There is a controversy as to the meaning of Maya. One Advaitic School says it is a Shakti of Brahman whereby both illusion and creation are brought about.+

There is a controversy as to the meaning of Maya. One Advaitic School says it is a Shakti of Brahman whereby both illusion and creation are brought about. 

How do you know that it is the truth? If one bases it on the sayings of Rishis and saints, granting that they honestly believed in their experiences, there is still the query of how do they know that these experiences were the truth? 

Even in a dream whatever is experienced, becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, when wisdom dawns one becomes aware of the fact that the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity. Thus, whatever is experienced as the waking experience is as real as a dream. 

Thus, for Gnani, all three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness, because he is fully aware of the fact that, the witness of the three states is not the body but consciousness. 

A Gnani is fully aware of the fact that his body, ego, and universe are nothing but consciousness. Thus, he finds that experience of any sort is a play of consciousness and experience is merely an illusion. The one who witnesses the experience, which is in the form of the universe or mind is merely an illusion.   

Remember:~ 

Maya or illusion is the most important contribution of Sage Sankara. Maya or illusion is that complex illusionary power of the Atman (Soul), which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman. Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

Maya or the dualistic illusion is present in the form of mind (I). And the mind (I) is in the form of the universe. And universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (Nonduality).

The waking experience is real from the standpoint of the waking entity (ego). The waking experience is unreal from the standpoint of the formless Soul, the Self.

The shelter of the three states is consciousness (Brahman but consciousness itself is untouched by the profanity of illusion (Maya).

Dualistic Illusion (Maya) is temporary and is destroyed with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Remember:~

Different Gurus hold different views about Maya. In popular parlance, Maya means illusion. Only a Gnani knows what is Maya, and what is the ultimate reality.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ ‘The transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman (Gnani).

We have to discard all accumulated knowledge accumulated from different Gurus and teachers. In Atmic reality, there is no scope for two. Advaita means one without the second. Advaita means the Soul. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is one without the second.

Consciousness is one without the second because the world in which you exist is created out of consciousness. Thus, everything is consciousness. No second thing exists other than consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and eternal. Advaitic truth has to be grasped mentally by realizing that form, time and space are one, in essence.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.”

Mundaka Upanishad condemns rituals. The Para or Higher knowledge is the knowledge of the Supreme Being while the Apara or Lower Knowledge is that of following sacrificial rites and ceremonies. (1/2/ 1 – 6) :~ Santthosh Kumaar