Welcome to
Maha LilaH

The ancient game of
self-knowledge

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Maha Lilah, an ancient wisdom game which has served as a mirror to the soul and a guide to self-discovery for thousands of years. Originally developed in India as "Gyan Chaupad" (the game of knowledge), Maha Lilah is much more than just a game – it is a map of your consciousness and a profound method for understanding the dynamics of your life's journey.

What is Maha Lilah?
The game board of awareness

Also known as the "Yoga of Snakes and Arrows", Maha Lilah is a timeless teaching that illustrates your personal process of becoming aware. Its 72 squares represent different states of consciousness, levels of reality, and archetypal human experiences. Each square holds a unique energy and deep meaning, ranging from basic emotions to the highest states of spiritual fulfilment.

Crossing this symbolic game board, guided by the roll of a die – representing your karma and the synchronistic forces of life – is a metaphor for your life's journey. You will encounter "arrows" that symbolise virtues and happy coincidences, leading you to higher planes of understanding. Conversely, the "snakes" represent attachments and unconscious patterns. These take you back to earlier levels so you can address unresolved issues.

More than a Game
a mirror for You and Your Path

Maha Lilah is a powerful tool for self-awareness and provides a profound insight into yourself, regardless of your spiritual background. Like the I Ching or Tarot, it sheds light on your inner world. It serves as a map to help you navigate the complex dynamics of your life. Through the principle of synchronicity, your journey across the game board becomes a clear reflection of your personal reality and inner mythology.

The Maha Lilah game helps you to gain deeper insights into your current life situation

and clarify personal questions. You can:

Recognise behavioural patterns, strengths and potential: Perceive your own patterns and challenges more clearly, as well as your virtues, strengths, and untapped potential.
Understand karma: Comprehend the universal laws of karma, or the principle of cause and effect, in a playful way.
Expand your consciousness: Detach yourself from limiting ego patterns and gradually perceive yourself more as pure presence and consciousness.

When you ask the Maha Lilah game a question, it reveals the energetic forces at work and your relationship to them. It illuminates the roots of your concerns in the past and present, and provides valuable insights for your future. Every move, every ascent via an arrow and every descent via a snake offers a fresh perspective, leading to a deeper understanding of yourself and your path.

Playing Maha Lilah is a unique experience. The game invites you to dive deep into your own consciousness and explore the dynamics of your life in a playful way. It is less about winning or losing in the conventional sense, and more about the insights and deeper understanding you gain on your journey across the game board.

1. The basics of the game

2. The journey on the board

3. The purpose of the game

Maha Lilah is a game with ancient roots. Traditionally, it is played on an artfully designed game board or a consecrated cloth. In this digital version, you immerse yourself in this timeless wisdom in a modern way. You need neither a physical board nor a personal object from the outside. The game board with its 72 squares unfolds before you on the screen, and an integrated six-sided die directs your karmic steps. A digital game piece, which you can choose or which is assigned to you, represents you on this fascinating journey of self-knowledge.

Although the form of interaction is digital, the principles and profound wisdom remain unchanged. There are different traditions and rule variations for Maha Lilah. In our digital game, we use the following rule for the start and course of the game. It is based on proven principles and allows for a profound gaming experience:

1. Preparing for and starting the game

Your symbol begins on house 68, which is the "Cosmic Consciousness" (Vaikuṇṭhaloka). This is both the starting point and the ultimate goal of the game.
Formulate your question or intention for this game, and record it in the note function if necessary. To start the game and exit house 68, you need to roll a one.
As long as you don't roll a one, you can keep your playing piece on house 68. Use this time to further internalise your question or intention.
Once you have done this, your playing piece is placed on house 1, "Principle" (Janma) and you remain there until your next regular turn.

2. Bewegung auf dem Brett

Once you have joined the game, your playing piece will move forward with each subsequent roll of the dice, advancing house by house in ascending numerical order according to the number rolled.
When playing in groups, players take turns to roll the dice. If you roll a six, you can move six houses forward and then roll again. This continues as long as you keep rolling sixes. (Important for playing in groups.)

3. The effect of Snakes and Arrows

If you roll the dice and land exactly on a house showing the head of a snake, the snake 'devours' your playing piece, which must then be moved back to the house showing the tail of the snake.
If you land on a house showing the foot of an arrow, you can move your playing piece along the arrow to the house at its tip.

4. Reaching the end of the game and achieving the goal.

The aim of the game is to land on house number 68, "Cosmic Consciousness" (Vaikuṇṭhaloka), exactly.
This can be achieved either by rolling the dice directly, or by landing on the foot of the arrow on house 54, "Spiritual Devotion" (Bhakti), which leads directly to house 68.
If you exceed the target (houses 69–72): If you reach the eighth level and land on houses 69, 70 or 71, you must attempt to reach house 72, "Rebirth" (Tamoguṇa), with an exact throw. From houses 69, 70 or 71, only throws that land you exactly on house 72 are valid (i.e. 3 from house 69, 2 from house 70, or 1 from house 71). Any other throws from these houses are invalid until house 72 is reached.
The snake of house 72: If you land on this space, the snake (Tamoguṇa), which starts here, will take you back to house 51, "Earth" (Pṛthvī). You then continue playing from there.
The game comes to a close as soon as you land precisely on square 68, "Cosmic Consciousness" (Vaikuṇṭhaloka).

Interpretation and reflection: It is more important to observe and understand your path than to reach the goal. Use the descriptions of the fields, arrows and snakes to help you reflect on your experiences in relation to your question.

Note on other traditional rules: You may find that there are other traditional rules for Maha Lilah. One well-known variant (often attributed to Harish Johari), for example, stipulates that you start the game on square 6. These and other variants can alter the gaming experience slightly. For our digital game, however, we have opted for the clear rule described above, whereby the game starts on square 1 with a one. This allows for a direct and focused start, giving the first squares their full meaning.

Maha Lilah Library

Enhance your understanding and unlock the timeless wisdom behind the game. Our library contains detailed descriptions of all eight levels, 72 houses, arrows and snakes. This comprehensive reference work is exclusively available in our subscription packages.

to the library

Your journey begins

Welcome to the game of self-awareness! Ask your question, roll the dice, and let the 72 houses of Maha Lilah guide you. Experience the dynamics of your life, recognise your patterns, and unlock your potential. The game is freely accessible to everyone.

COSMIC DIMENSION

Welcome to Maha LilaH

The ancient game of self-knowledge