Sages & Others
Maya
मयासुर
Architect of the Asuras
Who was Maya?
Maya (मयासुर): Architect of the Asuras, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. The greatest builder of the three worlds, spared from the burning of Khandava by Arjuna's arrow.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | मयासुर |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Architect of the Asuras |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | Master Builder, Grateful, Ingenious, Asura |
| Notable relationships | Savior: Arjuna, Built his palace: Yudhishthira |
| Featured in | 8 stories |
About Maya
The greatest builder of the three worlds, spared from the burning of Khandava by Arjuna's arrow. In gratitude he raised the Mayasabha at Indraprastha - the palace of illusions whose floors looked like pools and pools like floors, where Duryodhana's humiliation planted a seed of the war.
In Their Words
You saved my life - let me build you a wonder the world has never seen.
Maya
Traits
- Master Builder
- Grateful
- Ingenious
- Asura
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Maya
8 further tales on this site name Maya, in canonical reading order.
- The Boons After the BurningIndra comes down onto the ashes of Khandava and offers Arjuna and Krishna each a boon no man can obtain
- The Weighing of the BharataThe gods put the epic in a balance against the four Vedas, and Sauti recites the eighteen books
- The Palace of IllusionsMayasura's Masterpiece and the Laughter That Started a War
- The Lake Called BinduWhere Maya found Bhima's club and Arjuna's conch
- What the Blind King Was ToldDuryodhana's inventory of the rajasuya, and the quarrel it started
- Krishna Takes Leave of IndraprasthaThe farewell on the road to Dwaraka, and the promise to return
- Indraprastha, the City the Pandavas BuiltFrom burned forest to imperial capital
- The Bird With the Burnt WingsA search that ended at a cliff, and the brother of Jatayu
Character Arc
- The RescueArjuna parts the flames for him
- The PalaceBuilds the hall of illusions
Key Relationships
- SaviorArjuna
- Built his palaceYudhishthira
Places in Maya's Story
Drawn from the stories Maya appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.