What is the nature of Maya or Avidya, and can you provide some examples of how it works?

Maya, also referred to as Avidya or ignorance, creates a false reality where things appear different from what they truly are. As described in Chapter 50, this is the play of Maya, before which even the wise can be helpless. For instance, a rope might be mistaken for a snake, or silver might appear to be in a shell. The text also uses the analogy of a whirling firebrand, which creates the illusion of a solid circle of fire, even though the circle itself has no real existence. In the same way, the delusion of Maya produces a non-existent world.