Bhagavad Gita : - All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods.+

From the Vedic perspective, all our religious Gods we believe and worship are non-Vedic Gods based on imagination.

Religious Gods are based on belief. Belief is not God.  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, it means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God)  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 beside 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.

The God you see and meet and in your vision is not God in truth but a hallucination. How can you see and meet God without knowing what God is in actuality? By praying and meditating on God without knowing what God really is, leads to hallucination.    The world in which you exist hides God. Thus, Self-realization is necessary to realize ‘what God is in actuality.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:~ "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)

That is why Sage Sankara:~ 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 

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 other than consciousness a God.

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

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.

Thus, by sticking up to the Gods, which are not God in truth, you are sticking up to the illusion. Sticking up to illusion means sticking up to ignorance. sticking up to ignorance means you are not qualified to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Sage  Sankara said:~ 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.

The beliefs of God, religion, yoga are based on the false self, is nothing to do with the mental (inner) journey.   The religious, rituals, worships, prayers God, and guru glorification may be useful in worldly life, for those who believe in birth, life, death, and the world as reality, but they are not useful tools in realizing the ultimate truth. On the base of consciousness (Soul) as the ‘Self’, everything other than the consciousness is merely an illusion.  Thus, man and his experience of the world and his belief in God and religion are part and parcel of the mirage created out of consciousness. 

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 eye cannot see it; the mind cannot grasp it. The deathless 'Self' has neither caste nor race, neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great and in the small, everlasting and changeless, the source of life.

Arguing with believers is fruitless. Belief in tradition and scripture as if they were true or factual quite clearly is delusion, but the payoff for holding such delusions is, for those who hold them, extremely compelling--the avoidance of the "wrath of God," the hope of heaven or salvation, or the imagined "end of suffering."

Goudpada says that: ~ “The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect”.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the mass but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence, the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

This clearly indicates that religion, which is based on individual conduct, prescribes karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, therefore religion is for the lower intellect. And wisdom is for those are capable of inquiring into their own existence to know and realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman.

Sage Sankara: ~ “The illusion must be transcended by getting rid of the ignorance in order to realize the truth of the Soul which is the ultimate truth or Brahman.  

If Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness then, it is necessary to realize, the consciousness as the Self, which pervades all the three states, to realize the fact that there is no second thing that exists other than the consciousness. Thus, consciousness (Ataman) is the ultimate truth (Brahman).  

The Vedas confirms God is Atman (Spirit), the innermost ‘Self’.

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.

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

Thus, it refers to formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the innermost ‘Self’ within the false experience. Thus it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are merely an imagination based on the false self’.  Thus Atman or Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ is God.

There is a clear-cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad and Bhagavad Gita. And also there is a clear-cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of real God.

That is why ISH Upanishads says: ~“By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses”. But will that help you? The time you spent there is wasted because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

It clearly indicates that:-If the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana then why one has to indulge in rituals and glorifying the conceptual Gods, Goddesses, and gurus to go into deeper darkness. Instead spend that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal. 

All the religious and yogic based knowledge, which are inferior, have to be discarded know the ultimate truth or Brahman or God, which is formless, timeless and spaceless existence.:~ Santthosh Kumaar 

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta.+

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism or indulge in yogic practice.  There is no practice as such only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is very much necessary.

Sage Sankara says ~ VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

Scriptures mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is the truth and ‘what is the untruth. When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time, and space. 

The ultimate truth has to be realized first then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. I do not require any scriptures.

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use of studying the scriptures and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual wisdom. That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and the scriptures. 

Remember:~

Astavakra: ~ “My child you may speak upon various scriptures or hear the sermons on the scriptures. But you cannot establish in the ‘Self’ unless you forget all. 16-1 – p49 

Sage Sankara says - VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book-knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

There is no need to study Vedanta.  The seeker has to find out: - ‘What is the mind or ‘I’?’, ‘What is the substance of the mind (I)?’  And what is the source if the mind?  (I),  in order to realize the nature of the mind (I). 

The non-duality has to be grasped in the midst of the duality (waking experience).  When one is Soul-centric than he will realize ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ and ‘what is a reality’ and what is unreality’  and able establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the Soul, the innermost Self.  The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false self, and imagine about nonduality and say nothing exists other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the consciousness.  Everything arises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Thus, the whole diversity (three states) has no relevance, from the standpoint of the consciousness as the Self.

Everything (illusion) is nothingness (consciousness) realizing the three states are created out nothingness (Consciousness). Nothingness is the nature of the consciousness because there is no second thing exists other than itself.       

Religion, mysticism, and yoga are meant for the mass mindset, which is incapable of investigating and verifying their inherited beliefs.  The path of wisdom is to get the pure essence of non-duality or Advaita.

The ultimate truth is based on the formless Soul, the  Self.  Soul-centric reasoning leads one to non-dual Self-awareness.  Therefore, there is a  need to rectify the reasoning base from ego base to Soul base to understand, assimilate and realize the Non-dualistic or Advaitic truth.
Remember:~

Self –inquiry is not the critical study of the scriptures.  Self-knowledge is a cure for getting rid of ignorance. It is the highest of all the results. There is nothing greater than it.  there is no necessity to study the scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

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 the 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 authority for those who use reason.

I quote only the verified citation form the scriptures. I need no scriptures, but I quote then to help the seekers to realize 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.

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 realize non-dual truth or ‘Self’-realization because they are based on 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.

Upanishads clearly indicate:~

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 the 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 Mundaka Upanishad (Upanishads by Nikilanada)

There is no need to study the Vedas or at least Prastnatraya Bhagavad Gita. Dasoponishad and Brahma Sutra all with commentaries to ensure firm realization.  All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explaining doubts and difficulties if others rise them if you yourself encounter them in the course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. 

Fortunate are the seekers who do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. Philosophies are conceptual divisions invented by authors of philosophy by their excessive analysis. 
Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but inquires into the nature of the universe and finds the source from which the universe arises.

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 Bhagavan 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 birthlessness of Ataman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

Therefore, there is no use of taking the strain to understand,  assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by 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 arises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness.  Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding,  assimilation of non-dualistic or 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. 

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

Sage Sankara believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The Advaitic formula, to be successively realized, is:- “The world is unreal; Brahman is real; the world is Brahman.+

Sage Sankara was very careful with his choice of semantic analysis and use of words - taught at different levels of doctrine at different times as the situation warranted. 

The Advaitic formula, to be successively realized, is: “The world is unreal; Brahman is real; the world is Brahman.” This is the vision of non-duality. Sage Sankara affirmed a progression of points of view depending on the stage of one’s practice.

The Advaita taught by Sage Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sage  Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman,  itself is absolutely homogeneous. All differences and plurality are illusory.

Sage Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Mundaka, he gave the highest non-dual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Isvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Genuine philosophy must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world, and the Nirguna 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)

The Brahma Sutras together with  Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain the higher wisdom. They are intended for those who are incapable of thinking rationally.

Sage Sankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on an orthodox and mystic basis, with an appeal to the Vedas as a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage  Sankara explains in Manduka that those who study the Sutras are orthodox minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God.  A Gnani says the scriptures for children, but wise seekers will think rationally.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie, nevertheless one will find Sage  Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion, dogmatism, but in the commentary Sage  Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that a number of Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, only a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Scholars' translation of Brahma Sutras in Sacred Books of East must be read cautiously as he has not understood its highest sense, e.g. for Advaita, they wrongly put "Unity" instead of “Non-duality."

Sage Sankara gave religion and scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the seeking world. He was great enough to be able to do so. His commentary on Mandukya is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.

Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification that is why they are not keen on rational truth. Thus, Sage Sankara is the Guru to the religious followers and he is a great Gnani to the seeking world.  

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study the Scriptures, in order 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 do you indulge in studying philosophy.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge rituals, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why do you indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge in yoga, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why do you indulge in yoga.

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 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 other types of meditation.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara's Advaitic wisdom ~ Without a Parallel.+

Sage Sankara's  Advaitic wisdom ~ Without a Parallel.  Sage Sankara's wisdom is lofty, sublime, and unique. It is highly interesting, inspiring, and elevating. No other wisdom can stand before it in boldness, depth, and subtle thinking.  Sage Sankara’s wisdom is complete and perfect.

Sage Sankara was a mighty, marvelous genius. He was a profound thinker of the first rank. He was a sage of the highest realization. His wisdom has brought solace, peace, and illumination to countless persons in the world. The Western thinkers bow their heads at the lotus-feet of  Sage Sankara. His wisdom has soothed the sorrows and afflictions of the most forlorn persons and brought hope, joy, wisdom, perfection, freedom, and calmness to many. His wisdom commands the admiration of the whole world.

Biographical anecdotes about his childhood about the crocodile story and the story in Sage   Sankara's life of going to Benares and occupying the body of another man and then having sexual intercourse with his wife is a myth created by orthodoxy hiding the real fact the reason best-known to the orthodoxy. Sage Sankara had the scientific spirit and when told by Saraswathi the woman that he was talking emptily about sex, being a Sanyasi, he at once went to learn the truth by having actual intercourse himself and thus learning by experiment and observation.

Thus,  all the myth about Sage Sankara is nothing to do with the seeker of truth because the seeker is concerned only with the wisdom of the Sage  Sankara.  

Sage Sankara:~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)

Sage Sankara:~  The Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life, and should take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. (Chap.3.4.50; Sankara's commentary to Brahma Sutras)

Sage Sankara's work has got two aspects: the practical and the spiritual. He gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the populace but pure wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence, the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Sage Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never told them to give their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.

