A Gnani is not actually the cause of the enlightenment. A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seekers own work.+

A Gnani is not actually the cause of enlightenment. A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

 A woman,   who loses her nose ring while bathing in the river, is worried about this loss she spends hours searching for it taking more and more dips in the river. she fails to find it but, instead, finds a diamond necklace. Clearly, it was her determination to recover this nose ring that led to his finding something more valuable than her nose ring.

In the same way, it is said that the seeker who spends all his time searching for something unknown, thinks that the search is for something for himself – peace of mind, meaning in his life, or whatever. But he fails to find this. Instead, if he perseveres, he finds something of much greater value – his true Self. This cannot be found directly as a result of anyone’s teaching. Nevertheless, had it not been for the guidance of a Gnani, he would not have continued looking.

That is why Sage Sri, Sankara says:~ VC-65- As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

One has to first find the truth and realize, then only he will know ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘what is untruth?’. One has to make discoveries through the process of rational thinking. 

A Gnani never claims himself as a Gnani, he guides the seekers, not posing himself as a Guru, and he does not force his wisdom on others.

Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul the innermost Self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

Sage Sankara:~ Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration.

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

You need not become a Guru or a monk to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. You have not to renounce the world or leave anything ~ your wife, children, job, responsibilities. You do not have to renounce anything! The only thing you have to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space by realizing the form, time, and space, are the product of ignorance. When ignorance vanishes, the unreality of form, time, and space is exposed.

Upanishad says:~  "He who thinks he knows, does not know." This means that to know anything implies a second, an object of knowledge, hence duality, i.e. no Gnana.

Tripura Rahasya: ~ Second-hand knowledge of the Self-gathered from books or Gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. Realize yourself, turning the mind inward. (18: 89) 

Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.

Upanishads: ~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

No one can teach anybody. Wisdom is hidden within the world in which you exist.  A Gnani can only show the way that much is the work of a Gnani. A Gnani only guides the seekers to apply their own reason and realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. 

When the seeker learns to view and judge and reason the three states on the base of the Soul, the truth will start unfolding on its own.     First, the seeker may find it difficult to use soulcentric reason but gradually it will become easy. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar