Maya or the dualistic illusion.+

 Māyā:~

Maya or illusion is the most important contribution of Sage Sankara. Maya or illusion is the complex illusionary power of the Atman (Soul), which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

Maya or the dualistic illusion is present in the form of mind (I). And the mind (I) is in the form of the universe. And universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (Nonduality).

The waking experience is real from the standpoint of the waking entity (ego).

The waking experience is unreal from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.

The shelter of the three states is consciousness (Brahman but consciousness itself is untouched by the profanity of illusion (Maya).

Dualistic Illusion (Maya) is temporary and is destroyed with Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana "

Advaitin Sage and Maya:  

The King of the Hoysalas was a dualist and was greatly incensed at the doctrine taught Advaitin Sage that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Advaitin Sage to his palace. That Advaitin sage went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world was an illusion. The king had arranged to let loose an infuriated elephant against, Advaitin sage. The beast rushed at Advaitin sage who took to a precipitate flight to save himself.

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the elephant is only an illusion?'

'Oh, king,' said Advaitin sage in the course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.’

Similarly, the practical life within the practical world is merely an illusion. A Gnani is fully aware of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. A Gnani e is fully aware of the fact that the experiences the pleasure and pain within the waking experience are merely an illusion because the waking experience itself is an illusion.

Thus, life within the waking experience will go on, on its own.  It is nothing to do with the Soul, the  Self.  The waking or dream is merely an object to the formless witness. The Soul is the innermost Self. The Soul is the witness. The Soul the witness is nothing to do with the three states, because it is merely the witness of the coming and going of the three states or illusion.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar