THE shackles which hold the soul in spiritual bondage consist chiefly of wrong values or falsehoods concerning valuation. Some falsehoods, of the nature of wrong beliefs, also play an important part in holding the soul in spiritual bondage. False values and beliefs are clutches of Maya False beliefs implement false values, but they in turn gather strength from false values in which the soul has been hung up. All false beliefs are as much creations of Maya as are false values, and are among the clutches which Maya uses in order to hold the soul in ignorance.

        Maya becomes irresistible by taking possession of the very seat of knowledge, which is human intellect. Intellect plays into the hands of Maya It is difficult to surmount Maya because, with the intellect under its sway, Maya creates barriers and upholds false beliefs and illusions. It creates barriers to the realisation of the Truth by persistent attempts to sustain and justify erroneous beliefs. The intellect which functions in freedom prepares the way to the Truth, but the intellect which plays into the hands of Maya