If one is seeking the truth, there is no need to discuss no need to argue read and think and reason deeply the truth will start revealing on its own.+

Instead of finding fault and maligning others first realize what the Self is in actuality. Amazingly an honest introspection will reveal that all fault lies with " you " and " your "own perceptions and attitudes. 

If there is an error in understanding what 'Self' is in actuality it is in " you".  Correcting this and changing to a soulcentric attitude will change your perception and then the Soul, the 'Self' will reveal its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature. 

What is there to discuss and argue and exchange opinions?  If one is seeking the truth, there is no need to discuss no need to argue read and think and reason deeply then the truth will start revealing on its own.  

Be an independent thinker. Do not accept anything without verification the seeker should not argue and waste his time. The argument will not yield truth. Only intellectuals argue to exhibit their intellectual wealth.  

The intellectual argument is based on ego. The ego-based intellectuality is limited to form, time, and space.  The truth you are seeking is based on the Soul. The Soul is beyond form, time, and space.  Thus, what is the use of egocentric argument in the soulcentric discussion?

That is why Bhagavan Buddha said: ~ Believe nothing because a wise man said it, Believe nothing because it is generally held. Believe nothing because it is written. Believe nothing because it is said to be divine. Believe nothing because someone else said it. But believe only what you yourself judge to be true.

The Advaitic wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is consciousness.  The freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it.  But to those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or consciousness, the Self, is quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

Ashtavakra: ~ Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.

Intellectuals argue, if everything is the consciousness, how can one give up anything?  Can you give up anything?  These types of questions are speculation based on the waking entity (ego), which is the false self within the false experience. Without knowing the ‘Self is not the form but the ‘Self’ is formless it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

All their speculation is limited to the domain of the form, time, and space whereas the truth is beyond the form, time, and space.    They are incapable of understanding and assimilating truth, which is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.  they refuse to verify and they want the truth on their own terms. 

Remember: 

Read repeatedly my postings and blogs and reflect and reason deeply which helps you to create a mental yardstick in your subconscious to discriminate between ‘what is the truth? And what is the untruth? 

When the subconscious is receptive and ready then it will start rejecting the untruth and finally, then the Soul, the 'Self’ alone will prevail as the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

There is no practice as such, but perfect understanding is needed to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atman Gnana.

A deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not physical, but the Self is a formless Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Therefore, all the accumulated knowledge, experiences, and understanding based on the ego are falsehood because the ego is the false self, within the false experience (waking).

The ‘Self’ is not you. You are the ego. The ego is the waking entity. Thus, whatever is based on the waking entity is bound to be falsehood because the waking experience itself is a falsehood. All the Gurus and their teachings limit the ‘Self’ as individuality. Thus, they yield only half-truths.

There is a need to realize the three states, which come and go, are merely an illusion. All three states are made of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Knowledge of the single stuff is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship; the followers of Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma never worshiped idols.+

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship; the followers of Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma never worshipped idols. Thus, all the Puranic Gods which are of the form and attributes are not Vedic Gods.

Hinduism is not Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.  Hindus do idol-worship while Vedas bars idol worship.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshipped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains. 

There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ in i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods. All these 60 million Gods are non-Vedic Gods based on the beliefs.

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 innermost ‘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."

When Upanishad itself says: ~   Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ All this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad). 

One must remember that for all periods the Vedas are the final goal and authority, and if the Puranas differ in any respect from the Vedas, the Puranas are to be rejected without mercy.

If you feel Puranas says something and the Vedas say something else, reject the Puranas and believe in the Vedas.  The Puranas are just a myth.

Even Sage Sri, Sankara declares: ~ 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 Sri, Sankara is impersonal.

God is formless, timeless and spaceless existence. Thus according to the Vedas God neither has any image nor God resides in any particular idol or statue. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.   

                               

On the Vedic perspective, Lord Krishna has been just a Mahan yogi and not God himself. Because in the Bhagavad Gita itself’ says: ~

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)

Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me 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.

So, on Vedic perspective, Lord Krishna is not Vedic God because Rig Veda says:   May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?"

All Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practice barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at a  different time, whereas the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma is ancient and has no founder.

Hindus do idol-worship while Vedas bars idol worship, therefore, it proves that Hinduism is not the ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

Sage Sri, Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman  (God)."

The Non-Vedic rituals and the sacrifices are introduced for the ignorant populace.  The Sages of truth condemned these worship and rituals.  Because Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of the dualistic illusion. 

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 persons proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Realize the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution.+

Tattireya Upanishad:~  The Self in man and in the sun is one. Those who understand this see through the world and go beyond the various sheaths of being to realize the unity of life.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~The universe rises from the ‘Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, realize the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

There is no meaning of life from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self because the world, in which you exist, is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The one which is born, live, and dies is not the Self.  

You are bound by birth, life, and death so you are not the ‘Self’ because the ‘Self is the Soul, which is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Only the false self thinks there is a meaning of life within the dualistic illusion because of ignorance.  Without the Soul the world in which we exist ceases to exist.  the Soul, which is the cause of the dualistic illusion (the world in which we exist), and it, itself is uncaused.  The Soul is the only reality that is the basis of our illusory existence in which we are experiencing our birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.

The birth, life, death, and the world are part of the waking experience, which is an illusion from the standpoint of the true Self (consciousness).  It is no use of saying that, we are not born, we do not die because we all were born and we all are going to die. However, birth, life, death, and the world are part of the illusion, which comes and goes as the waking experience.  The formless substance and witness of the three states is real, which is our true identity.   The Self which is in the form of consciousness has no birth and death.

When there is no scope for two in reality. Only from the dualistic perspective, there is meaning in life. From the non-dualistic perspective, life is meaningless. 

Remember:~ 

Until identify the Self your ignorance will prevail.  It is your habitual ‘I-centric’ attitude that will not allow you to know the truth hidden by the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Remember:~

The form, time, and space are connected to the ‘I’.

The experience of birth, life, death, and the world is connected to the ‘I’.

The waking experience is connected to the ‘I’.

The dream is connected to the ‘I’.

The universe in which you exist is connected to the ‘I.

The mind is connected to the ‘I’.

The Self is not the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is permanent because it is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

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

Why are you struggling to find out who you are? You will never find the answer if you get stuck to the ‘I’. Find out ‘what is this ‘I’, which appears and disappears.

What is that is aware of the coming and going, of the ‘I’?

Without realizing ‘what is this ‘I’ you will never be able to realize the mystery of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is the most intoxicating stuff. Those who use the word ‘I’ for the ‘Self ‘will never be able to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion.

The ‘I’ based teachings will not transport the seeker to the ultimate end of understanding.

‘I’ is the cage for the Soul. ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the only weapon to get rid of ignorance.

The ‘I’ based teachings will not transport the seeker to the ultimate end of understanding. Perfect understanding of ‘what is this ‘I’ leads to realizing the truth beyond the form, time, and space.

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. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Ramana Maharishi:~ To whom is the illusion? Find it out then illusion will vanish.+

So many centuries have passed since Sage Sankara appeared, yet it is very hard to find his true wisdom understood anywhere in the world today. It is because so few could rise to his level. Hence, the Bhakti Saints and others came to supply the common demand.

Sage Sankara's wisdom  has two aspects: the dualistic perspective and the non-dualistic perspective.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the populace but the Advaitic 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.

Q: ~ “What is an illusion"?

Ramana Maharishi:~ To whom is the illusion? Find it out, and then the illusion will vanish. Generally, people want to know about illusion and do not examine who it is. It is foolish. The illusion is outside and unknown.

 But

Ramana Maharishi:~ The seeker is considered to be known and is inside. Find out what is immediate, intimate, instead of trying to find out what is distant and unknown.” ~ Talks with Ramana Maharishi: On Realizing Abiding Peace and Happiness.

