The snake and rope both have to be investigated to discover the cause of the snake and rope.+

The snake and rope mean the illusory universe, and the cause of the illusory is the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The snake and rope both have to be investigated to discover the cause of the snake and rope. Even if the rope remains, ignorance prevails. Only when the cause of the snake and rope is discovered through deeper inquiry, ignorance vanishes

Through deeper self-search, when the unreal nature of the snake and rope (universe) is exposed, then the invisible Soul, the Self alone, which is the cause of the illusory snake and rope, shines as the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

The invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate reality or Brahman. The universe appears to be real in the same manner as when a rope is mistaken for a snake; the illusory snake appears to be real. The snake is said to be superimposed on the rope. The body and the world are within the universe. The universe is an object, and the invisible Soul or consciousness is the subject.

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A person, seeing a rope in dim light, mistakes it for a snake. He is as frightened as he would have been if there had been a real snake there. The snake is said to have an ‘illusory reality. The illusory snake is described as a superimposition on the rope. The snake is not real, because it is found on examination with a light that it never existed there. At the same time, it was experienced as reality till ignorance prevailed. Similarly, this waking experience is experienced as a reality due to ignorance.

When wisdom dawns, then the unreal nature of the waking experience is exposed. At the dawn of Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the waking experience has no existence apart from the Soul or consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The waking experience is, therefore, said to be superimposed on consciousness in the same way as the dream is superimposed on consciousness.

The waking experience is the practical reality because it is real until the attainment of Self-realization. The invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness alone, has absolute reality; because it is absolutely changeless because it is formless, timeless, and spaceless. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar