From the talks of Sri Ramakrishna we can understand how to use maya for attaining Bhagavan.
Instead of totally condemning maya in a negative way as most people do, Sri Ramakrishna distinguishes between vidyamaya and avidyamaya. This distinction is very useful to the aspirant. There exist in Bhagavan both vidya and avidya. Vidyamaya, the illusion of knowledge, leads one to God and avidyamaya, illusion of ignorance, away from Him.
Knowledge, love, devotion, the taste of holy company, compassion, and renunciation belong to the realm of vidyamaya. With the help of these a man comes near to Bhagavan. One step more and he attains the knowledge of Brahman. In that state, he clearly feels and sees that it is God who has become everything. So he has nothing to give up and nothing to accept.
Avidyamaya consists of the five elements and the objects of the five senses – form, flavor, smell, touch and sound. These make one forget Bhagavan.
A student asked – ‘If the power of avidya is the cause of ignorance, then why has God created it?’
Sri Ramakrishna replied: ‘That is His play. The glory of light cannot be appreciated without darkness. Happiness cannot be understood without misery. Knowledge of good is possible because of knowledge of evil.