It is a curious position that seems to suggest that Shankara's advaita darshana is alien to Veda and Vedanta.
Maya, as I understand, is a cosmic hypnosis that veils the Singular Reality and imposes the suggestions of manifestation. The cosmic consciousness of the One Perceiver, experiencing these transformations of maya, becomes correspondingly individualized as many souls. To me this is the essence throughout in Vedas, Upanishads and in Gita. I note below a few selected passages. If required, I can reproduce many many more.
RV 7.098.05 I proclaim the ancient exploits of Indra, the recent deeds that Maghavan has achieved; when indeed he had overcome the un-divine illusion, thenceforth the Soma became his exclusive.
RV 10.054.02 When you proceed, Indra, increasing in form, and proclaiming your prowess among mankind, false is that your (wandering), false the combats which you have narrated; you (find) now no enemy (to attack), did you formerly find one?
RV 10.054.03 Who among the r.s.is before us have obtained the limit of your entire greatness, since from your own person you have generated at once both mother and father (or earth and heaven)?
Mayabheda from Rig Veda
RV 10.177.01 to 10.177.03
पतंगमक्तमसुरस्य मायया हृदा पश्यन्ति मनसा विपश्चितः ।
समुद्रे अन्तः कवयो वि चक्षते मरीचीनां पदमिच्छन्ति वेधसः ॥१॥
पतंगो वाचं मनसा बिभर्ति तां गन्धर्वोऽवदद्गर्भे अन्तः ।
तां द्योतमानां स्वर्यं मनीषामृतस्य पदे कवयो नि पान्ति ॥२॥
अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम् ।
स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः ॥३॥
The wise behold with their mind in their heart the Sun, made externally manifest by the illusion of the Asura;
The sages look into the solar orb, the ordainers desire the region of his rays.
The Sun bears the word in his mind; the Gandharva has spoken it within the wombs;
Sages cherish it in the place of sacrifice, brilliant, heavenly, ruling the mind. I beheld the protector, never descending, going by his paths to the east and the west;
Isha Upanishad
7) To the seer, all things have verily become the Self: what delusion, what sorrow, can there be for him who beholds that oneness?
Yoga Sutras
2.5 antiya ashuchi duhkha anatmasu nitya shuchi sukha atman khyatih avidya
2:5 Ignorance is perceiving the non-eternal, impure, evil, and what is not atman, to be eternal, pure, good, and the atman.
Gita
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।
7.14 Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the (three) qualities (of Nature) is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, cross over this illusion.
13.17 Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam;
Bhootabhartru cha tajjneyam grasishnu prabhavishnu cha.
13.17. And undivided, yet He exists as if divided in beings; He is to be known as the supporter of beings; He devours and He generates also.
.......
Those who are interested may further peruse the following selection from Vedas, Upanishads, and Gita.
Atharva Veda VIII.10.22
She rose. The Asuras saw her. They called her. Their cry was, "Come, O Māyā, come thou hither" !!
Her cow was Virochana Prahradi. Her milking vessel was a pan of iron.
Dvimurdha Artvya milked this Māyā.
The Asuras depend for life on Māyā for their sustenance.
One who knows this, becomes a fit supporter [of gods].
Gita
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।
7.14 Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the (three) qualities (of Nature) is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, cross over this illusion.
13.17 Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam;
Bhootabhartru cha tajjneyam grasishnu prabhavishnu cha.
13.17. And undivided, yet He exists as if divided in beings; He is to be known as the supporter of beings; He devours and He generates also.
6.29 One who is thus integrated in yoga sees all with equal eye, seeing himself in all beings all beings in himself.
15.6 Neither sun, nor moon, nor fire illumines this state on attaining which one does not return. And this is My supreme abode.
Upanishads
Kathy Upanishad
"This is That" -- thus they realize the ineffable joy supreme. How can "This" be known? Does he give light or does he reflect light?
There the sun shines not, nor the moon, nor the stars; lightnings shine not there and much less earthly fire. From his light all these give light, and his radiance illumines all creation.
Isha Upanishad
5) It moves and moves not; It is far and likewise near. It is inside all this and It is outside all this.
6) The wise man beholds all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings; for that reason he does not hate anyone.
7) To the seer, all things have verily become the Self: what delusion, what sorrow, can there be for him who beholds that oneness?
…….
15) The door of the Truth is covered by a golden disc. Open it, O Nourisher! Remove it so that I who have been worshipping the Truth may behold It.
KATH U IV, 10--11
10. Whatever is here, the same is there;
whatever is there, the same is here.
Whoever perceives just separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
11. Only by the spirit can this intuition be grasped:
in this world there is nothing whatever separate.
Whoever thinks he perceives separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
BU IV, 4, 13-14
iii) 13. He who has found and awakened to the atman
which has entered the otherwise impenetrable body,
he is the maker of the universe, of all things.
