Real vs. Unreal: How to Get Out of Maya’s Crocodile Jaws

Advaita Vedanta declares, “Brahma satyam, jagat mithyā, jīvaḥ brahma eva na aparaḥ” — Brahman (the limitless Consciousness) alone is real, the world (as we perceive it) is mithyā (not absolutely real), and the individual self is none other than Brahman.

Yet, it often feels impossible to see this truth directly in our day-to-day lives. Why? Because of māyā — that mysterious power by which the Unreal appears as Real and veils our appreciation of the one Reality.

Let us consider a simple everyday illustration:

The Table–Wood Analogy

What are you looking at when you see a piece of furniture like a wooden table? You might say, “I see a table.”

But if I were to push the question further, you might start thinking, “Yes, it’s actually wood shaped in a particular form with four legs.”

• When the legs are detached, can we still call it a “table”?
• Clearly, the name “table” depends on the presence of that particular form shape.
• The underlying substance, “wood,” remains regardless of how it’s shaped.

So from a Vedantic standpoint:

• The form, “table,” is nāma–rūpa (name and form).
• The wood is the support, the adhiṣṭhāna (underlying reality).

If you were in a frenzy on Black Friday, you might fight over that table. Why? Because your focus is “This is my table!”

You are attributing absolute reality to its temporary form. Yet, from a deeper perspective, it is only wood. Without the wood, there is no table. Therefore, the reality of “table” is completely dependent on the reality of “wood.”

Hence, name-and-form (the table) is mithyā — it’s neither absolutely real nor non-existent. The wood, being the supporting substance, is relatively more real.

Pushing this analogy further, in Advaita Vedanta the final “wood” is Consciousness (Brahman) itself; and everything else that appears — names, forms, events, personalities — is mithyā, a superimposition (adhyāsa).

Understanding Mithya

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya analyzes this dynamic in his commentaries on the Upaniṣads and the Brahmasūtras. The classical example is rope–snake:

1. Rope–Snake: You see a rope dimly lit and mistake it for a snake. The snake is mithyā; it appears real until you shine a light (equated to gaining knowledge of the true nature of this apparent snake) and recognize, “Oh, it’s just a rope.”
2. Wood–Table: The table appears to have independent existence, yet a deeper analysis reveals it is only wood in a particular shape.

In both cases, when you investigate carefully, you see the one substratum. This turning of the mind from the superficial name and form (nāma–rūpa) to the underlying reality (sat) – is the essence of Advaita Vedanta’s methodology.

Partial Teachings & The Need for a Competent Teacher

Many seekers, due to the power of maya, remain focused on the superficial aspects (the “table”) and fail to appreciate the deeper substratum (the “wood”).

Even some sincere teachers may inadvertently emphasize only certain practices (like managing one’s mind or emotions) without revealing the complete vision of oneness. This can leave the student with an unaddressed doubt: “I feel there’s something missing. I still sense duality. Why am I not free from the sense of limitation?”

According to the tradition of Advaita Vedanta, the seeker’s dissatisfaction ends only when one gains firm knowledge (vidyā) of the Whole — gaining clarity that one’s nature is none other than limitless Consciousness (Brahman), and this universe, with all its forms, is mithyā.

If you know that, but still feel dissatisfied, then you don't know that! It's still intellectual.

This is where a qualified ācārya (teacher) becomes indispensable. In the Upaniṣads, the process of śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana (listening to the teachings, reflecting on them logically, and deeply contemplating on them) under the guidance of a competent guru is repeatedly emphasized.

For instance, the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12) says: “Approach the teacher with reverence, for he or she knows the essence of the Veda.”

Similarly, the Kaṭha Upaniṣad advises a dialogue between a competent teacher and student as the only sure way to unlock the highest knowledge.

Why One Cannot “Figure It Out” Alone

A common objection is, “I’ll just study the scriptures by myself. If the Upaniṣads are revealing the highest truth, then a quick read or YouTube video should suffice.”

The problem is that if you are already under the spell of ignorance, then every new piece of information you encounter is processed through an ignorant mind.

In other words, one might superimpose old concepts, biases, and mental filters onto the texts. Mere intellectual study cannot remove the root ignorance that causes one to misidentify with the body–mind instead of the Consciousness underlying it.

Hence, classical Advaita repeatedly asserts the necessity of a qualified teacher — someone who has themselves been taught in a valid paramparā (teaching lineage), has thoroughly assimilated the teachings, and can guide the student out of habitual misconceptions.

The Power of Direct Instruction

No amount of secondhand knowledge — recordings, books, or even brilliant logical analysis — is a substitute for live interaction with someone established in the teaching tradition. Why?

1. Interactive Clarity: A live teacher can address your specific doubts in real time.
2. Refined Pedagogy: Traditional teachers (acharyas) use specific methodologies (prakriyas) refined over centuries — like adhyāropa–apavāda (superimposition and subsequent negation) — to carefully reveal the nature of the Self.
3. Transmission in Person: Above all, being in the presence of one who abides in the vision of oneness can dispel lingering doubts just seeing them. Long as they remain distant, you keep imagining what a wise person is, keeping you in your bubbles.

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya highlights the necessity of a guru in his commentaries and in texts like Vivekachūḍāmaṇi, where he states that one should approach the teacher with humility, service, and the willingness to listen.

Getting Out of the Grip of Māyā

The question then arises: “If the body, mind, teacher, and even Vedanta are all mithya — how can mithya liberate me from mithya?”

The tradition answers: Even though a thorn is removed by another thorn, both are ultimately discarded once the work is done. Similarly, the knowledge revealed by the teacher using the teachings removes ignorance, and then the very notion that you were ever bound is also seen as mithya. 

Until that clear seeing occurs, we use the tools of maya (the teacher, scripture, even these words) to transcend maya. The Upanishads liken it to using a raft to cross a river — once you reach the far shore, you no longer need the raft.

Conclusion & Next Steps

1. Inquire into the Real: Ask yourself, “What truly persists? What is the substratum that doesn’t come and go?” Train your mind to see beyond superficial names and forms.
2. Seek a Teacher: Find a traditional guru from a lineage such as the Arsha Vidya tradition of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, or another established parampara. Only someone established in the vision of non-duality and skilled in teaching methods can systematically guide you to recognize your true nature. Or reach out to Acharya Andre from this website who teaches this very knowledge.
3. Commit to the Process: Realize you cannot shortcut this journey by independent study alone. A teacher’s direct guidance complements and completes your inquiry, ensuring doubts are resolved, and you assimilate the knowledge fully.

One profound personal meeting with a qualified teacher can catalyze more understanding than a thousand years of solitary pondering. This may sound dramatic, but remember that the spiritual path is not about gathering more knowledge externally — it is about removing the veil of ignorance covering the limitless Consciousness that you already are.

May you be led from the Unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, and from mortality to Immortality, as the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad prayer says: “Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormā amṛtaṃ gamaya.”

Om Tat Sat.

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Author’s Note
If you feel something stirring within — an intuition that there is more to life than meets the eye — heed that call. Finding a competent teacher in the Advaita Vedanta tradition can indeed feel like searching for a gem. Yet, the effort is more than worthwhile. The Upanishads declare that once ignorance is removed, you discover that you never were apart from limitless Consciousness to begin with. This is the most liberating discovery a human can make.

For further resources and pointers to reputable teachers, consult the recommended reading and lineage-based institutions on our resources page. Then, ensure you set aside time to attend a retreat or class in person. The difference between theoretical understanding and actualized knowledge cannot be overstated.

Hariḥ Om.