Sage Sankara declared this Advaitic truth, which the ultimate truth to the whole world.+

Without Sage Sankara, there is no Advaita. Without Advaitic wisdom, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.  The all-pervading Reality is beyond both duality and non-duality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ Atman is Brahman. The Atman alone is real and it is not religious truth.  Sage Sankara declared this Advaitic truth, which is the ultimate truth to the whole world, many centuries back is the rational truth, the scientific truth, and the ultimate truth.

Sage Sankara’s whole wisdom can be summed up in one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman. He says that Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge, and Absolute Bliss are real. The universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the ‘Self’ is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances. 

Genuine philosophy must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sankara himself the attributed God is a reality only in dualistic illusion.  And the attributeless God (Brahman) is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion.  

Sage Sankara pokes fun at ascetics and points out that all their austerities do not cause desires to go (Altar Flowers" Page 205, v.2 P.207 v.4)

There are two kinds of audiences ~ the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual, prayers, devotion to personal Gods, and sacrifices. And the more advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Religion and yoga are meant for the ignorant populace, to help lead their followers along the way.

The jnana kanda is meant for those who wish to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Those who lack the intelligence to discriminate between reality and illusion will not be able to grasp what is real and what is an illusion. Both real and unreal are consciousness, not the real alone. 

Those who have chosen the Atmic path have to drop all the orthodox adulteration by bifurcation and drop what is not needed to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana: ~ 

Sage Sankara: ~ 'Like a servant who carries a lamp in front of you to find your way, and you have found it, so becomes the Veda to that person. What is the Veda? ~ utterances of those who have known the Truth. Here is one who has known the Truth; why should he or she depend upon the Veda further? Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration.  Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study the Scriptures, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman then why do you indulge in studying the scriptures.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study philosophy, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman then why you indulge in studying philosophy.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “There is no need to indulge in rituals, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman then why you indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal ‘Self’ and identifies ‘Self’ with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. Therefore, why believe and worship attributed Gods in place of real God and permanently remain in ignorance of the reality, which is beyond the form, time, and space.”    

Sage Sankara says “There is no need to indulge in yoga, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman then why you indulge in yoga. Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give the Self-knowledge then why indulge in yoga, pranayama dipping in the rivers, and any amount of charity,   when they are not the means to acquire the  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Sage Sankara says:~the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani) then why you are sticking to a Guru who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara says:~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in all other types of meditation.

Sage Sankara says:~ “Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread” then why you are sticking to the religious Gurus who wear the robes of a Sanyasin is only for the sake of bread.

Sage Sankara says:~ “One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows then why you are sticking to your religion which will not help you to obtain the self-knowledge.

Sage Sankara says:~ “Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by good work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means then why you are not dropping all other means which are blocking your realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

Sage Sankara says:~ “Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise, erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for liberation then why you are after scholars explanation, when the scholars' scriptural mastery and the shower of words, the skill in expounding the scriptures are no good for liberation.

Sage Sankara says “The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known then why you want to study the scriptures.

Sage Sankara says “The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self then why you are not independently investigating and knowing the ‘Self’. 

Sage Sankara says “For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one? 

When Sage  Sankara says:~ “Vedas and mantras will not help you to get rid of the ignorance then why you are indulging in what is not required to acquire the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Sage Sankara says:~ “ A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.  

Sage Sankara says “Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech then why do you indulge in repetition in the name of God when they are not the means to Self-knowledge.

Sage Sankara clearly says:~ “As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power of reason. 

Sage Sankara clearly says:~ the truth is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman (Gnani)  the why you are after a Guru or yogi who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara says  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 Sage Sankara says the liberation cannot be the result by scholars giving sermons of all the scripture, by  Gods be invoked through sacrifices,  by performing elaborate rituals,  by propitiating the personal Gods,  by good deeds then what is the use of indulging in all these things which are useless to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  

As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the ‘Self’ has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal ‘Self’ and identifies ‘Self’ with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.

There is no hope for Self-realization by studying the philosophy of following the religion or by practicing yoga.  

Sage  Sankara says “Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way.

There is no hope Self-realization by studying the philosophy of the following religion or by practicing yoga then why you are indulging in unwanted things which are not required to unfold the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara says “Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox belief systems.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal.  Then why do you accept other wisdom without verifying its validity? Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification. Only uncontradictable truth has to be accepted as the ultimate truth or Brahman.  

Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification. 

Sage Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture.  This may be because Sage Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus, in the idea of God ~ and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter.  He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need for this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

Sage Sankara is the only sage who has final authority on the Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is rational truth and scientific truth and ultimate truth without dogma.

Sage Sankara says “the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man”, then why you are stuck up with the holy men or Gurus or Godmen or yogis who identify themselves as holy men are not Gnanis.   

Sage Sankara says How can the talk of diversity, dvaita, apply to the Supreme Reality which is one and homogeneous, Advaita? Who has ever observed diversity, dvaita, in the unmixed bliss of the state of profound sleep?

