Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana is not had by resorting to a Guru nor by the study of scripture.+

Yoga Vasistha says:~ Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only by means of inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia. 

A person who realized the ultimate truth or Brahman will throw off his religious robe and all religious identity and live like a commoner. He never identifies himself as Gnani nor does he identify himself as superior to others. He only shares his knowledge with fellow seekers.

A Gnani never identifies himself as a Guru or a Yogi or someone disciple.  The one who accepts himself as a Guru or someone’s disciple is not a Gnani.

Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

Katha Upanishads: ~ This Atman is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. ( II -23-P-20)

All the chosen ones will get freedom from experiencing the illusion (duality) as a reality.  You are the chosen one. Millions are searching for truth, but one in million will realize it.  If you are the truth seeker then you are, one from that million.   

No guru is needed to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Advaitic Gnana is given neither from outside nor from another person. Guru of everyone is only the Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ that is always revealing on its own

A religious guru or yogi is too enthusiastic to have everyone as his disciple, and he will push himself on others with his advice authoritative scriptural knowledge. Religious gurus or yogi wants to keep everyone in the domain of religion and yoga.

More than he wants to help people, he wants to help his ego. A serious seeker of truth will only use people and impose his inherited idea of religion and God on them, usually unintentionally because he,  himself is more unconscious than others of the ultimate truth.

A Gnani is not enthusiastic to have anyone as his disciple. He never identifies himself as a guru.  He does not impose his ideas on anyone. A Gnani sows the seed of Advaita by sharing  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana and tries to guide the serious seeker and guides them. It is very difficult to identify a Gnani because he never claims himself to be a guru or teacher.

Most people are not aware of what they are really seeking. They start their pursuit with their inherited religious ideas and as they go deeper they will feel that religion and yoga are inadequate and useless in quenching their inner thirst.

A serious seeker will realize the fact that he is looking for something else, and he is now sure it is not ‘Self’-assurance,  the fulfillment of dreams, the fulfillment of social demands. He will realize the fact that religion and yoga are not meant to quench his inner thirst.

A Gnani dearly cares about the serious seeker but will stay aloof, he knows that if the seeker needs to be assisted by him, he will approach or rather be drawn to approach him. He has no ‘Self’-interest whatsoever and so anyone considered equally, for his love as anybody else, whoever comes, comes and if no one comes it is also fine.

Remember:~

It is for the seeker to go on his own and remove all the obstacles, which is blocking the realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space

The greatest hindrance is mixing religion, God, scriptures, and yogic theories. Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal God, and religious code of conduct keep one permanently in the grip of the dualistic illusion.

Embark on the journey of the truth; it frees the Soul from the illusion of form, time, and space.

When you finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Self-inquiry is to realize the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘self is the ‘I-LESS Soul’, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Remember: ~

You are not the ‘Self.

You are bound by form, time, and space.

 You are bound by the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

 You are never free because the world in which you exist is the product of ignorance.

It is not you who is in ignorance but it is the Soul, which is in ignorance of its own true nature.

When the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance and remains in its own awareness the world in which you exist becomes one with Soul-awareness.

When ignorance vanishes through wisdom then the world in which you exist never again prevails as a reality.

The world in which you exist is created out of single clay. That single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the innermost Self. The Soul is not ‘I’. The Soul is the witness of the ‘I’ which appears and disappears.

The Soul is the only permanent thing and the ‘I’ is merely an illusion. If you do not understand this truth you will never be able to cross the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion.

The seeker has to make sure what is this ‘I’ supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’ which comes and goes.

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

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole.

People 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.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take it as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such mindsets. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

Advaita is the true nature of existence. The ‘I’ hides the Advaitic reality. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness, which is Advaita. The consciousness is Advaita because it is second to none. The world in which you exist is the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness, which is Advaita. The Advaita (non-duality) is real and eternal the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion.

Holding ‘I’ as the ‘Self’ is the cause of ignorance. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion. Stop identifying the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’. Till you identify the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ the Soul will remain in the cage of ignorance. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

For namesake, they have given a Vedic touch to the non-Vedic Hindu belief system.+

The religious Gurus are only a knower of the religious doctrines, not a knower of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.  The Knower of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God is Brahma Gnani. A Brahma Gnani has realized the knowledge beyond the form, time, and space. Religion is nothing to do with Spirituality. 

Spirituality is the knowledge of the Spirit, which is beyond the form, time, and space. The knowledge or Spirit is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Hinduism indulges non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability and child marriages. All these lack Vedic sanction, therefore; Hinduism is not Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

When we bifurcate all the non-Vedic elements from the Hindu belief system, then we will be able to realize Vedas are nothing to do with the Hindu belief system.  For namesake, they have given a Vedic touch to the non-Vedic Hindu belief system.

All Hindu Gods are not Vedic God. The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial: ~

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.

The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial: ~              

Rig Veda, 1-164-146 :~Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti, Existence is One 

God is one and universal.

God is the Spirit.  The Spirit is the Soul, the innermost Self.  God is the Soul, the innermost Self.  The Soul is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness and intelligence, which is beyond the form, time, and space.   To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

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

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 (Gita 14.27)

The Upanishads say in effect that: ~ if you believe that the Soul is one and God (Brahman) is another you cannot understand Truth.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

Religion advocates extreme asceticism. Asceticism is a waste of time. Religion is nothing but remaining in the false belief, dogmas, and superstition.  

Mundaka Upanishad:~  The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the sea of samsara on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

Sage Sankara says:~ The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. Thus, the rituals are meant for ignorant people.

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

~ This shows he was wearing the religious robe only for the sake of bread." Thus, it means those who are wearing religious robe for the sake of bread.

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp the God beyond the form, time, and space.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from a ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the orthodox texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sage Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine. 
Remember:~

Bhagavad Gita: ~ ‘All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many God s. (7- Verse -20)

Only the path of wisdom leads the seeker of truth on his journey to the ultimate realization of the true nature of the Universal Essence, which is the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

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."

The 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 innermost Self. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV-13:~ ‘As a mass of salt has neither inside nor outside, but is entirely a mass of taste, thus indeed, has that Self neither inside nor outside but is altogether a mass of Knowledge. Just as a lump of salt has inside as well as outside one and the same saltish taste, not any other taste, so also that Brahman (consciousness) has inside as well as outside one and the same intelligence. Inside and outside are mental creations only. When the mind melts in silence, ideas of inside and outside vanish. The sages cognize one illimitable, homogeneous mass of consciousness only.

Causality taught in the Upanishads is only to enable us to understand the supreme truth of no-origination. The world is not different from the consciousness and the consciousness is not different from the Soul, the innermost Self, and the Soul is not different from the ultimate truth or Brahman. That the consciousness appears as the diverse world is only an illusion. If it really became diverse then the immortal would become mortal.

The dualists who seek to prove the origination of the unborn, by that very enterprise try to make the immortal, mortal. Ultimate nature can never change - the immortal can never become mortal and vice versa.

Sage Goudapada quotes from the Upanishads: ~ "There's no plurality here"; "The Soul through its powers appears to be many"; "those who are attached to the creation or production or origination go to utter darkness"; "the unborn is never reborn, for what can produce it?”. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists.+

Religious propagated Gods are based on blind belief.  Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists. Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence.

Even Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God in truth) 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. 

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

Even 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)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

 No mantras help to get rid of ignorance. All the mantras and rituals are meant for the ignorant populace, which strongly believes, that the world in which he exists as a reality.  For one who wants to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the mantas will not help to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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 perverted arguments. 

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. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Upanishads ridicules worshiper of deities as a dim-witted person no better than the beast.+

The rituals mentioned in Karmakanda of Vedas are sought to be negated in the Jnanakanda, which is also part of the same scriptures. While Karmakand enjoins upon you the worship of various deities and lays down the rules for the same, Jnanakanda constituted by the Upanishads ridicules worshiper of deities as a dim-witted person no better than the beast. 

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from the Self does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

This seems strange, the latter part of Vedas contradicting the former part.  The first part deals throughout with karma while the second or concluding part is all about Jnana. Owing to a difference, people have gone so far as to divide into two sections:  the Vedas (that is the first part) to the mean the Karmakanda and Upanishads (Vedanta) to mean the Jnanakanda.

