What is Avidya or Ignorance?
The truth is this world that seems so real to us is nothing but a dream in the eyes of god. We may understand this accept it but that does not help us. This is avidya. In the bible this goes by the name of Satan or lucifer. Everything that came from Satan is a lie. Meaning it is an illusion and has no substance. In Hinduism it is called Maya or para prakriti. Allegorically it is hiranyakashipu.
To destroy this ignorance and actually seeing it as a dream world of god is vidya or knowledge. This should not be a mental imagination but an actual perception
I have written elsewhere about Satan or Maya as a royal prank elsewhere
Everytime we desire something we increase our ignorance or avidya because we are wanting something that has no value wanting a part of the dream or illusion of god and not wanting god. Thus it becomes the original sin where we are tempted by the lies of Satan or Maya and wanting the gifts or illusionary gifts of god rather than god himself
That is why vairagya or not wanting anything in this world is of extreme impotance as a first step. Once this is perfected the next steps are easier and less painful
Bhavin