A  Gnani will easily appreciate the high flights of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic structures and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Jesus:~ For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed.+

1. Jesus said: ~“Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death." (Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded) 

3. Jesus said:~  "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. (Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded) 

5. Jesus said:~ "Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. [And there is nothing buried that will not be raised.]" (Jesus spoke and didymos Judas Thomas recorded) 

All biblical insights lead to nondual Self-awareness. Self-Awareness is Christ consciousness.  Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana in the biblical sense is Truth or Christ.  The truth was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few.

John 8:32:~ You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus said:~  "Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. (Gospel of Thomas- saying 5)

It means him to realize his body and world are made of the same essence and that essence is Spirit [father].  

Even Sage Sankara says:~ one must first know what is before him. If he cannot know that, what else can he know or understand? If he gives up the external world in his inquiry, he cannot get the whole truth.

VC- 63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

Sage Sankara says ~VC~65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

Jesus said:~"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all." (Gospel of Thomas 2)

"The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, Not in a mansion of wood and stone.  Split a piece of wood and God is there, Lift a stone and you will find God." (Gospel of Thomas)

1. According to the New Testament, Jesus said to his disciples: ‘To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others, they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand’ (Luke, 8:10). While speaking to the multitude in a veiled manner, ‘privately to his own disciples he explained everything’ (Mark, 4:34), and advised them not to ‘throw your pearls before swine’ (Matthew, 7:6).

2. According to Clement of Alexandria (150-215 CE), ‘Mark’ preached three different gospels. The New Testament version was intended for ‘beginners’, but there was also a Secret Gospel of Mark for those who were ‘perfected’, i.e. initiated. Clement advised one of his students that the existence of this secret gospel should be denied ‘even under oath’, for ‘the light of the truth should be hidden from those who are mentally blind’. The third gospel was so mystical that it was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few (JM 120-1).

When the seeker indulges in deeper self-search then he realizes the fact that the experience of the form, time, and space are one in essence. And that essence is Spirit or consciousness. 

Thus, the form, time, and space are merely an illusion created out of a single, stuff,   which is Spirit or consciousness.   The Spirit or consciousness is the  Self.  The Spirit or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.:~Santthosh Kumaar     

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is nothing to do with yogis, mystics, and religious Gurus.+

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is nothing to do with yogis, mystics, and religious Gurus. Religion and yoga are based on the ego, which is the false self within the dualistic illusion (waking) whereas Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the knowledge of the Soul, the innermost Self.  

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana pries into the reality, which is beyond form, time and space whereas the religion and yoga are within the domain of the form, time, and space.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana invalidates all the religious and yogic theories, which are based on birth, life, death, and religious beliefs and the world.

Advaitic truth is very easy,  but it is most difficult to assimilate because of the inherited beliefs and accumulated knowledge.

Without dropping all the inherited beliefs and accumulated knowledge which is based on the illusory form, time and space it is difficult to understand and assimilate the knowledge of the formless, timeless and spaceless existence.

 If you have the courage of Buddha, who dropped the religion, Vedas, and the concept of God then only you are fit to acquire Self-knowledge.  

That is why Sage Sankara VC~.61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

VC-  v6~ 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

Sage Sankara goes on to say: ~A sickness of not cured by saying the word “medicine.” You must take the medicine. Liberation does not come by merely saying the word “Brahman.” Brahman must be experienced. Until you allow this apparent universe to dissolve from your consciousness until you have realized Brahman, how can you find liberation just by saying the word Brahman? The result is merely noise. Until a man has destroyed his enemies and taken possession of the splendor and wealth of the kingdom, he cannot become a king by simply saying “I am a king.”

A buried treasure is not uncovered by merely uttering the words: “Come forth.” You must follow the right directions, dig, remove the stones and earth from above it, and then make it,  your own. In the same way, the pure truth of the Atman, which is buried under Maya and the effects of Maya, can be reached by meditation, contemplation, and other spiritual disciplines but never by subtle arguments. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth.+

Yoga Vasistha:~  Even as particles of sand floating in water settle down when the water is absolutely steady, the mind of the man who has gained the knowledge of truth settles down in total peace.

Yoga Vasistha: ~  The sun and the worlds become non-objects of perception, to those who have gone beyond the realm of objective perception and knowledge, even as lamps lose their luminosity while the midday sun shines.

From the standpoint of the formless Soul, the Self, the effect is non-different from the cause. However, in the realm of duality cause is different from the effect. The non-difference of the effect from the cause has to be grasped perfectly to realize from the ultimate standpoint there is neither the cause nor the effect because the cause and effect are one,  in essence. That essence is consciousness.

Sage Sankara says:~If the cause is destroyed, the effect will no longer exist. For example, if from the effect, cotton cloth, the cause, threads, are removed, there will be no cloth, i.e., the cloth is destroyed. Similarly,  if in the effect, thread, the cause, cotton, is removed, there will be no thread, i.e., the thread is destroyed. (Brahmasūtra Bhashya, commentary on the Brahma-sutra, ⁽⁹⁾ 2.1.9)

Despite the non-difference between cause and effect, the effect has itself in the cause but not the cause in the effect. The effect is of the nature of the cause and not the cause of the nature of the effect. Therefore, the qualities of the effect cannot touch the cause because the cause and effect are present only when the duality is present. 

