Sutra 1.10

Translation Non-discrimination is Maya; it is the state of deep sleep.

Meaning In this sutra, the nature of Maya is defined not as an external cosmic illusion that traps the soul, but as an internal failure of discernment, known as aviveka. It is the inability to distinguish between the eternal, luminous consciousness of Shiva and the transient, limited phenomena of the world. When one loses the capacity to recognize their true identity as the universal subject, they fall into a state of spiritual slumber where the self is mistaken for the body, the mind, or the objects of perception.

This condition is equated with sushupti, the state of deep, dreamless sleep. Just as in deep sleep the world disappears and only a dense, unaware darkness remains, the state of Maya is a profound ignorance where the light of consciousness is obscured by its own contraction. It is not that the world ceases to exist, but that the seeker ceases to see the divine reality pulsating within it. The veil of Maya is simply this heavy inertia of the mind that refuses to wake up to the non-dual truth.

Contemplation Throughout your day, whenever you feel stuck in a reaction, overwhelmed by a problem, or identified with a specific role, pause and ask yourself: Am I awake to the awareness behind this experience, or am I asleep in the story? Treat every moment of confusion or emotional turbulence as a signal of aviveka, a gentle alarm clock ringing from within. Instead of fighting the situation, use it as an opportunity to shift your attention from the content of the experience to the silent, witnessing presence that knows it, thereby waking up from the deep sleep of separation.