But  Remember 

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ The 'I' itself is the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the world in which you exist. When the Self is not the form, then the question to whom does not arise.  A Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the ‘I’ itself is an illusion.  If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then it is no use in inquiring ‘Who Am I?. Till one holds the ‘I’ as the Self, the Soul, the innermost self is caught up in the prison of the dualistic illusion.  

Sage Sankara:~  VC-63- "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.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that by inquiring the Who Am I? the wisdom will not dawn. Who Am I? - inquiry is only for beginners and it is inadequate and useless in the later stages.

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, and contemplation, but never by subtle arguments. 

Remember:~

Thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists have nothing to do with the Soul, the Self, which is hidden by ignorance.

Those who think by inquiring to whom the thoughts come, they will not be able to realize the ‘Self’ because they are thinking the ‘Self is within their body. The ‘Self’ is not within the body but it is hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Thoughts and thinker and the world the thinker exists belongs to the dualistic illusion. Without form, time, and space the thoughts will not form. Thoughts come to the thinker. The thinker is an individual whereas the ‘Self is not an individual. The source of the thoughts is the ego.

Without the ego, the thoughts will not arise. Thoughts and thinker and the world the thinker exists is nothing to do with the Soul, the ‘Self, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion (I).

You are the thinker. The thoughts come to you. You are bound by form, time, and space whereas The Soul, the Self is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The thoughts will not rise in the domain of the Soul, the ‘Self’ because it is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The thoughts come to the thinker within the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya. Without the dualistic illusion or Maya the thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists cease to exist.

Therefore, just by finding out to whom the thoughts come? Who is the knower? it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what' is what is very much necessary to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Self-realization is not easy because you refuse to accept the ‘Self is not within you.+

Self-realization is not easy because you refuse to accept the ‘Self is not within you because some guru said it, because it is generally held, because it is written in the holy book because someone else said it, because you refuse to accept anything other than your accepted truth.

You indulge in what is not needed to unfold the mystery of the ‘Self’ which is hidden within the form, time, and space. Your stubborn attitude blocks you from ‘Self-realization.

Mundaka Upanishads: ~ “So-called spiritual pundits and learned are called children because a child takes whatever it thinks as truth. The question never occurs to children “Is what I have seen or thought really the truth?" (P.334 line 9) 

Sage Sankara says: ~ 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?

62. 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.

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.

There is no need to follow anyone. There is no need to practice anything. Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’, lead to the realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.   

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. 

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

~ then why 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 rituals, in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why you indulge in rituals.

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

~then why 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 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 following other paths.  

Sage Sankara regards personal realization as independent and convincing evidence. 

Sage Sankara says that an individual’s experience cannot be disputed because the experience he went through was real to him; though that may not be the real from the absolute point of view.

Sage Sankara makes a distinction between the absolute view and the relative view of things.

If one starts with the idea that the universe exists, he can never see the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, because the universe is an illusion and only ignorant people read it as a reality.

Hence, Sage Sankara says:~ V.63 ~"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. 

Remember:~

By inquiring ‘WHO AM ‘I’? or by saying ‘I AM THAT’, without knowing ‘what is this ‘I’, one will not realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ exists only when the form, time, and space are present. When the Self is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self is ‘I –less Soul, then whatever based on the ‘I’, is bound to be an illusion. Thus, the ‘I-less Soul is permanent and eternal, because the Soul is ever formless, timeless and spaceless existence.

By hugging the Guru, you may feel happy and peaceful, emotionally, but by hugging a Guru you will not get Self-realization. Self-realization is not possible through mentally getting involved with a Guru. The emotional is the greatest obstacle in realizing the truth which is beyond the form, time, and space. The emotions and feelings are possible physical existence, whereas the ‘Self’ is the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the physical existence (duality or world) itself is an illusion.

Thus, all these hugging pursuits are meant for those who are in search of temporary peace of mind in the practical life within the practical world and it is not for those who are seriously searching the truth of their true existence.

The seeker has to realize the hugging, the Guru who hugs and the world in which they exist is created out of single stuff. The knowledge of the single stuff is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Athma Gnana.

