What does Chapter 26 say about the nature of the world we perceive and its relationship to our true self?

Chapter 26 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra explains that the physical world and the entire universe are essentially an illusion created by Maya. The text compares this perceived reality to a city reflected in a mirror or a dream that seems real but vanishes upon waking. It uses the classic analogy of mistaking a rope for a snake due to ignorance of one's true nature to illustrate how the world has no independent existence outside the Self. According to this chapter, this entire visible world is illusory and only dissolves when true knowledge dawns, which happens when the time for awakening through the Guru’s word arrives. The ultimate reality is the Self, which is self-luminous and eternal.