What is Avidya or Maya, and what examples are given to show how it works?

Avidya, also called Maya, is presented as a powerful force of illusion that causes things to appear other than what they are. Chapter 50 explains that even the wise are helpless before it. Several examples are provided to illustrate this principle. These include a rope being mistaken for a snake, a shell being perceived as containing silver, and the sun's rays creating the illusion of a mirage. A key analogy given is that of a person whirling a lit firebrand (kolit), which creates the false appearance of a solid circle of fire (Agni-kankan). The fire is real, but the circle is an illusion, just as Maya produces a non-existent world from a real source.