The rituals, which are practiced in Hinduism, are not Vedic rituals and the Puranic gods are not Vedic gods.  Because: ~

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

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

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

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

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) 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.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ It has been said that God is Supreme or Supreme Spirit.

If God is the formless spirit, then how does the man know God created the world? There is no proof. If man had seen God creating the world, he could admit it, but how could he have seen God before he came into existence? (I.e. were created).

God is not physical. God is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is the cause of the world and the Spirit itself is uncaused.

From the standpoint of the Spirit, the form, time, space and name are merely an illusion. The spirit alone is real and all else is an illusion.  In reality,  the spirit (God in truth) and matter (the world in which we exist) are one.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness (Spirit), 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 (Spirit) 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.

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

Thus,  it proves that all the attributed gods are imagination because their existence is limited to the illusion because only an illusion, there is scope for imagination and diversity. Diversity is an illusion. Illusion is created out of a single substance, which is consciousness. Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal.  Thus whatever is seen, known, believed and experienced as real within the illusion is bound to be a falsehood.   

And also in Yajurveda says:-

Translation 1

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc.).

They sink deeper in 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. Griffith 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." :~(Yajur Veda 40:9.)

So, Yajur Veda indicates that:-

They sink deeper in 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 Prakriti, such as the earth, trees, and 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.)

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

It indicates clearly all the Puranic gods with form and name, and their worships and rituals were introduced by replacing in place of Vedic rituals and modified books of the code of conduct.   

Thus, the pure Vedic rituals have been replaced by the founders of the present-day Hinduism, the reason best known to them. When the Vedic goal is self- realization all these Puranic based understanding and knowledge is a misguided direction to the seekers of truth.

All the Puranic Gods belong to the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is the product of ignorance.  The existence of the Puranic Gods are reality until ignorance prevails. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Logic is misunderstood.+

Logic is misunderstood. People cannot distinguish between reasoning and intellect as a Gnani does. Egocentric reason applied only to practical life within the practical world is called logic, intellect. 

Soulcentric reason is the Spiritualistic reason that is necessary to unfold the truth of the whole.   

A Gnani knows both egocentric reason (logic) and Soulcentric reason. He uses the egocentric reason (logic) in practical life within the practical world and uses the Soulcentric reason to know the truth beyond, time and space.  Logic is very much necessary for practical purposes. But the logic cannot be applied to discover the truth because logic implies duality and the ultimate truth is based on a Nondualistic perspective.  

To say rise above logic is generally confused with saying "Rise above Reason." It is wrong to give up reason. Life does not consist only of waking state. We must take all three states into account.

If one sticks to the old formal logic, he cannot get at the truth. People seeing this insufficiency of logic, therefore wrongly say "Give up logic and go to intuition." Their error is “What is it that told them that logic was not enough?” It was Reason itself; not intuition. Thus, there is confusion between logic and reason.

The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The defective interpretation is to apply it only to the waking state. The correct interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

Logic, in short, is concerned with correct or valid thinking. Its main concern is non-contradiction, it can lay down the criterion of Truth as non-contradiction, but only with the assumed premises and not with facts. But when facts enter into consideration we have Reason but the same criterion of Truth remains, only the propositions with which we start must square with facts of experience, with observed data. Hence reason includes logic or correct thinking as well as strict fidelity to experience or facts. Bad logic or insufficiency of facts or wrong data may lead to untruth. The scientist with a plethora of data may reason illogically and reach false conclusions. Reason avoids both those mistakes. While reason searches for truth, logic insists on valid or correct thinking only.

Intellect is the power or faculty of thinking logically. The reason is the power or faculty of thinking truly or towards truth. By reason, we go a step beyond anubhava or experience by making explicit in it. The reason, I would, therefore, define as that which makes explicit what is implicit in an experience. This will I believe cover the reason for science as well as of Vedanta between which you have in some article of yours, made a distinction. When I read that definition of yours, I felt you have descended into mysticism. :~Santthosh Kumaar