If one is seeking the truth, nothing but truth one has to drop the worshiping and glorifying the physical gurus.+

To realize this simple truth one need not go to any guru, one need not lose himself in a labyrinth of philosophy,  one need not spend his lifetime and indulge in glorifying the Guru or religious God, one need not search truth in the books, one need not renounce his family life.   One has to be in the world, but not of the world.

It is because of our inherited samskara or conditioning, we are carrying the baggage of the mental junk.  We have to burn all the junk, which is blocking our realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman.

If one is seeking the truth, nothing but truth one has to drop the worshiping and glorifying the physical gurus.  The glorifying the gurus and God glorification is for those who are not seeking the truth. 

Vedas bars human worship:~

Translation 3.

"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time."- (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

Than why worship and glorify the GURUS and YOGIS (human form)   in place of God when Veda bars such activities and  it also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study. Even Upanishads confirm this. 

Remember:~

Katha Upanishad:~  This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, nor by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. ( Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70Upanishads by Nikilanada)

Upanishad says:  the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized god and scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing the Advaitic truth because they are based on the false self.  The seeker of truth has to search the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.

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 roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance, and the witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  

By tracing the source of the mind or the universe, one will be able to realize the Brahman. Thus, self-knowledge 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.   Advaitc wisdom is the only means.

Remember:~

Ish Upanishad says ~  Those people who have neglected the attainment of Self-knowledge and have thus committed suicide. (10/11/12).

People who are incapable to inquire and reason are tending to follow some philosophy without verification. Therefore, the more ignorant they are easier to get them into a religious fold. Religion is so strong and popular because it makes no demand on the most intelligent; it simply requires belief in the guru and his teachings.

It never strikes believers to doubt whether his inherited belief system is true. They never use their reason because they start and conclude that their belief system alone is true because they never question the validity of their inherited beliefs. 

For religion one can interpret texts as he likes, in whatever way that pleases him, he simply imagine away.  The idea of god injected in the past and inherited by people and they refuse to verify the facts because they think it blasphemy even to question their inherited belief system. 

In pursuit of truth, the ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Pundits who take the scriptures for granted are not Gnanis.

Pundits teach that all is your-self, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. The rational proof is needed so that one arrives at knowing truth i.e. wisdom; punditry is mere dogma, parrotism,  a repetition of what they read in scripture. 

The scripters are not a yardstick and scriptural truth is not proof.   Pundits take scripters as an authority.   Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

Pundits have to test the truth in this world not in the next world.  There is no proof other than blind belief based on the scriptures, belief is not the truth.  So, doctrines are not the means to realize the ultimate truth. There is no need to follow them.

Remember:~ 

Sage Gaudapada says:~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So, he clearly indicates rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom.   The path of wisdom is the only means. Thus, it proves that the Advaitic orthodoxy is not the means to acquire self-knowledge it is meant for lower and middling intellect.

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immerse themselves in the 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 is not the means to acquire Self - Knowledge.  Those who are seeking the truth have to do their own homework without scriptures in order to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Remember:~

Doubts and confusions arise when the seeker finds the scriptures and yoga are inadequate or useless to quench his spiritual thirst.   Disappointments in religion or yoga or even science imply error or ignorance.

When the serious seeker reaches a stage with all his baggage of accumulated knowledge, then uncertainty haunts him.  Whether he is right?" Where is the certainty that he is proceeding on the right lines?" Thus, doubts arise and the inquiring spirit comes and impels to search elsewhere for truth where it will not be possible even to have doubt. The test is therefore in experience. And only in non-duality, where there are no two to argue about views or to have a difference of opinion can such doubtlessness be possible.  Belief depends upon unstable bases whereas certainty depends on proof.

The seeker of truth has to get rid of his doubts through deeper inquiry, analysis, and reasoning on his own, to realize the fact that, the self is not the form but the Self is formless. Thus,  his analysis and reasoning have to be based on the formless, not on the form.  By simply going on believing and accepting whatever said by the punditry will not lead one towards the path of wisdom. All the doubt has to be got rid of "by the sword of Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana ."  The scriptures, yoga are not necessary if one follows the inner (formless) path.  Religion and yoga are not the means to the path of wisdom. 

Upanishads:~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Ataman. The ordinary man does not understand his way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

This passage indicates the fact that everything is Ataman/spirit. The one who views and judges the worldview on the base of his birth /body will not realize the fact that the man including the world is created sustained and finally dissolves as Ataman. Thus Ataman alone is, and all else is a mirage.

Thus,  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the aim of every human being. Since everyone thinks the physical body is the self, their aim is misdirected and they focus their attention on materiality which makes one feel the duality (waking) as a reality.:~Santthosh Kumaar