Acharya Prashant addresses a question about the concept of Maya in Advaita Vedanta, particularly how to understand that the universe is an illusion. He begins by correcting the premise, stating that the concept is not that the universe is an illusion, but that there is no such thing as "the universe" as a singular, objective entity. The universe that each person perceives is a purely subjective entity. This subjectivity exists at two levels: the level of meaning and the level of fact. Using the example of a building, he explains that nobody looks at it without assigning a subjective meaning to it, such as jealousy, curiosity, or a desire for ownership. These meanings are purely subjective and not absolute. Furthermore, Acharya Prashant explains that even the very fact of the building's existence—its three-dimensional shape, height, and width—is also subjective. This perceived reality is a function of how the brain is configured to see things. The building does not exist objectively or absolutely by itself, independent of the perceiving subject. If the perceiver's personal configuration changes, the building would no longer remain the same. He clarifies that this is the essence of Maya. When Adi Shankaracharya said the world is "Mithya," he did not mean it is non-existent. "Mithya" means the world does not exist in the way you perceive it to be. The ultimate reality of the universe is Brahman, which is unfathomable and inaccessible to the mind. The solution, he states, lies in negating the subjective part, which is the ego. Maya is another name for this ego, which is the subjective experiencer. To think of one's own perceptions and projections as absolute is the ego. He further explains that Maya has two aspects: "Avaran" (the failure to see reality) and "Vikshep" (projecting things that are not there). This is the nature of Maya: seeing things where none exist and failing to see what truly exists. This misinterpretation is what constitutes Maya.