The worship or glorifying gurus will not free one from ignorance.+

Atman is Brahman or God in truth. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Atman is the cause of the universe and it is uncaused.   

Second Mundaka - Chapter 2 (11) - That immortal Brahman alone is before, that Brahman is behind, that Brahman is to the right and left. Brahman alone pervades everything above and below; this universe is that Supreme Brahman alone.

The 'I' is not Atman. Atman is the witness of the 'I', which appears and disappears as the universe.  

"I-ness" is physical awareness. Physical awareness is man and world together. I-ness is the cause of ignorance. The whole universe is built on the “I’.   

All activities take place within the universe. The universe is false from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.  Thus, all the activities going on within the universe is false because the universe itself is false. If the cause is false, then the effect must be automatically false as well.

The seeker of truth wants only non-dualistic or Advaitic truth.  non-dualistic or Advaitic truth is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Those who are incapable of reason on the base of the Soul must follow Religion. 

Religion is based on blind belief, not based on the truth. Religion always shows a contradiction because every religion has its own ideas of God, heaven, hell and superstition, and dogmas.

The seeker should  not be carried away from the confusion of issues judge some Guru, Godmen or yogi   is such a noble person  with  good  character, therefore  what he says must be true." The person may be sincere, enthusiastic, high charactered, but withal a shallow thinker. 

Most people are still in a primitive stage of mentality. They talk of a Soul leaving the body at the death when a civilized man knows that nobody has ever seen this Soul. Experience shows that God has been unable to do anything for anyone either as individuals or for the world. 

In the olden days, men were primitive in their thought so that a man having little knowledge was considered a genius. 

Remember:~

Nowadays our knowledge is so advanced that the genius of those days would be an ordinary man of today. Therefore, if one finds the truth, free his -self from the tyranny of environment and tradition, not by condemning them, but by examining and testing them by deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning to find out whether they be true or not. Accept nothing on the authority of a godman or genius of the past or present,  but only if it proves true after the examination. 

The people with the same mindset are always willing to examine the facts and judge them calmly whereas the religious scholars and intellectuals will be immune to all facts and hold hard to their delusions. Such people do not want the truth,  but only what pleases them. This is because the ego in them is so strong.  Their attitude is “What pleases them is the truth, what they dislike is false. 

The worship or glorifying Gurus will not free one from ignorance. The rewards are none of them, the reward achieved in their lives are of consequence and not the result of worshiping and glorifying the gurus. 

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.)

Then 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.

Remember:~

People always need some sort of hope when their minds are not yet enlightened. "Self is closer to a man than his own veins." "With the Self- Knowledge, one will begin to know the ultimate truth, to finally realize the fact that, the self is not physical and becomes conscious that the true self is the Spirit."

Most people lack the patience and perseverance in investigating and collecting all the data before judging: hence they assume gurus are godmen are great because other people say so, or that he is wise because he says so, or that what he teaches is true because it attracts them. Such an attitude and easy assumptions become an obstacle to unfolding the truth and it requires some trouble to put into effect. 

Religious believers say the scriptures are incapable of making a mistake, but in pursuit of truth scriptures are considered as the only book of words.  It is impossible to see if the scripture-writers thoughts are founded in fact or not. All concepts of the heavens/paradise are imagined and physically-based (‘I’).  Where obedience to authority leads to the loss of one's thinking power, it is being overdone and harmful. Thinking must be combined with obedience.

Remember:~

All three states experience has to be resolutely weighed, and accurately, observed in the pursuit of truth, one must inquire:

What are these three states which appear and disappear?

What is ‘I’?

Hence, the inquiry, analysis, and reasoning on the true base is a necessary foundation. The Yogi looks only at the physical self and ignores to include the world away,  which is the part of the materials needed to find the truth. 

Without knowing the nature of the three states, it is impossible to know the truth. What is the use of trying to find its inner self before it understands the three states?

People may quote the scriptures, make sacrifices to the gods, perform actions and pay homage to the deities,   but there is no liberation from experiencing duality as reality without recognizing the oneness with the soul, which is the true Self. 

The scripture declares that there is no hope of immortality through wealth, so liberation cannot be brought about by physical actions or karma.  Therefore the action is not the means to self-realization.

