Acharya Prashant begins by clarifying the concept of Maya. He states that Maya is not the concept that the universe is an illusion, but rather that there is no such thing as 'the universe' as an independent, objective entity. The universe that we perceive is a purely subjective entity. This subjectivity exists at two levels: the level of meaning and the level of fact. For example, when we look at a building, we assign it a subjective meaning based on our feelings like jealousy, curiosity, or desire. More fundamentally, even the factual existence of the building—its three-dimensional shape and geometry—is a function of how our brain is configured to perceive things. Different sentient beings perceive reality differently based on their unique sensory capabilities. The speaker explains that the ego is the tendency to mistake one's own subjective perceptions and projections for absolute reality. Maya is another name for this ego. He clarifies that the Vedantic term 'Mithya' does not mean non-existent. When it is said that the world (Jagat) is Mithya, it means the world does not exist in the way we perceive it. The true reality of the universe is called 'Brahman' or 'Atman' (the Self), which is unfathomable and beyond the mind's grasp. The solution, therefore, lies in negating the subjective part, which is the ego or Maya. As one gets rid of Maya, the absolute Truth remains. Acharya Prashant further elaborates that to be liberated from our inherent tendencies and bondages, one must be willing to pay the price. Most people are unwilling to do so because they have a stake in living in fancies and imaginations, which provide them with petty comforts and benefits. He asserts that this is not ignorance but a form of self-deception, an 'ugly ploy against oneself'. We are not truly ignorant; we choose not to see the Truth. Life itself has an inbuilt mechanism to show us that we are not living in facts, let alone the Truth. Our daily frustrations and setbacks are proof of this. We constantly misinterpret reality because the interpreter, the ego, is itself illusory.