Sage Sankara was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sankara was Sage of universal order or Brahma Gnani. +

As regards bodily and sensual activity, there is no difference between the Gnani and the ignorant man. You cannot distinguish former from latter because he does not permit such distinctions to appear. Only pretenders show such external works or claims.

People think a Gnani is the one sitting idle, remote from worldly concerns but such idea of sitting idle, remote from worldly concerns is for the yogic idea is nothing to do with a Gnani.

Gnani acts and works in the world as others. You ought not to judge Gnanis by conventional or supernatural morality.

Whilst misunderstanding the doctrine, people must not know that the Gnani differs from them or various troubles will arise. So he tries to be one with them. Moreover, it encourages seekers to believe that attainment is not so difficult after all.

Even friends and family members of a Gnani will not know him as the Gnani. Due to ignorance, people will not be able to recognize a Gnani. Outwardly the Gnani behaves as an ordinary person behaves.  A Gnani talks and jokes like others, but he is not understood as he really is. People may regard him as an exceptional person, but only a few can recognize him as a Gnani

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

So he wore a Guru's robe only for the sake of the ignorant. So he was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sankara was  Sage of universal order or   Brahma Gnani.

Thus, it proves that religious Gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people. 

A Gnani wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior."

Sage Sankara states that the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Viveka Chudamani (2),   Stanza 539).

Sage Sankara “Sometimes Gnani appears to be a Fool, sometimes a wise man. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, sometimes feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him.

An ignorant observation is based on a dualistic (matter or body or ego) perspective, whereas a Gnanis judgment is based on the nondualistic (Soul or Spirit or consciousness) perspective. 

A Gnani is one who sees the three states in equanimity because he is fully aware of the fact that all the three states are merely an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. A Gnani sees everything as consciousness, even though he is in the midst of diversity.   

A Gnani sees only unity in diversity, just like a goldsmith estimating the gold in various items of jewelry sees only gold. When one identifies the Self with the form then only the form, time and space are present. But when one transcends form, time, and space the duality never remains as a reality.

A Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.   Everything rises from the Soul or consciousness and subsides as the Soul, the consciousness. Thus, the whole diversity has no relevance, from the standpoint of the Soul as the Self.

Everything (universe or illusion or matter) is the Soul or consciousness realizing the three states are created out of consciousness.

Awareness is the nature of the Soul, the consciousness because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.   Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

Remember:~ 

The Gnani will neither talk too volubly like shallow persons nor keep complete silence.  He will talk as much as is necessary but no more.

Silence really means keep quiet in controversial discussions because one does not know what anyone has in his mind and without semantic analysis, it is all useless, so silence is better.

In pursuit of truth, silence means thinking constantly of the formless as against the universe. Word and thought always imply duality, the object, whereas the subject, formless witness, or consciousness is beyond both words and thought.

The physical silence practiced by yogis is a sign of their ignorance because they are thinking of tongue and lips, i.e. body, and not of the formless witness, which is consciousness. However, it is useful to those who are not seeking truth as a discipline. The yogic silence was intended only for the ignorant, who are unfit for the path of wisdom.

Consciousness is wrapped in the meaning of words. Semantics aim at clarifying meanings but AUM ultimately shows you that all words are futile because they cannot express the ultimate nature of anything: Nondualistic  Silence alone does this.

There is no need to renounce the worldly life and take sannyasa or monkhood in order to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana the practical life is nothing to do with the innermost self. One must lead normal lives, striving for excellence in his practical life, and inwardly strive to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Never mix up both and trying to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman because when one realizes the truth the form, time and space are merely an illusion. That is the practical life within the practical world is merely an illusion. 

As one advances within through perfect understanding, assimilating the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana and beholds truth within him, he realizes the waking experience is illusory play.

The Soul or Consciousness is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

What is not consciousness (formless) in the experience of diversity (waking)?  The waking and the dream cease to exist without consciousness.  The seeker, seeking and his destination all are one in essence.

Sage Sankara says ~ "The knower of Brahman wears no signs and also  asks in effect "Tell us what you know, show it, and let us examine it under the mental microscope." 

It means we must bring notions and beliefs out of vagueness into clearness. It also criticizes the mystics who claim superior knowledge but who cannot communicate it for purposes of verification.

Sage Sankara:~ On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life,…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior." : ~Santthosh Kumaar