We very much appreciate intelligence (Srila Prabhupada)

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

(from a morning walk in Paris, June 13, 1974)

Prabhupada: What do you understand by the word "maya"?

Yogesvara: That which is not.

Pusta-krsna: Things which we place value on that have no relation to Krsna.

Prabhupada: The maya is explained very nicely in the Bhagavata:

yathabhaso yatha tamah

(O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, 

if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. 

Know it as My illusory energy, 

that reflection which appears to be in darkness.) 

— Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.34
 

Just like sun is reflected in the water, and the light is reflected again on the wall. This is the exact explanation of maya. Reality, this material world, the man who manufactured all these things, nobody knows where he has gone, but these things are taken as reality. This will be also finished. It will remain as relics, as Rome, relics, but when it was…the houses were prepared with great enthusiasm as reality. And now it is as relics. So the energy expended for manufacturing those houses, that is also maya. And now they are being visited as relics. That is also maya. So all these things are mayara vaibhava, expansion of maya. So if somebody says that you don’t appreciate these things? No, we appreciate, very much appreciate intelligence. But if you, for this appreciation, if you forget, then it is maya. Forget Krsna.