Sage Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was no fool in writing.  Sage Sankara did more than write books or initiate Sanyasin: He brought India into unity as a nation. He told people to worship what they wish, remain in their particular religion, caste and creed, but remember also you are part of a larger whole.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced.  The orthodox pundit seeing Sage Sankara will see differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sankara.  Each one of them interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge.  The orthodox see Sage Sankara as the founder of their religion and also as a guru of the Advaitic orthodox sect.  A man of truth sees Sage  Sankara not as a guru but as a Gnani. The orthodoxy believes in their experience of birth, life, death, rebirth, and the world as reality. Whereas Gnani sees the world is a mere illusion created out of consciousness.  Thus,  Gnani sees no second thing other than consciousness. The one who treads the path of wisdom gains the knowledge of reality beyond form, time, and space. A  Gnani has delved into and transcended consciously all identification with the experience form, time, and space.

Similarly, orthodoxy has to be bifurcated from philosophy. To know the Non-dualistic wisdom of Sage Sankara, one has to be free from all superstitions and dogmas and orthodoxy and scriptural knowledge.  The seeker has to be more rational and scientific in his attitude.

According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the Jnana Kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures. 

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.

Philosophy does not begin with the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Most Advaitin scholars will teach that all is you, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. Rational proof is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana.  Theirs is mere dogma, parrotism, a repetition of what they read in scripture.  Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

Sage Sankara’s whole teaching can be summed up into 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 Brahma 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. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara clearly indicated that - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to Self-knowledge.+

Sage Sankara said:~ 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.

There is a need for an atmosphere of free will; wherein deeper ‘Self’-search is the order of the day. The more one indulges in deeper ‘Self’-search, he learns and is able to grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

This helps the seeker of truth to be inquisitive and opens his vistas and dialogue with like-minded fellow seekers. The dialogue between the religious, yogic, and non-religious will not help to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’ which itself is the cause of ignorance.

As what is important is the truth of the existence is first and then the rest in the Atmic path.  The Seeker of truth needs to work towards, how he has to find answers for all his doubts and confusions. Most people consider the ultimate truth is as a threat to their religious beliefs.

The ultimate aim of the human being is to find and realize the truth and work towards it rather than fight that one has the truth to oneself’ and other truths are wrong or inferior. 

Realization of the truth of one’s true existence is an important factor as mankind is caught up in the crossroads of witnessing wars and terrorism in the name of fundamentalism.

 There are  three  kinds of aspirants:  ~  

1    1. The ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices follow the religion.

2.      Middling intellect, who desire peace and well-being follow yogic path or meditation.

3.     The most advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth follows the Atmaimc path. The Atmic path with its emphasis on the Advaitic wisdom is meant for those who wish to go beyond form, time, and space.

Only through deeper self-search do beginners and intermediates gradually become aware of ‘what is what’. Only after they have realized the fact that the  ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’  is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, they are ready for the inner journey towards reality, which is beyond the form, time and space. 

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

If you are seeking truth you have to know the  ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Sage Sankara says the world is an illusion, it includes birth, life, and death, which happens within the world.  Thus, the seeker's main aim is to mentally trace the formless substance of the illusion, which is also the witness of the illusion.

Sage Sankara indicates in (VC):~ 56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means. 

58. 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.

59. 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.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

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.

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.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

Thus,  Sage Sankara clearly indicated that - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to self-knowledge.  But by the realization of one's identity with consciousness, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman, freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality is possible, and by no other means. 

It is necessary to repeat the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of 'what is what'.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance because 'I' itself is ignorance.+

The form, time, and space are present in the form of ‘I’. The ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance because 'I' itself is ignorance.   The ‘I’ is not limited to the ego.  You cannot get rid of the ego. You have to get rid of it alone. 

You have to get rid of the form, time, and space by realizing that form, time, and space are created out of s single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  

Realize the ‘Self' is not you but the Self the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.  The ‘Self-realization' frees the Soul from ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the form, time, and space as a reality.  

All your ‘I-centric’ accumulated knowledge propagated by the Gurus in the past and present is of no use in realizing the truth which is hidden within the form, time, and space, but it is beyond the form, time, and space. Until you stick to the ‘I’ based knowledge you are unfit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

The ‘I’ it itself is blocking your realization.  The ‘I’ cease to exist in reality.  If ‘I’ cease to exist in reality means the world in which you exist ceases to exist as a reality. 

Self-realization is realizing the ‘Self' is not you but the Soul. 

Thus, it is very much necessary to learn to view and judge the world in which you exist on the base of the Soul, the innermost Self to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’. 

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 'I' 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.  

That is why 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. 

People refuse to accept anything other than their Gurus words. For them, their Gurus words are the ultimate truth. They do not accept anything else other than their accepted truth. There is no need to convince such a mindset.  

Such mindsets are not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seekers of truth accept only the truth nothing but the uncontradictable truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar