The snake is the universe and the rope is the Soul, the Self. Through deeper Self-search, when the unreal nature of the snake (universe) is exposed then the rope (Soul) alone exists as the ultimate reality.
Remember:~
A person, seeing a rope in dim light, mistakes it for a snake. He is as much frightened as he would have been if there had been a real snake there. The snake is said to have ‘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 never existed there. At the same time, it was experienced as reality till ignorance prevailed. Similarly, this waking experience is experienced as 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 the consciousness. The consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.
The waking experience is, therefore, said to be superimposed on consciousness the same way as the dream is superimposed on consciousness.
The Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness alone, has absolute reality; because it is absolutely changeless because it is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar
