lila | लीला
Lila (Devanagari: लीला ISO15919: līlā) means those actions which are contrary to ones personality.
We mayabaddh jeev perform actions. When God descends on earth He too performs actions. Yet, there is a huge difference in the our actions and that of divine personalities.
He is not afflicted by Maya, so does not feel hungry, thirsty, sleepy. Still, He eats, drinks, sleeps just like us. That is why His actions are called lila or pastimes.
He does not pretend while doing these lilas. Due to Yogamaya shakti He actually feels these feelings.
Even though these actions are contrary to His personality still, He does these actions to
- please His devotees.
- He might also perform actions to set an example for the mayabaddh jeev to follow.
God realized saints are governed by Yogamaya shakti due to which they too can perform seemingly material actions without being affected by them even in the least e.g. Arjun killed thousands in the battlefield yet he had no anger.
That is why actions of God and God-realized saints are called lila.
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