The nature of reality

Concept of Maya

Maya is a fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy, referring to the illusory nature of the world we perceive.
To attain spiritual knowledge, one must see beyond this illusion. Maya keeps individuals away from the ultimate truth about reality.
It is believed that everything in the empirical world is an illusion created by our senses and the mind. The entity experiencing this Maya is Atman, the eternal self.

Brahman - The Ultimate Reality

Brahman is the ultimate reality according to Hinduism. It is the foundation of all that exists, transcendent and immanent.
All things, animate and inanimate, are manifestations of Brahman.
Brahman is eternal, infinite, genderless, omnipresent and impersonal. Its nature is described as Sat (truth), Chit (consciousness), and Ananda (bliss).
Brahman cannot be known by our senses, but can be experienced indirectly through deep meditation or yoga. This realization leads to liberation, known as Moksha.

Brahman and Atman

The Upanishads declare that the individual soul, or Atman, is identical to Brahman. Hence, “That thou art” (Tat Tvam Asi) is a popular statement found in the Upanishads.
This means that the individual self and the ultimate reality are essentially the same. It is simply because of Maya that they appear distinct.
Hence, achieving self-realisation, the knowledge that Atman and Brahman are one, is the route to Moksha.

Ishvara - The Personal God

Some Hindus believe in a personalised aspect of Brahman, called Ishvara, which is capable of interaction and relationship. Ishvara can take numerous forms or avatars, such as Krishna or Rama.
Ishvara is a representation of Brahman that humans can perceive, pray to, and form a relationship with.
While Ishvara and Brahman are regarded as the same ultimate reality, Ishvara is Brahman expressed in a form compatible with human understanding and worship. It provides a more tangible approach to the otherwise abstract concept of Brahman.