The Religious rituals and the tradition will keep one locked in the domain of ignorance.+

Self- Knowledge is true knowledge not the absence of duality. Self -Knowledge cannot destroy the world,  but it eliminates ignorance and exposes the unreal nature of the mind or universe.

Buddha, Sage Sankara, and Sage Goudpada have declared nondualistic truth centuries back,  but one has to reach the destination with the scientific (rational) investigation, not through punditry and intellectuality. One has to mentally reach the final conclusion then only the conviction becomes firm. Without firm conviction, wisdom will not dawn. Therefore, there is a need to know consciousness is real all else is a myth, which Sage Sankara declared as the world is a myth Brahman alone is real.

Sage Sankara says Atman is Brahman and everything is Brahman is a scientific declaration not religious or yogic. Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada are more scientific than anyone else in the world. Since the real Advaitic essence is hidden it cannot be got without the inner (mental) journey.

Sage Goudpada says that: - The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

Gnana here is knowledge un-contradictable truth or scientific truth. Thus their scientific truth of the whole, not the part is declared by Sage Sankara 1400 years back and thought only to those of higher intellect. Thus karma and Upasana, yoga, and orthodoxy have to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Advaitic Wisdom is for those who are capable of inquiring into their own existence to know and realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world that say:~

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study. Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   The Religious rituals and the tradition will keep one locked in ignorance. and ignorance is the cause of experiencing the illusory duality as a reality. 

Sage Sankara gave religious, rituals, and dogmatic instruction to the mass but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman which is absurd. 

Sage Sankara:~  VC Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not  even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

It is clear that liberation cannot be the result of good works, for Sruti itself declares that there is no hope for immortality through wealth.  (Verses -7)

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the Jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

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. (Katha Upanishad 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-70  Upanishads by Nikilanada)

When the 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 belief in physical Guru scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing non-dualistic truth or Self-realization because they are based on a false self.  The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper self-search and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sage 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 the mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or 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 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 a 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. 

Isa Upanishads indicate that:~ By worshipping Gods and Goddesses and going to the world of Gods after death is of no use.  The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend the same time moving forward toward Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non-dual destination by glorifying God and Goddesses and by doing that, one goes deeper and deeper into the darkness. It surely indicates the fact that the seeker of truth has to drop the worshiping God and Goddess to get self-knowledge.

The seeker of truth read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider and discover the truth by using his own reason.  The greatest and noblest pleasure that a seeker can have is to discover new truths and drop old prejudices and accumulated knowledge.

To understand and assimilate one needs the spiritual language of silence; one must speak from the standpoint of the consciousness which is the language of the Soul ~ which is humility, the intense urge for inner growth, listening, and without arguing on some theoretical or some authority or some famous men‘s point of view. :~Santthosh Kumaar