A Gnani lives in this world as a commoner but he is not of this world.+

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

When the knower of Brahman wears no signs -- it means he does not identify himself as a Guru or a teacher.  

The one who identifies himself as a swami, a Guru or yogi, is not a Gnani. A Gnani never identifies himself as swami, Guru, pundit, or yogi. Swami, Guru, pundit, or yogi belong to the religious or the yogic path not to the path of wisdom.   

The one who says he is enlightened is not a Gnani. The ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. How can you remain when the ‘Self’ gets enlightenment? Only the Soul the  ‘Self ‘remains in its own awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

Someone posing as a Gnani is not a Gnani. If someone poses himself as a direct disciple of some guru cannot be a Gnani. Those who pose themselves as Gnanis are not Gnanis.

A Gnani never poses himself as a Guru, a swami, a sadhu or a yogi, or some Guru’s disciple.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.”

Manduka Upanishads:~It is very difficult to find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the religious robe has anything to do with him. 

A scholar is proud that he has accumulated so much knowledge; Gnani is humble that he knows no more. 

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the hidden wisdom of the Sage  Sankara. 

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana was imparted only to a few. Gurus interpretations of sacred texts, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth which is revealed in the clear reflection of the heart, engendered from contact with the good."

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)

Self-knowledge 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 to acquire non-dualistic 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.

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion. Self-discovery is the only way, towards non-dual Absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence.

Then there is no need for the scriptures, religion, and the idea of God. One has to be more rational to realize the Advaitic truth, which is the ultimate truth or scientific truth. 

A Gnani lives in this world as a commoner but he is not of this world.

When you realize the words, thoughts, and the world in which you exist are created out of single stuff and that single stuff is consciousness, then you will realize the 'Self' which is hidden in the form, time, and space. When everything is created out of consciousness then there is no second thing that exists, other than consciousness. It takes time to grasp the Advaitic truth. All the obstacles have to be overcome one by one.

Realize with full and a firm conviction that: ~  

You are not you but the consciousness; your body is not the body but the consciousness, the world in which you exist is not the world but the consciousness.  

Everything is known, seen, believed, and experienced by you is nothing but consciousness then what else remains, which is not consciousness. There is nothing else to realize other than to realize consciousness alone is, everything else is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.  

By realizing everything is consciousness is the Advaitic wisdom dawns. Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ lead to Advaitic awareness.  

Without the world, in which you exist God alone exists. When God disappears the world, in which you exist appears. The world, in which you exist disappears God appears. Thus, realize the God to be the Soul, the Self.  

The Soul is the Self. Thus, the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.  

If you stick to the ultimate truth then the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness. If you realize this truth then you will live in this world but not of this world. Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar