Vedas says God is One and that God is Atama.+

The populace in India believes and worships sixty million Gods, but they are unaware of the fact that the Vedas, their own scriptures, which they hold as sacred say God is One and that God is Atama.

There is no mention of these sixty million Gods in Vedas.  There is clear-cut instruction in Vedas what God is supposed to be and what to worship as God and what not to worship in place of God.

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed. 

When the religion of the Veda knows no idols, then why so many Gods and Goddesses with different forms and names are being propagated as Vedic Gods. Why these conceptual Gods are introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes.

Who introduced the concept of God with attributes and attributeless Gods, when Yajur Veda says: -   those who worship visible things, born of the Prakriti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like), in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness. Therefore, all these add-ons prove that the form and attribute-based concepts are introduced by some sages of the past with a new belief system and code of conduct in the name of Vedas. 

In Vedas, God has been described as the Atman.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman, the Self (Spirit or consciousness).

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth,  Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth or God in truth.  The ultimate truth itself is God in truth. 

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda says God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship sixty million Gods.

Thus Vedas refers to God as Atman, which is a formless and attributeless God. It indicates clearly All the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false self.  Thus, Atman, the innermost Self is the real God.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ God is  Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajurveda says if one worships what is not the God he enters darkness: ~  

Translation 1

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc.). They sink deeper into darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc.) -(Yajurveda  40:9)

Translation 2.

"Deep into the shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent. ("Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538)

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 Prakriti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the Prakriti, 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 Prakriti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the Prakriti, 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.)

So, Yajur Veda indicates that: ~ They sink deeper into darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc. _ (Yajurveda 40:9)

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.)

Indian populace accepts the concept of God in many forms and names.

Sages of truth declare the Atman is Brahman.  That is the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.  That is the ultimate truth is God.  And the ultimate truth itself is worthy of Godhood. 

Swami Vivekananda: ~

The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the Gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods? ... The Gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my Soul. You are infinite, deathless, birthless. Because you are the infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda  (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:~The Self is indeed Brahman, but through ignorance, people identify it with intellect, mind, senses, passions, and the elements of earth, water, air, space, and fire. This is why the Self is said to consist of this and that and appears to be everything. 

Religion can never make you know God because it propagates the belief in God. Only an intense urge to know what God is supposed to be in truth can make you realize God.  

The Soul, the ‘Self is the Infinite God. 

The Soul is the innermost Self. God is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. God is the fullness of the consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space.  Therefore, there is nothing apart from it. 

God is Self-evident. God is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny God because God is the very essence of the one who denies it. God is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. God is within the universe in which you exist, the God is without the universe in which you exist.

Remember 

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, worships ‘Self’ as~ Atman (God) alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare."

All is consciousness. The whole universe is consciousness. From consciousness, the universe comes. When the universe disappears,  consciousness still remains without form, time, and space

The Soul itself is God, the One without a Second.

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

Even Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

The consciousness, the God is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny God because God is the very essence of the one who denies God. God is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other besides it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter: ~ “All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods. (7- Verse)

Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagvad Gita Bible confirm the Soul, the Self, which is the present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness is God in truth.

It is for every seeker who is seeking truth must first know what God is supposed to be in actuality according to Vedas and Upanishads and reject all non-Vedic Gods to realize the Atman is real God.   :~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Goudpada says: that whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis is unreal.+

Sage Goudpada says:  that whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis is unreal.

The Gurus say scriptures say “Brahman = I" is an error because the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’.    If the scriptures say ‘I’ wasn’t there it means there is no ‘I’.  Thus, do not hold ‘I’ as the ’Self’.   Do not use the word ‘I’, for the ‘Self’ because the ‘Self’ is the witness of the ‘I’.  

What is it that appears as the ‘I’ and disappears as the ‘I-less? It is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not make the mistake of holding the ‘I’ as the Self because it is not permanent. ‘I’ disappears and becomes ‘I’-less.  The ‘I’ disappears as I-LESS.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ The permanent is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole. The ‘I’ is an object to the Soul, which is the formless subject.

The earliest ancient sages used the word ‘I’ to the witness of the three states not to the ego as moderns use it and think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal. 

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say "I," If you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, You are not a wise man or a seeker. You are simply a man who suffers. 

Remember:~

Sage Sankara said: ~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

No religious God can exist apart from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

All the religious Gods with form and attributes cease to exist without the dualistic illusion.

People are not aware of the fact that there is no individual God can exist, apart from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul is the Self.   If there is no Soul, then there is no physical body, no ego, no world in which you exist,   no religion, and no religious Gods. 

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks the Self is ‘I’   then there is a creator, but if one thinks the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, then there is nothing that exists other than consciousness.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things besides himself and postulate a God, the creator.

You, your body, and the world in which you exist rise and set together from, and into, the Soul or the consciousness.

If God is apart from the Soul, the ‘Self’, then God would be selfless, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent. 

No one has seen God creating the world. No one can claim that it was the first Knower of the first created things.  How was that first ‘known’ substance generated?

There got to be at the very beginning of the creation of someone or other who was the very first knower of the creation.  There cannot be something ‘known’ in the absence of a ‘knower.’ 

If at all we said that there was a ‘Seen’ or ‘known’ substance produced at the beginning of creation, you may legitimately question us about its origin.  But that has never been our argument.  We are consistent in our assertion that there has been no legitimate cause behind anything ‘seen’ at the beginning of creation or even later on at any time.  Hence there is not a thing ‘seen.’  Because there has been not a thing seen, the consciousness is forever without bondage.  The consciousness cannot be captured in words.

How did the “I” originate? 

How did the world” originate? 

How does one know that he exists in this world?

There was no cause for the universe even at the very start.  So nothing ever is really born.  The entire universe is only an illusion. The universe in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

What exists is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness only.   The consciousness cannot be expressed in words because it is the existence itself. It is eternal, self-effulgent, and unblemished. 

The illusion has no value.  The universe is the illusory nature of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Mentally reduce the universe into consciousness by realizing the universe is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness.

There is no reason behind the illusion!   From the ultimate standpoint, there is no illusion at all!   Everything is nothing but consciousness.

You are still going by an attempt to establish a sequence of cause-effect relationships.  There has to be a touchstone that can establish the correctness or otherwise of the sequence of causes and effects.  If we examine based on that yardstick, the causes will evaporate. 

For example, doubt is the cause of a question.  The cause for the doubt is ignorance.  If we can get rid of ignorance, there is no scope for doubt and the later questions. So go on finding answers to your doubts on your own.  When all the questions are resolved, you will automatically land in and be at ease as consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

There is no need to search for the truth. The truth is already declared by the Sage Sankara 1200 years ago.+

There is no need to search for the truth. The truth is already declared by the Sage  Sankara 1200 years ago. 

Sage  Sankara declared the Atman is Brahman. The world is an illusion. Sage Sankara's declaration is the ultimate truth.

Thus, it is necessary to realize: ~  

How this world in which we exist is an illusion?

From what standpoint the world is an illusion?

Why this Atman or the Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman?

Remember:~

There is no need to follow anyone you need to do your own homework. 

There is no need for a Guru or study scriptures, just drop all your accumulated knowledge. 

Think and reason deeply and realize ‘what is what’. Do not waste your lifetime discussing and arguing with others. The truth is very simple, but you are making it difficult because of your egocentric intellectuality.

Realize the world in which you exist created out of single stuff with a firm conviction. Only the firm conviction of the truth will lead you to get rid of the ignorance, which was the cause of experiencing the world in which you exist as a reality.

Sage Sankara has declared studying the scriptures are of no use, performing worship and rituals are not of any use, yoga is of no use in pursuit of the truth. 

When Sage  Sankara has declared what is not needed in pursuit of truth then why you are sticking to what is not needed to realize the truth.

There is nothing to realize other than realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but the consciousness and other than the consciousness all else is an illusion.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of the consciousness.+

The one which knows itself as the body with the name is not the body, but it is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. If the Soul, the innermost ‘Self ‘wakes up from the sleep of ignorance then there is neither body nor the name nor the world that exists. 

