माया Māyā, in Hinduism, is both a mystical concept and a powerful goddess, embodying the cosmic illusion that veils the true nature of reality. As a concept, Māyā represents the deceptive nature of the material world, where the eternal self (आत्मन् Atman) is obscured by the transient appearances of existence, leading beings to misidentify with the physical body and mind. As a deity, Māyā is often personified as a goddess, linked to the divine feminine energy or Shakti, who creates, sustains, and transforms the universe, reflecting the dynamic and illusory play of creation that conceals the ultimate truth of Brahman.