सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म, “Everything is only brahman and nothing else”, says Chandogya Upanishad (3.14.1)

But, If everything is Brahman, then why do Maya and all these other entities like Indrya, Mana, Buddhi, Koshas, and Shariras, stopping us from making spiritual progress? 

Add to the injury, Maya, the main villain, is called as “divine” by Krishna (Bhagavad Gita 7.14).. You don’t glorify the villains, correct?

Something is not right.. May be we are missing something here.

Lets revisit the shloka where Maya is called divine.
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया | मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते || 

If you notice, while calling Maya divine, Krishna also calls it, गुणमयी, one that is filled with Tri-Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas). 

Now, if you remember, earlier posts (#13,14,16), we are also made of same tri-gunas. Additionally, we also know that, these tri-gunas are result of our Sanchit/Prarabdha karma.

So, if we put all these together, we realize that, गुणमयी Maya is representing our gunas (and Karmas) and helping us repay those karmas in this life.

Like, Shvetashvatara Upanishad says, 

“मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं च महेश्वरम्” (4.10)
Maya is the Prakruti (or Srusthi or nature), while Brahman is the lord of Prakruti .

This way, Maya is just impartial enforcer of the laws of karma, like judicial system, and that’s why it is divine.

BTW, it’s not Maya that is keeping us away from spiritual progress; it’s our karmas, desires and attachments. Once we get rid of them, Maya will disappear in the same way it came to existence. 

Having said that, as Sant Kabir did, feel free to make Maya the villain, if that helps your spiritual progress.

कबीर माया पापिनी, फंद ले बैठी हाट, सब जग तो फंदे परा, गया कबीरा काट।
कबीर माया डाकिनी, सब काहु को खाये, दांत उपारुन पापिनी, संनतो नियरे जाये।
कबीर माया पापिनी, हरि सो करै हराम, मुख कदियाली, कुबुधि की, कहा ना देयी राम।
कबीर माया बेसबा, दोनु की ऐक जात, आबत को आदर करै, जात ना पुछै बात।
कबीर माया मोहिनी, जैसे मीठी खांर, सदगुरु की कृपा भैयी, नाटेर करती भांर।
कबीर माया रुखरी, दो फल की दातार, खाबत खर्चत मुक्ति भय, संचत नरक दुआर।

All the Best!