 
The proper analysis leads to the realization of the reality of the three states, and this is the end of the pain of the fear of ignorance caused by delusion. The realization of the truth is possible only from soulcentric reasoning, not on bathing in Holy River or donations or by glorifying the god or gurus or by yogic breathing exercises. Achievement of the goal depends primarily on the seriousness of the seeker.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

If one, agrees, the body is not the 'Self', but the 'Self' is birthless Soul, then how can the experience of birth, life, death, rebirth, and reincarnation can be true.+

The waking entity ( ego or you)  is not an experiencer of the waking experience. And the waking entity and the waking world are an experience within the waking experience.  In the same way as the dream entity and the dream world are experienced within the dream. The dream is witnessed as a whole. Similarly, waking also is witnessed as a whole. The witness is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity, but the witness is the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.  From the standpoint of the Soul, the  'Self', all experiences are merely an illusion.  

The witness is formless consciousness, which is real. The body cannot function as a  person and perceive the world without the waking experience. By taking the waking entity as self and judging the truth is erroneous because the waking entity is not the Self and the waking entity and waking world are within the waking experience.  

The waking experience is a parallel dream and the dream is a  parallel waking experience.   In deep sleep, the waking entity and the waking world were missing. Man and his world are present only in waking experience. 

Remember:~

What is that sleeps and gets up when the body is not the Self.  If the one, which wakes up and dreams and sleeps, is not the body, then how can one say, it is the waking entity’s experience, and the waking entity exists only in waking.  

The waking is merely an experience, similar to the dream. The waking is unreal on the base of the soul or consciousness, which is the innermost self.  Therefore, claiming the authorship as the waking entity and judging the truth on the base of the waking entity, will keep one in ignorance of the reality. 

Only if one proves the body or ego is the 'Self', then only the birth, life, and death, rebirth and reincarnation are a reality.  If body or ego is the true self then Advaita has no meaning. There is no need to inquire, ‘Who am ‘I’?’, ‘What am ‘I’?” or indulge in the pursuit of truth.  

If one, agrees, the body is not the self, then how can the experience of birth, life, death, rebirth, and reincarnation can be true because the Self is formless.  

Only if one proves the formless has a birth, and then only it is possible to accept the birth, death, and reincarnation as part of the reality.  Thus, our body-based understanding has to be rectified mentally to grasp the non-dualistic truth.   

For a Gnani, nobody is ever born, nobody is ever lived, and no one ever dies and nobody ever reincarnated, because he sees only consciousness is in everything and everywhere in the midst of diversity or duality or waking and he is fully conscious that,  no second thing exists other than consciousness.   

Diversity has no meaning for a Gnani because he has realized unity in diversity.

Limiting the mind (I) to the physical entity is the cause of all confusion. Therefore, there is a need to know  “what is the mind?” and “what is the substance of the mind?” and “what is the source of the mind?’ to overcome all the confusion. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the man and the world exist within the mind, and the mind itself is the universe.

Remember:~

By limiting the mind to the physical entity (ego or waking entity) and viewing and judging the worldview, makes one thinks that he is apart from the world, which is the cause of experiencing the duality as a  reality. 

There is neither projector nor projection when one becomes aware of the formless witness, which consciousness the innermost 'Self' because consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states as their nondual clay. 

Thus, no second thing exists other than consciousness in all three states. The mind (world) is non-existent from the standpoint of the Soul or consciousness, the Self because consciousness is the formless witness, and also consciousness is the formless substance of the three states. And the formless substance and witness are one in essence. 

Thus,  no second thing exists other than consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

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 guru or god glorification, 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 and inborn 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 or God in truth.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Studying of scriptures is not necessary.+

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. 

The 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.

The Upanishads are self-contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. The final authority, therefore, is using one’s own reason. One should apply his reason to them. 

The scriptures are for ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem.

The Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding the truth. They have no value as an authority for those who use reason.  

I quote only verified citations from the scriptures. I need no scriptures, but I quote them to help the seekers realize what the scriptures are saying.

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world that says:~ It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study.  

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 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 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.

The above passages further prove that: Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.  Therefore, there is no use of studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire the 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. 

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

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 scriptures.

Why follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth without them.  By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.  The mind raises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness.  Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding, assimilation of the Advaitic truth. 

There is no need to renounce worldly life to get Self-Realization. Any householder can attain it if he has the inner urge. 

Sage Sankara says in a commentary on the Vedanta sutra that 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.

Seekers of truth should not believe blindly in Advaitic traditional orthodox without verifying all the facts from every angle. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process.

Ashtavakara: ~ "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

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