By hugging and laughing, the ignorance, will not vanish. Without getting rid of ignorance, wisdom will not dawn. Without wisdom, the dualistic illusion will prevail as a reality.

The ignorance of the 'Self’ will block you from realizing the Self, which is ever the formless, timeless and spaceless existence.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Gurus who declare “I am God or “I am Brahman" is merely repeating like a parrot words which they have read in the scriptures or heard.+

Before saying ‘I AM GOD’ one must realize what ‘God’ supposed to be in actuality.   Only ignorant says ‘I AM GOD’ without knowing what it means.  

People say I AM THAT ~ I am God, I am Brahman. But when Brahman is, how can "I" remain? Only Brahman remains, not I,  it is erroneous to use the word ‘I’ for the Self, because ‘I’ represents the form, time and space whereas the Soul, the innermost Self is formless, timeless and spaceless existence. 

You are not God. The Soul the ‘Self’ is God in truth.  It is not correct to say God or I am Brahman. But when Brahman is, how can "I" remain? Only Brahman or God in truth remains, not the I. 

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the ‘I’ is an illusion, which appears and disappears.

It is erroneous to use the word ‘I’ for the Self, because ‘I’ represents the form, time and space whereas the Soul, the innermost Self is formless, timeless and spaceless existence. 

Some Gurus and Self-declared Godmen say:  "I am God." This presupposes that they have the same miraculous and creative powers of God. They do not, however, display possession of such power. Such is the fallacy of their logic.

The Gurus who declare “I am God or “I am Brahman" is merely repeating like parrot words which they have read in the scriptures or heard. It does not prove that they have realized the ultimate truth or God or Brahman or God in truth. With bookish or hearsay knowledge, it is unable to prove that everything is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. One has to do lots of homework to realize the Soul, the Self. 

A Guru who speaks of knowing Brahman within the body is thinking only of his head or heart, i.e. of his body. He is hallucinating. 

Some religious Gurus give medicinal herbs and cured people, the latter then falls into the fallacy of attributing their cure to the Swami's spiritual power, status or greatness. Those Gurus may have expert knowledge of herbs, but that does not prove they are Gnanis. 

Remember:~  

The stories of non-believer coming to a Guru denouncing him as a deceiver, and then suddenly being converted to faith in him are easily explicable. Both attitudes are merely emotional. One emotion succeeded another; it is in the nature of emotion to change. People are emotionally carried off their feet when they first visit a famous Guru.

Gurus who propagate Samadhi through sexual intercourse are not Gnanis. Sexual intercourse is nothing to do with the Soul, which is ever formless, timeless and spaceless existence.   Those who indulge in sexual activities in order to get enlightenment will permanently remain in the prison of the dualistic illusion.  They are unfit to acquire Self-knowledge.

Those Gurus who glorify themselves as God and collect money by promising people instant realization are frauds. 

Whoever speaks of knowing Brahman within us is thinking only of his body. He is hallucinating about getting instant realization because he is an intellectual. He thinks he has read and understood everything.   

The Gurudom is nothing to do with the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Religious Gurus are concerned with the welfare of humanity to propagate love, peace, harmony and compassion to the populace.  Humanity belongs to the dualistic illusion.  Spirituality is beyond the dualistic illusion. Mixing religion and spirituality is like mixing oil and water. Religion is nothing to do with spirituality.   Religion is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.    

Remember:~ 

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 in truth. Thus, Self-realization is necessary to realize ‘what God is in actuality.

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

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

Swami Vivekananda: ~ “Stick to the truth”

The belief system preaches that God is one and the ways to God are many. It simply tries to lead them to darkness with its dogma and idea of many Gods, which is apart from the Self. The religion is based on the false self (ego) and false experience (world) thus; all religiously-based beliefs are a falsehood.

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.

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) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Religious Gods are based on blind belief. Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul and 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.

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 says: "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, 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 the 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 is 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.

As indicated in ISH Upanishads: ~ “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 then why one has to indulge in rituals and glorify 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. ~Santthosh Kumaar