Only when the Soul is in ignorance of its true nature the world in which you exist is experienced as a reality. The world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of consciousness.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone, prevails as a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

If the Soul, the Self, wakes up from the sleep of ignorance then where is the body, where is the mind, where is the world; the void; or despair in the true Self, which is the taintless Soul or consciousness. They are or have become consciousness.

One thinks there is a mind when he has thoughts, but when thoughts are not considered different from the consciousness, which is the true Self, then where is the division into, waking, dream and deep sleep, etc.

Void implies duality: the universe may not exist, but the thought of the second is there. If one knows there is a Void (emptiness/nothingness), then there is something there to be known and know. They are or have become consciousness.

Remember:~

What are scriptures, what is Self-knowledge, what is the mind without the objects, what is contentment, and where is desirelessness for the formless Soul, the innermost true Self, which is ever devoid of a sense of duality?

What is knowledge? What is ignorance? What is the ego? What is duality? What is the mind? What is bondage? What is liberation? What is definableness to the formless Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness?

All these appearances are an illusion, which comes and go; hence meaningless to the formless Soul, the Self.

Egocentric knowledge is not the ultimate knowledge because ego-based knowledge is dualistic knowledge based on the object (body) as the subject. But in non-dualistic Knowledge whatever seems to exist also is consciousness; therefore there is no scope for the existence of the second thing.

What is past karma? What is liberation –in this life? and what is that liberation at death? For the birth- less Soul, which is ever formless?

The nearest state to understand the Soul by itself is to eliminate mentally waking and dream as in deep sleep. Once this is grasped one has to understand everything is consciousness, which is the true Self.

What is the doer or the enjoyer? What is the cessation of thoughts or the rising of thoughts? What are the immediate perception and its result to, the formless Soul, which is ever impersonal? A Gnani is the one who is never afraid of thinking and knowing all his individual experiences and the world to be consciousness.

What is the world and what is meant by the aspirant for liberation; what is contemplative and what is the man of knowledge; what is the Self is and what liberated Self to the formless Soul, which is the non-dual essence. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The unreal nature of the ‘I’ is exposed when you realize the Self is not the ‘I’.+

As a person perceiving the world, one thinks he is born in this world and the world existed prior to him, this conviction makes him physical oriented, thus he views and judges the worldview (three states),  on the physical base. Therefore, his understanding is limited to form, time, and space.

 Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the ‘Self’ is not you, but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  If the ‘Self’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, then you have to learn to view and judge the worldview,  on the base of the Soul, which is the Self.

All your present understanding is based on the ego, which is the false self within the false experience (waking).   The world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is created out of single clay. Knowledge of the single clay is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Thus, it is necessary to realize your existence is merely an illusion because the world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion created out of single stuff, which is consciousness. 

Realize the consciousness as the ultimate truth to overcome the dualistic illusion. Stick to consciousness as the ultimate truth the illusion will fade away when your conviction becomes firm.  

From the standpoint of the Soul the ‘Self’ there is no second thing that exists other than itself. The unreal nature of the ‘I’ is exposed when you realize the Self is not the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the waking also is as unreal as a dream. 

If the waking experience is as unreal as a dream, then the world in which you exist, which is present only in the waking experience is as unreal as the dream.

All three states are created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Knowledge of the Soul is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

If you drop all your accumulated knowledge, then Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana becomes easy to assimilate. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what' leads to Advaitic Self-awareness. :

The world in which you exist is within the dualistic illusion and all your experiences are happenings within the dualistic illusion. 

Until you think of the Self as ‘I’, you are bound to be in the realm of the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is created out of single clay. That single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is the fullness of consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space. 

Until the form, time and space are accepted as reality the world in which you exist prevails as a reality. If the world in which you exist prevails as reality then the experience of your birth, life, death, and the world remains a reality. 

If the experience of your birth, life, death, and the world remains as a reality then ‘I’ prevails as a reality. If the ‘I’ prevails as a reality the ignorance will not vanish.

Perfect understanding of what is what leads you to realize, that the world in which you exist is created out of single clay. Knowledge of the single clay is the only weapon to get rid of ignorance. :~Santthosh Kumaar