The world is his! The world itself is he!
14. This we may know, indeed, while here on earth.
If we do not know it, great is the destruction.
But those who know it become immortal.
The others attain only distress.
KATH U IV, 1-2
1. The Self-existent pierced sense openings outward;
therefore a Man looks out, not in.
But a certain wise Man, in search of immortality,
turned his gaze inward and saw the Self within.
2. The foolish go after outward pleasures
and walk into the snare of all-embracing death.
The wise, however, discerning immortality,
do not seek the permanent among things impermanent.
KATH U IV, 10--11
10. Whatever is here, the same is there;
whatever is there, the same is here.
Whoever perceives just separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
11. Only by the spirit can this intuition be grasped:
in this world there is nothing whatever separate.
Whoever thinks he perceives separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
KATH U IV, 14-15
14. As water descending on mountain crags
wastes its energies among the gullies,
so he who views things as separate
wastes his energies in their pursuit.
15. But as pure water poured into pure
becomes the selfsame--wholly pure,
so too becomes the self of the silent sage,
of the one, O Gautama, who has understanding.
RV VIII, 58, 2
iv) Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways;
only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe;
only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things.
In very truth, the One has become the whole world!
RV X, 114, 5AB
v) By their words the inspired sages impart
manifold forms to that Bird which is the One.
AV XIII, 4, 12-21
vii) 12. Power entered within him.
He is the One, the Onefold, the only One.
13. In him all the Gods become unified.
14. Fame and glory, fruitfulness and fertility,
Brahman splendor, food and nourishment,
15. belong to him who knows this God as One only.
16. Not second or third or fourth is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
17. Not fifth or sixth or seventh is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
18. Not eighth or ninth or tenth is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
19. He watches over all existent beings,
those that breathe and those that breathe not.
20. Power entered within him.
He is the One, the Onefold, the only One.
21. In him all the Gods become unified.
TA III, 11, 1
ix) He who lives in us as our guide, who is one, and yet appears in many forms, in whom the hundred lights of heaven are one, in whom the Vedas are one, in whom the priests are one--he is the spiritual atman within the person.
MAIT U VI, 17
vi) In the beginning this was Brahman, One and infinite, infinite in the East, infinite in the South, infinite in the West, infinite in the North, infinite above and below, infinite in every direction. For him there are, of course, no directions such as the East and so on, no across, no above, and no below.
Inconceivable is this supreme atman, immeasurable, unborn, inscrutable, unthinkable, he whose Self is [infinite] space. He alone remains awake when the universe is dissolved, and out of this space he awakens [again] the world consisting of thought. By him alone is all this thought [into being] and in him it dissolves again. His shining form is that which burns in the sun; it is the multiform light that shines in the smokeless fire and it is that which digests the food in the body. For thus it has been said:
He who dwells in the fire,
he who dwells in the heart,
he who dwells in the sun,
he is One.
The man who knows this,
he verily attains
the Oneness of the One.
KAIV U 23
vii) For me there is no earth, no water, and no fire.
For me there is neither wind nor ether.
The one who has discovered the supreme atman
dwelling in the heart, without parts, without a second,
the universal witness, neither being nor nonbeing,
attains the pure form of the supreme atman.
CU VII, 1; 2, 2; 3-8; 10-18; 21-24; 26
26, 1. The man who sees in this way, who thinks in this way, who knows in this way--from his atman proceeds life, from his atman hope, from his atman memory, from his atman space, from his atman radiance, from his atman water, from his atman proceed the manifestation and disappearance [of the world], from his atman proceeds food, from his atman energy, from his atman wisdom, from his atman contemplation, from his atman thought, from his atman purpose, from his atman mind, from his atman the word, from his atman name, from his atman prayer, from his atman sacred actions, from his atman comes all this.
She rose. The Asuras saw her. They called her. Their cry was, "Come, O Māyā, come thou hither" !!
Her cow was Virochana Prahradi. Her milking vessel was a pan of iron.
Dvimurdha Artvya milked this Māyā.
The Asuras depend for life on Māyā for their sustenance.
One who knows this, becomes a fit supporter [of gods].
Gita
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।
7.14 Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the (three) qualities (of Nature) is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, cross over this illusion.
13.17 Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam;
Bhootabhartru cha tajjneyam grasishnu prabhavishnu cha.
13.17. And undivided, yet He exists as if divided in beings; He is to be known as the supporter of beings; He devours and He generates also.
6.29 One who is thus integrated in yoga sees all with equal eye, seeing himself in all beings all beings in himself.
15.6 Neither sun, nor moon, nor fire illumines this state on attaining which one does not return. And this is My supreme abode.
Upanishads
Kathy Upanishad
"This is That" -- thus they realize the ineffable joy supreme. How can "This" be known? Does he give light or does he reflect light?
There the sun shines not, nor the moon, nor the stars; lightnings shine not there and much less earthly fire. From his light all these give light, and his radiance illumines all creation.
Isha Upanishad
5) It moves and moves not; It is far and likewise near. It is inside all this and It is outside all this.
6) The wise man beholds all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings; for that reason he does not hate anyone.
7) To the seer, all things have verily become the Self: what delusion, what sorrow, can there be for him who beholds that oneness?
…….
15) The door of the Truth is covered by a golden disc. Open it, O Nourisher! Remove it so that I who have been worshipping the Truth may behold It.
KATH U IV, 10--11
10. Whatever is here, the same is there;
whatever is there, the same is here.
Whoever perceives just separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
11. Only by the spirit can this intuition be grasped:
in this world there is nothing whatever separate.
Whoever thinks he perceives separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
BU IV, 4, 13-14
iii) 13. He who has found and awakened to the atman
which has entered the otherwise impenetrable body,
he is the maker of the universe, of all things.
The world is his! The world itself is he!
14. This we may know, indeed, while here on earth.
If we do not know it, great is the destruction.
But those who know it become immortal.
The others attain only distress.
KATH U IV, 1-2
1. The Self-existent pierced sense openings outward;
therefore a Man looks out, not in.
But a certain wise Man, in search of immortality,
turned his gaze inward and saw the Self within.
2. The foolish go after outward pleasures
and walk into the snare of all-embracing death.
The wise, however, discerning immortality,
do not seek the permanent among things impermanent.
KATH U IV, 10--11
10. Whatever is here, the same is there;
whatever is there, the same is here.
Whoever perceives just separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
11. Only by the spirit can this intuition be grasped:
in this world there is nothing whatever separate.
Whoever thinks he perceives separateness
passes from death to death without cease.
KATH U IV, 14-15
14. As water descending on mountain crags
wastes its energies among the gullies,
so he who views things as separate
wastes his energies in their pursuit.
15. But as pure water poured into pure
becomes the selfsame--wholly pure,
so too becomes the self of the silent sage,
of the one, O Gautama, who has understanding.
RV VIII, 58, 2
iv) Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways;
only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe;
only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things.
In very truth, the One has become the whole world!
RV X, 114, 5AB
v) By their words the inspired sages impart
manifold forms to that Bird which is the One.
AV XIII, 4, 12-21
vii) 12. Power entered within him.
He is the One, the Onefold, the only One.
13. In him all the Gods become unified.
14. Fame and glory, fruitfulness and fertility,
Brahman splendor, food and nourishment,
15. belong to him who knows this God as One only.
16. Not second or third or fourth is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
17. Not fifth or sixth or seventh is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
18. Not eighth or ninth or tenth is he called--
he who knows this God as One only.
19. He watches over all existent beings,
those that breathe and those that breathe not.
20. Power entered within him.
He is the One, the Onefold, the only One.
21. In him all the Gods become unified.
TA III, 11, 1
ix) He who lives in us as our guide, who is one, and yet appears in many forms, in whom the hundred lights of heaven are one, in whom the Vedas are one, in whom the priests are one--he is the spiritual atman within the person.
MAIT U VI, 17
vi) In the beginning this was Brahman, One and infinite, infinite in the East, infinite in the South, infinite in the West, infinite in the North, infinite above and below, infinite in every direction. For him there are, of course, no directions such as the East and so on, no across, no above, and no below.
Inconceivable is this supreme atman, immeasurable, unborn, inscrutable, unthinkable, he whose Self is [infinite] space. He alone remains awake when the universe is dissolved, and out of this space he awakens [again] the world consisting of thought. By him alone is all this thought [into being] and in him it dissolves again. His shining form is that which burns in the sun; it is the multiform light that shines in the smokeless fire and it is that which digests the food in the body. For thus it has been said:
He who dwells in the fire,
he who dwells in the heart,
he who dwells in the sun,
he is One.
The man who knows this,
he verily attains
the Oneness of the One.
KAIV U 23
vii) For me there is no earth, no water, and no fire.
For me there is neither wind nor ether.
The one who has discovered the supreme atman
dwelling in the heart, without parts, without a second,
the universal witness, neither being nor nonbeing,
attains the pure form of the supreme atman.
CU VII, 1; 2, 2; 3-8; 10-18; 21-24; 26
26, 1. The man who sees in this way, who thinks in this way, who knows in this way--from his atman proceeds life, from his atman hope, from his atman memory, from his atman space, from his atman radiance, from his atman water, from his atman proceed the manifestation and disappearance [of the world], from his atman proceeds food, from his atman energy, from his atman wisdom, from his atman contemplation, from his atman thought, from his atman purpose, from his atman mind, from his atman the word, from his atman name, from his atman prayer, from his atman sacred actions, from his atman comes all this.
From Atman, proceed the world. That is what the whole of Sanatana Dharma scriptures teach.
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