"Beware of MAYA": What's George Harrison Talking About?

I got my dad the 30th anniversary edition of George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" for Christmas, and my parents and I have been trying to figure out the meaning of a particular lyric in "Beware of Darkness." The lyric, as listed in the liner notes, says simply, "Beware of MAYA," with the last word in all caps as shown. The only thing that comes to mind is Maya Angelou, but that doesn't explain the caps, and besides, why would George Harrison be warning people to beware of Maya Angelou? Any ideas?

It's likely related to this: http://drsvoboda.com/kali.htm

"Maya Shakti keeps us awake to the world and asleep to the Absolute, while Chit Shakti awakens us to Reality and puts us to sleep with regard to worldly matters. The consciousness of any living being is conditioned by the matter in which it resides, and the Maya of the matter that makes up our bodies is some of the greatest Maya that humans experience. So long as we live the embodied life each one of us participates in the play of Nature, binding ourselves to the world by the 'things' we accrete in our personalities. No incarnate being ever quite becomes wholly spiritual, for some Maya will remain with you so long as you remain embodied.

Those who shout, "Beware of Maya!" malign Maya, for the universe always gives us what we ask for. When we call on the Goddess to ask Her for mundane boons, which bind us to limited forms, She appears to us as Maya; when we pray to Her power and energy She manifests as Shakti; and to those few who relate to Her maternally she reveals Herself as Ma, God the Mother. Those who remain stuck in Maya do so because they fail to redirect their urge to individuation from Maya to Chit; they are carried along by the current of their karmas, and the karmic currents of those near and dear to them. Those who learn to define themselves eventually begin to define their surroundings. Some of the greatest explorers of Chit develop a self-expression of such accuracy and force that they become true wonderworkers."

Reaching back to my undergrad days for this one (so forgive me if I get it a little wrong)...

In Indian/Hindu theology, "maya" refers to the natural world in its many manifestations, or, more precisely, man's illusory perception of the reality of the physical world. In other words, a false reality. Until one sees beyond this illusion and recognizes the true nature of the universe as being spiritual (the universal "brahman"?), one cannot achieve enlightenment.

So, beware "maya", for it stands between you and enlightenment.

"clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right
stuck in the maya with you" - Stealers Wheel

" my love for wisdom can get much higher
no time to wallow in the maya
come on karma, light my fire" - Doors

George Harrison could have been singing about that yogi guy?

Heck the Incredible String Band even had a song called "Maya":

"The dust of the rivers does murmur and weep
Hard and sharp laughter that cuts to the bone
Ah, but ever face within your face does show
Going gladly now to give himself his own
And twelve yellow willows shall fellow the shallows
Small waves and thunder be my pillow
Upon the gleaming water two swans that swim
And every place shall be my native home
The east gate like a fortress dissolve it away
The west gate like a prison O come break it down
Island I remember living here
Wandering beneath the empty skies
In time her hair grew long and swept the ground
And seven blackbirds carried it out behind
It bore the holy imprint of her mind
As green-foot slow she moved among the seasons
The great man, the great man, historians his memory
Artists his senses, thinkers his brain
Labourers his growth
Explorers his limbs
And soldiers his death each second
And mystics his rebirth each second
Businessmen his nervous system
No-hustle men his stomach
Astrologers his balance
Lovers his loins
His skin it is all patchy
But soon will reach one glowing hue
God is his soul
Infinity his goal
The mystery his source
And civilisation he leaves behind
Opinions are his fingernails

Maya Maya
All this world is but a play
Be thou the joyful player

The wanderer no sense does make
His eyes being tied in the true love's knot
The trees perceive his soul
Do not detain him long
Dear little animal dark-eyed and small
Caring for your fur with pointed paws
This hawk of truth is swift and flies with a still cry
A small sweetmeat to the eyes of night
O dandelion be thou thine
Reflecting the sun in sexual glory
In every-changing tongues
The every-changing story
The book, man, bird, woman, serpent, sea, sun
Blessed O blessed are they of the air
Your eyes are the eyes
Of the glad land
Ye twelve that will enter the seasons
The great ship, the ship of the world
Long time sailing
Mariners, mariners, gather your skills
Jesus and Hitler and Richard the Lion Heart
Three kings and Moses and Queen Cleopatra
The Cobbler, the maiden
The mender and the maker
The sickener and the twitcher
And the glad undertaker
The shepherd of willows
The harper and the archer
All sat down in one boat together
Troubled voyage in calm weather

Maya Maya
All this world is but a play
Be thou the joyful player

MAYA-the world of Illusion and false values around us-beware-be IN the world but not OF it...

John, where's the smiley? Nice rewrite of the lyrics.

I think he's talking about the chick from Space: 1999 myself.

Awesome post - thanks for the illumination - this song has captured my imagination - can't believe I've overlooked it all these years. Hard song to chord. Discovered it on the tribute album where Clapton nails it - one of those songs I repeat over-and-over - can't get enough of it's wonder and meaning.
Namaste,
Charlie

Musically speaking, All Things Must Pass is just about my favorite solo Beatles album, right up there with the 'Primal' (POB) album of Lennon.