire and attachment do not always appear directly; they may appear as sweetness, preference, desire, or necessity and thereby lead a human being away from the right path. Therefore, they are called ‘मायिनम्’ (Mayinam).

त्वम् (Tvam) you; you alone. This word emphasizes the active power of the Lord. A human being cannot conquer everything through his own strength; divine grace is especially necessary for destroying deep inner tendencies.

शुष्णम् (Shushnam) the one who dries up; the one who drains; the demon in the form of sensual desire. ‘शुष्ण’ (Shushna) refers to the sensual desire that dries up the inner life force. When desire is not fulfilled, it torments the mind and destroys peace and happiness. This inner enemy is referred to here as ‘शुष्णम्’ (Shushnam).

अवातिरः (Avatirah) you destroyed; you drove away; you defeated. This word indicates the action by which the Lord destroys this inner enemy. When sensual desire and ignorance are removed through the light of knowledge, the human being attains true freedom.

विदुः (Viduh) know; understand; realize. This word refers to those who understand the truth. They clearly recognize that inner victories and purification of the mind do not arise solely through personal effort, but occur with the support of divine grace.

ते (Te) your; yours. This word reminds us that the true ownership of victory belongs to the Lord. The human being is merely an instrument; the power that acts is divine power.

तस्य (Tasya) that; of that victory; of that victory over the demon. Here ‘तस्य’ (Tasya) refers to the victory over the inner demon called Shushna. That victory is not a matter of personal pride; it is the victory of divine knowledge.

मेधिराः (Medhirah) the wise; the intelligent; those possessing deep understanding. This word refers to those who can discern truth. They understand the value of inner transformation more than external achievements. Therefore, they do not become proud of victory; instead, they recognize divine grace and live with humility.

तेषाम् (Tesham) their; of those wise people. This word refers to those intelligent people who live with awareness of divine grace. It indicates those who live with faith in the Lord and humility.

श्रवांसि (Shravamsi) praises; knowledge; fame. Here ‘श्रवांसि’ (Shravamsi) does not refer merely to fame; it also indicates knowledge, good reputation, and spiritual worth. True recognition arises from a life in which knowledge and humility are united.

उत्तिर (Uttira) may you raise; may you increase; may you cause to grow. This word contains the concluding prayer of the mantra. It is a prayer that the Lord may further increase the knowledge and good reputation of the wise. The knowledge and good name of those who possess humility and faith in the Lord naturally grow.

Explanation:

This mantra profoundly explains the spiritual struggle taking place within the human being and how the Lord’s power of knowledge grants victory in that struggle. The fundamental teaching of the mantra is that the greatest enemies of human life are not external enemies, but demonic tendencies such as desire, attachment, deception, and ignorance that remain hidden and operate within the mind. These inner enemies do not always appear directly; they deceive the human being through many forms that appear attractive, desirable, or necessary and thereby weaken his mental strength and spiritual clarity. Therefore, they are called “मायिनम्” (Mayinam).

Through the word “मायाभिः” (Mayabhih), the mantra teaches that the power capable of removing such inner darkness is not ordinary knowledge, but the divine wisdom and intelligence of the Lord. Here ‘Maya’ does not mean an enchanting illusion; it means the light of divine knowledge that reveals truth. This light of knowledge removes the darkness created by ignorance and desire and enables the human being to recognize his true nature. Therefore, “इन्द्र” (Indra), the supreme power that destroys demonic tendencies, works within the inner life of the human being and leads him toward a higher state.

“शुष्णम्” (Shushnam) is the central image of this mantra. ‘Shushna’ is explained as a symbol of sensual desire that dries up the life force. When desire is not fulfilled, it torments the mind and destroys peace; even when it is fulfilled, it creates further attachment and continues to drain happiness. As a result, the inner light of the human being becomes dim. Even when a person tries to conquer this entirely through his own strength, it often remains a difficult inner struggle in which he may repeatedly fail. Therefore, the mantra emphasizes the profound truth expressed through “त्वं… अवातिरः” (Tvam… Avatirah): it is the Lord who destroys this demon in the form of desire. The darkness of desire dissolves only in the radiance of divine knowledge; similarly, the desire that dries up the mind is destroyed by the fire of wisdom.

The true nature of this victory is revealed by the words “विदुः” (Viduh) and “मेधिराः” (Medhirah). The wise and intelligent understand that inner victories are not achieved merely through their own personal power. They clearly recognize that the victory over sensual desire is a victory granted through divine grace. Therefore, they do not develop ego. They consider inner transformation to be a greater achievement than external accomplishments. The humble wisdom that the human being is only an instrument, while the acting power and true ownership of victory belong to divine power, becomes the foundation of their lives.

The final part of the mantra, “तेषां श्रवांस्युत्तिर” (Tesham Shravamsi Uttira), expresses a beautiful prayer. The prayer is that the knowledge and good reputation of those wise people who live with awareness of the Lord may continue to grow. Here “श्रवांसि” (Shravamsi) does not refer merely to worldly fame; it includes knowledge, spiritual value, good reputation, and social respect. True recognition does not arise from ego; it arises from a life in which knowledge, humility, and faith in the Lord are united. Therefore, the knowledge and good reputation of a person who lives with awareness of divine grace naturally continue to grow.

Therefore, the complete teaching of this mantra is that the deceptive sensual desire and ignorance within the human being are demonic tendencies that dry up the life force and obstruct spiritual progress. The power to completely overcome them lies in the divine light of the Lord’s knowledge. Those wise people who recognize that this victory is the work of divine grace live humbly without ego. They also pray that the Lord may increase their knowledge and good reputation. Thus, living by overcoming inner enemies through divine knowledge is what elevates a human being toward a life filled with peace, humility, spiritual clarity, and a higher nearness to the Lord. This is the profound Vedic teaching given by this mantra.

Conclusion:

This mantra emphasizes that the true battle of the human being does not take place outside, but within. Desire, attachment, and ignorance, which appear in deceptive forms and dry up life force and inner peace, are the principal enemies of the human being. These cannot be completely conquered through personal strength alone; the divine light of the Lord’s power of knowledge and wisdom is the true force that destroys them. The wise clearly recognize that this inner victory is not a matter of personal pride but the working of divine grace; therefore, they live with humility and faith in the Lord, without ego. Furthermore, because knowledge, good reputation, and spiritual worth grow through divine grace, they seek the Lord’s blessing to elevate and preserve them. Therefore, conquering inner demonic tendencies through the light of divine knowledge, recognizing victory as an expression of divine grace, and living a life filled with humility and wisdom are what lead the human being toward peace, purity, and higher spiritual fulfillment. This is the profound essence of this mantra.