Advaita based on individualized God is not the means to acquire Self –knowledge or Brahma Gnana.++****

Surrendering is a religious fable. Surrendering to ‘what’ when there is only one. Devotion and surrendering are a reality on the base of the false self (ego or you) within the false experience. Thus, the guru, devotion, and surrendering are part and parcel of the illusion.  Surrendering implies duality. Realizing there is no duality leads to nondualistic self-awareness. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the only tool to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

He who thinks God is one and the Soul, the Self is another can never be able to understand, assimilate and realize the non- dualistic or Advaitic truth.  

It is not the man, who has to be free, but it is the Soul, the  'Self' has to be free by realizing it is not the man perceiving the world. People want to get freedom, but freedom comes only when the soul wakes up without the illusory body and the illusory world (duality). 

 It is the Soul, the Self is in the cage of illusion. It is the Soul that wants to get out of the illusion because the illusion and the reality are one in essence. That essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Thus all that man experiences within the dualistic illusion of practical life within the practical world and seeing the vision, speaking to God, seeing God are a reality within the dualistic illusion. 

On the Nondualistic perspective, there is, no second thing exists other than consciousness (Spirit). Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. From the standpoint of Brahman or God, everything is Brahman or God. 

Remember:~

Most of the Saints and Gurus of the past are mostly social reformers, thus, they are more concerned to humanism rather than the truth. Their contribution is very valuable to live in the practical world.  Thus, humanism is part and parcel of the universe, which is merely an illusion.  

People think love is the means to self-realization, but they are unaware of the fact that love and hate are made of the same stuff. Love is not a means of Self –realization. Love is very much necessary in practical life within the practical world. Love implies duality.  Whatever is of duality is a falsehood. Thus, love is a reality within the falsehood.  Lover and love cease to exist in reality,  because the experience of duality is not a reality.  The experience of practical life within the practical world is a reality within the waking experience,  but the waking experience itself is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, the lover and love are one in essence. Thus,  the path of love is a religious path,  because religion is the path of individuality. the individuality belongs to the duality.  

The humanism is limited to practical life within the practical world.    The path of love is the path for humanity therefore, it is an individualized path. Thus, the path of love is limited to the physical structure, it cannot transport one to the ultimate end.  Thus, the seeker has to understand the fact that the practical life and practical world are part of the mirage from the ultimate standpoint. 

The simple reason is that the average person may have a desire for knowledge but when the whole society is immersed in the religion, and feeling himself out of place,  because of societal fear and surrounding circumstances and he thinks it unfits him to pursue the path of truth. 

The seeker of truth is one who is ready to verify and has the courage to accept and reject the truth when he finds out what is truth and what is the untruth. The meek will stick to their inherited conditioning remain, experiencing duality as reality.

Remember:~

When a yogi realizes that yoga is not the means to acquire Self-knowledge than takes up deeper self-search by dropping all the yogic discipline.  Yoga is inadequate and useless in quenching his inner thirst. By indulging in deeper self –search he realizes the Self is formless consciousness and the three states are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Therefore, he attains Gnana.

The ignorance is the cause of experiencing all sorrow and calamities as reality. Thus eradicating ignorance completely is necessary. And this is possible only through self-knowledge or Gnana.   Thus, there is no other road to freedom other than Gnana.  There is no other entrance other than Gnana.  The ignorance will vanish only when the nondual wisdom dawns.

That is why Sri Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says:~ (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena)~ One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman.  

Thus, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant only for those who have an intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get the firm conviction. 

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom.   The path of wisdom is the only means.

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immerse themselves in a ritualistic oriented lifestyle and follow the path of karma and Upasana which is meant for lower and middling intellect and not for realizing the Advaitic truth.  

Many chose these orthodox scholars as their Gurus. But these gurus are good to learn the conceptual Advaita meant for those orthodox who believe their conduct oriented lifestyle leads to Moksha (liberation). 

Orthodox  Advaita based on individualized God is not the means to acquire Self –knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana .:~Santthosh Kumaar