Two Aspects of Maya — Avarana and Vikshepa
Maya operates through two powers: Avarana (the power of veiling/concealment) that hides Brahman, and Vikshepa (the power of projection) that creates the appearance of the world in its place.
Advaita Vedanta's analysis of Maya identifies two powers through which it operates: (1) Avarana Shakti (the power of veiling, covering, concealing) — Maya hides the true nature of Brahman, like clouds hiding the sun. This creates the condition of Ajnana (not-knowing Brahman). (2) Vikshepa Shakti (the power of projection, creation) — Maya projects the appearance of the world in place of the hidden Brahman, like clouds not only hiding the sun but appearing to fill the sky. These two powers operate sequentially: first Avarana conceals Brahman; then Vikshepa projects the illusory world in Brahman's place. The analogy: in dim light, a rope is not seen clearly (Avarana), and a snake is imagined in its place (Vikshepa). The rope's non-recognition enables the snake's projection. Similarly: Brahman's non-recognition (Avarana) enables the world's projection (Vikshepa). Liberation requires the reversal of both: Brahma Jnana dissolves Vikshepa (the projected world is recognized as Brahman) and destroys Avarana (Brahman is directly recognized).
Maya has two powers: Avarana that hides Brahman, and Vikshepa that projects the appearance of the world.
Cognitive scientist Daniel Simons' inattentional blindness research — demonstrating that focused attention on one thing prevents seeing other things even when they are in plain sight — provides a scientific parallel to Avarana: our attention to the world of objects prevents the recognition of the consciousness within which all objects appear.
Panchadashi