The duality is present only when there is an illusion. The illusion is there only when there is ignorance. When there is no ignorance then there is no illusion. When there is no illusion then there is no duality. When there is no duality then there is no cause and effect. When there is no cause and effect then there is the Advaitic reality.   

Sage Sankara says: - During the time of its existence, one can easily grasp that the effect is not different from the cause. However that the cause is different from the effect is not readily understood. As to this, it is not really possible to separate cause from effect. But this is possible by imagining so. For example, the reflection of the gold ornament seen in the mirror is only the form of the ornament but is not the ornament itself as it (the reflection) has no gold in it at all. (Chāṃdogya Upaniṣad Bhāṣya, commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad, 6.3.2)

All names and forms are real when seen with the Brahman but are false when seen independent of Brahman (Soul).

This way the seeker of truth establishes the non-difference of the effect from the cause.

In the context of Advaita Vedanta: ~ Jagat (the world) is not different from Brahman (Soul); however, Brahman (Soul) is different from Jagat.

It has not been possible to preach Advaitic Truth entirely free from the settings of dualistic weakness it has not been more operative and useful to mankind at large because only a few will be able to grasp and realize it.

'To realize the Advaitic Truth a freer and fuller scope the seeker has to realize the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. And the Soul the innermost Self is present in the form of consciousness. 

 

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana alone.

A  Gnani will easily appreciate the high flights of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic structures and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Advaitic Gnana means Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is the fairest flower of wisdom in the world. Sage  Sankara says   Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Advaita is not philosophy. Advaita is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.   The nature of God is Advaita.  All the teachings propagated by some gurus are adulterated with theories, tradition, and religion, which are not Advaitic wisdom. 

Advaitic Gnana itself is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Lord Krishna confesses that the oldest wisdom of India (Advaitic wisdom) has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify it today as they did then. It is not yoga but the philosophic truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and leaders of mysticism or religion do not want to inquire into the truth and have no time for it. (Gita –Chap- IV-v.2)

Advaitic reality there is neither God nor Goddess but only the consciousness. Consciousness is the real God.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ 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).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness. 

Lord Krishna says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know the Self in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the Self.   In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (spirit), the Self.

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 declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of 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.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Meher Baba said: ~   God is your innermost Self. Do not search for God outside of you.  Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and does everything. God is beyond us and is everything.  God alone is and all else is an illusion.

People who are saying ‘I AM GOD’ are hallucinating that they become God. First, you must know what God is supposed to be in actuality.

Sage Sankara declares Atman is Brahman. That is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the ultimate truth and the ultimate truth or Brahman is God.

The nature of God is Advaita. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness. God is present in the form of the Atman, therefore; never accepts another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman.

Thus, truth realization is Self-realization. Self-realization is God-realization. God-realization itself is real worship.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

People think that by studying Vedas one will be able to get Self -realization, but it is not so.+

In the Atmic path,  sharing is more important. More one shares more one gains.  No one is unwise in pursuit of truth.  Atmic Wisdom dawns only when we drop all accumulated knowledge and are ready to start afresh.

I quote scriptures because the scriptures are also saying the same thing that I am saying.

To realize the ultimate truth or Brahman, no scriptures are needed. I am highlighting only the rational views of the Sages of the truth. 

No one can stay as Self without realizing the Self. After realizing the 'Self', nothing stays as reality other than the Self.  It is foolish to say I AM THAT, I AM THIS without realizing “what the Self is” and “what the Self is not”.   

A permanent view of ‘what is unreal’ and ‘what is unreal’ can come only after Soul centric reasoning; such knowledge cannot change. Were the seeker who is sufficiently sharp enough, he could grasp the unreal nature of the world, by Soul-centric reasoning alone.  To know the whole truth, one must know the whole universe, otherwise, he gets only a half-truth. 

People think that by studying Vedas one will be able to get Self -realization, but it is not so. 

Vedic studies lead nowhere. What is the use of studying scriptures when Upanishads itself declares:~

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 the study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is the Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 page-70 - Mundaka Upanishad- 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 Upanishads declare:~

 
Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.” 

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~“The weak and timid cannot realize the Self,  Self -Realization is not possible through intellect or hearing the spiritual discourse. One who welcomes God in every activity, through a thorough controlled and disciplined life, to him also the Soul is revealed

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~The Soul cannot be realized through hearing the scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.

Katha Upanishad 1:3:6:~ “Through the knowledge of the Soul, God, one is pure and clean constantly.” Neither by reading the books nor by taking a bath at the holy place has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant Soul Consciousness is real purity. 

Kena Upanishad 2: 4: ~ When it is known through every state of cognition, it is rightly known, for (by such knowledge) one attains life eternal. Through one's own 'Self ' one gains power and through wisdom, one gains immortality. 

Kena Upanishad 2: 5: ~ If here one knows it, then there is the truth, and if here one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

Scriptures are being added to from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme. :~Santthosh Kumaar