Atma Gnana cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.+

A donkey with a load of holy books is still a donkey. A person who mastered scriptural knowledge is still a scholar, not a Gnani.

Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. There is no use in studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire non-dual wisdom.

That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of god, and the scriptures.

Therefore, there is no use in taking the strain to understand and assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy through their excessive analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusion if one tries to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through the scriptures.

That is Why Sage Sankara says: ~ What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

Remember:~

It has not been possible to preach Advaitic Truth entirely free from the settings of dualistic weakness, it has not been more operative and useful to mankind at large because only a few will be able to grasp and realize it.

'To realize the Advaitic Truth a freer and fuller scope the seeker has to realize the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. And the Soul, the Self is present in the form of consciousness.   

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone.

A  Gnani will easily appreciate the high flights of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic structures and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth. 

Remember:~

In India, people think that religion as a stepping stone to higher truth,  but it is not so because religion is based on the false self (waking entity or ego) within the false experience (waking or world).

One must go beyond form, time, and space. The theistic tradition has been kept alive by orthodoxy. The orthodoxy is the path of ignorance because it is based on ignorance.  The orthodoxy is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. Thus,  it is not the path of ultimate truth or Brahman. 

People who stuck to orthodoxy never will be able to cross the prison of duality. Without crossing the prison of duality Self-awareness is an impossibility.  Thus, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana is necessary to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

The scripture mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is the truth? and ‘what is the untruth?.  

When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of form, time, and space.

The ultimate truth has to be realized first,  then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. I do not require any scriptures.

I quote scriptural citations and also citations of the Sages of truth only after verifying reality and proved, to point out that the scriptures teach the same thing. If one quotes them before having demonstrated the truth, then it is scholasticism.

Scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.  Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures in order to acquire non-dual wisdom.  That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage  Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and the scriptures. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar