You are not ‘THAT’ because you are not the Self. ‘THAT ‘is not ‘you’ to say that ‘I AM THAT’.+

You are not ‘THAT’ because you are not the Self. ‘THAT ‘is not ‘you’ to say that ‘I AM THAT’.

By simply saying ‘I AM THAT’ the wisdom will dawn. You are bound by form, time, and space. You are bound by birth, life, death, and the world.

Just by saying ‘I AM THAT’ one will not realize the truth, beyond the form, time, and space. If some guru says: Right here, right now realize ‘you are that, nothing will be realized. It is only playing with words. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what leads to Self-awareness.

Until one thinks ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as the self, their understanding is egocentric. The egocentric understanding is not the realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Even after knowing the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ people are stuck with ‘I-centric' teaching and Gurus. Those who are stuck with ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ will never be able to get rid of ignorance. 

Remember:~ 

‘I AM’ is not a reality. Whenever the ‘I AM’ is there the dualistic illusion is present. Whenever dualistic illusion is present the world in which you exist is present. The world in which you exist appears and disappears. Thus, The ‘I AM’ appears and disappears. 

The ‘I AM’ is not permanent. The Soul, the Self is the witness of the coming and going, of the ‘I Am. It is erroneous to identify the Soul, the  Self as the ‘I AM'. The ‘I am’ represents ignorance. How can you watch the ‘I AM’ the truth which is hidden by the ‘I AM? by you keeping quiet and keeping silent the truth will not emerge.

The ‘I’ hides the Soul. Therefore, the seeker has to realize ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality

If the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul then from the standpoint of the Soul, the  Self:~

Where is the ‘I’?

Where is the ego?

Where is the body?

Where is the mind?

Where is the world in which you exist?

Where are the form, time, and space?

Where is the waking experience?

Where is the duality?

Where is void?

They are or have become one with the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present only when the world is present. The world is present only when there is the waking experience.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the waking experience is not considered different from the world. The world is not considered different from the mind. The mind is not considered different from the’ I’. This truth has to be assimilated.

The ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. ‘I’ is not the subject. The ‘I’ is an object to the Soul, which is the formless, timeless, and spaceless subject.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the world in which you exist is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then three states, are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the form, time, and space are bound to be an illusion.

If I’ is an illusion then the individual experience of birth, life, death is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the words and thoughts are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the duality is bound to be an 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 to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self. 

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 'I' as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such a mindset. 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 a mindset is 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 

Real Satsanga is reflecting on Soul, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.+

Advaita is not the path of exchange of views or discussion. The seeker has to read think deeply and reflect on the subject constantly until the truth becomes firm. When the seeker has a firm conviction of what is reality then the unreality fades on its own. 

Everyone’s inner work is on. Until a man is ripe to receive Self-knowledge, he will not be able to understand what I am saying. 

Even they may find it difficult in the first as they go on reading and reflecting repeatedly the post their subconscious will start dropping the dualistic egocentric knowledge and start accepting the Soul-centric Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Grasping the truth depends on the spiritual maturity of the seeker. My mission is sharing the knowledge by inspires the serious and sincere seekers of truth and divert their attention towards the inward reality. 

As their urge is at the seed level and As they go on reading the words of wisdom it will start growing. 

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the  Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Remember:~

Self-knowledge is not a question and answers session. As the seeker digs into old and new posts, he will gradually start understanding and assimilating the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

The Advaitic truth is very simple. It is very difficult to realize because it is lost in the dualistic knowledge we inherited, collected from different sources, different masters’ different gurus, different philosophies, different ideologies, different books, and scriptures. All these accumulated knowledge is a mere hill of Garbage.

Nothing is needed other than realizing the knowledge of the single stuff. The single stuff is the cause of the world in which we exist. And that single stuff itself is causeless. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

The Soul is the Self. Knowledge of the Soul, the Self, is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Atma Gnana is knowledge of God in truth. 

Realizing God in this very life is your goal. God-realization itself is real worship.

Remember:~

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed. Only an intense urge to know the truth, humility sincerity and patience are the only qualifications to realize God in this very life and in this very world.

All your religious-based accumulated knowledge will block you from realizing the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. Be more rational in your thinking. Your religious conditioning will not allow you to cross the domain of the ‘I’. 

Till you hold all the religious ideas of God, the Soul, the Self will remain in the cage of ignorance. 

Drop your accumulated knowledge drop all the physical Gurus, the Soul the inner Guru, is waiting for you to take the first step for you to realize there are no more steps.

You will realize you, your body and your experience of the world are nothing but consciousness. Thus, you will realize that God (Soul) is the fullness of consciousness. Everything is God nothing but God. Do not waste time attending sermons and Satsang. 

Real Satsanga is reflecting on Soul, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

All my writings are an inner revelation to show the truth hidden under the garbage of religion and theories, beliefs, and ideology. There is no need to condemn religion, and theories, beliefs, and ideology, but the seeker’s aim is to drop what is not the truth and accept only the truth beyond the form, time, and space. Whatever belongs to form, time and space are not the truth because the nature of the Soul is the formless, timeless and spaceless existence.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The seeker must realize the ‘I’ is the cause of the ignorance. Without the ‘I’ the world in which he exists ceases to exist.+

Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist. Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. 

Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

There is nothing exist prior to consciousness. The ‘I’ cease to exist without consciousness. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The world in which we exist is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness. The seeker gradually becomes aware, of the truth as he gets spiritually matured.

The seeker is not conscious of the truth which is hidden by the world in which he exists until he seeks the truth of his true existence. The truth unfolds very gradually as the seeker spiritually matures.

The seeker gets established in Soul awareness when he realizes the Self is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space.

The seeker must realize the ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance. Without the ‘I’ the world in which he exists ceases to exist. Within his own effort, the seeker will be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

My main intention is to divert the seeker's attention to the source from where the mind (universe) rises and subsides.

Reading and reflecting on my blogs and postings gradually, the seekers will start assimilating and realizing ‘what is the truth’ and what the untruth is. Repeated reading my blogs and postings make the seeker, Soulcentric, and the inner dialogue will start and clear all the doubts and confusion.

When there are no doubts and confusion, then they have realized the truth that form, time, and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness. 

There is no use in wasting time in questioning and arguing at the same time and effort has to be used to make the seeker more independent and without external spoon-feeding, he can reach the inner core, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The words that mean different things to different people, it is what's behind the words, between the lines that matter. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is meant for the class, not for the mass. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Consciousness is nothing but Brahman or God in truth.+

A Gnani sees nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is nothing but God in truth.

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

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.  

In Self-awareness, There is neither seer nor seen. In Self-awareness, the Soul remains in its own awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space.

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, which is born out of consciousness is consciousness. Like gold is the permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the mind, which is in the form of the universe is born out of consciousness, is consciousness in its essence.

The Soul is everything and is everything is nothing but consciousness. The Soul is infinite the dualistic illusion filled by the infinite.

A Gnani sees consciousness everywhere and everything in the dualistic illusion. A Gnani is fully aware of the fact that the world in which he exists is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness.

Advaita is the hidden secret wisdom of the Sages of truth. We contemplate that reality in which everything exists, to which everything belongs, and from which everything has emerged, which the cause of everything is, and which everything is.

A Gnani sees only unity in diversity, just like a goldsmith estimating the gold in various items of jewelry sees only gold. When one identifies the Self with the form then only the form, time and space are present. But when one transcends the form, time, and space the duality never remains as reality.

Advaita means the Soul, the Self. The Soul is one without the second. The Soul is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness. The Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Advaita is the nature of God, the Self. Advaita is the real God. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness.

Remember this: ~

The ‘Self is the whole hidden by the ‘I’.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind, therefore; ‘I’ is the mind.

The mind is present in the form of the form, time, and space

together; therefore, the form, time, and space together are the mind.

The duality is present only when the form, time, and space are present, therefore, the form, time, and space together is the duality.

The form, time, and space are present in the form of the universe, therefore, the form, time, and space together is the universe.

The universe appears as the waking or dream, therefore, the waking or dream is the universe.

The waking is a parallel dream and the dream is a parallel waking.

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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.

Remember this: ~

Without the ‘I’ there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the mind, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the form, time, and space, there is only the Soul, the fullness of the consciousness.

Without the universe, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the waking or the dream, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the individual experience of birth, life, death, there is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Remember this: ~

From the standpoint of the Soul, the ‘I’ is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the mind is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, form, time and space are an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the universe is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the waking or dream is an illusion.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the individual experience of birth, life, death is an illusion.

The Soul is the cause of all that exists as an illusion and the Soul itself is uncaused.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

Realize, ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality and what is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

If you realize the ‘Self ‘is not the ‘I’ but the Soul then whatever is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

Realizing the Soul is not the ‘I’ but the Soul is the Self, is Self –realization.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist. Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The illusion hides the truth of the Advaita.

The Soul becomes an illusion in waking (duality) and waking becomes the Soul in deep sleep (nonduality).

The one that becomes the duality (waking or dream) and one that remains nonduality in deep sleep,  is the Soul, the Self.

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

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 truth other than consciousness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

The Seer and the Seen.+

One sees many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can he, therefore, say that there are no stars in the sky during the day?

The world in which you exist hides the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Without consciousness, the world in which you exist ceases to exist. The world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness.

One is unaware of the Soul the  Self, due to ignorance. The Soul or consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is the true Self.

Consciousness is hidden within the world in which you exist. Until one thinks of his body as a body, ego as ego the universe as the universe he remains in ignorance because he is still in ignorance and he is unaware of the fact that they too are consciousness.

Consciousness is not an object, as it is invisible, beyond the reach of the eyes. It is not another. It is all-full, infinite, changeless, Self-existent, Self-delight, Self-knowledge. It is the essence. It is the essence of the knower. It is the formless substance and Witness of the dualistic illusion.

The Seer and the Seen.

The Seer is the subject and Seen is an object.

The Seer is the Soul, the Self.

Seen is the ‘I'.

The ‘I’ appears and disappears.

The Soul sees the appearance and disappearance of the ‘I’.

The Soul is permanent and real.

The ‘I’ is impermanent because it appears and disappears.

This is your bondage, that you hold the Self as the ‘I'.

The ‘Seer’ can never be the ‘Seen’. The subject can never become the object. But the most subtle and salient point is that there is no object, ‘the ‘Seen’ at all.

The Soul is the Seer and the dualistic illusion is the Seen. The dualistic illusion appears as the ‘I'. the ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

In reality, the ‘Seer’ and ‘Seen’ are created out of a single clay. That single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. There is no duality in reality because there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Consciousness alone is real and eternal the ‘I’ is an illusion. The dualistic illusion has no value in reality because it is created out of consciousness

From the standpoint of the Soul,  there is neither Seer nor the Seen because the Seer and Seen are one in essence. 

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

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

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 leads truth realization.

Atman is Brahman. The Atman is the  Self is non-dual because there is no second thing that exists other than the Atman. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the only true reality, and everything else, which appears as form, time, and space is merely an illusion.

There is nothing that exists prior to consciousness. The ‘I’ cease to exist without consciousness. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth, or Brahman or God in truth. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The question and answer session will not yield truth. Perfect understanding and assimilation will help the seeker to realize the truth.+

Upanishads:~  Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

The Soul, the 'Self' reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready.    The question and answer session will not yield truth. Perfect understanding and assimilation will help the seeker to realize the truth, which is hidden by form, time, and space.

"WHO AM I?" inquiry will not yield truth because the ‘I’ is not limited to the form. The ‘I’ is form, time, and space together.

“WHO AM ‘I’?” is for the starting point and later stage it becomes inadequate and useless.

The seeker has to move on from nursery to graduation and finish his master's to get full knowledge of the subject.

Similarly, the seeker should not get stuck with some teaching thinking it as final, he has to move on till he realizes the truth he seeking for. 

That is why Bhagavan Buddha: ~ “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting.

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

Jesus said: ~” Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. (THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS- Saying 5)

Therefore, the seeker should personally strive for a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ to be free from the bondage of the dualistic illusion. Never compare or mix Advaitic wisdom with some technique or some practice or any other means.

Remember:~ 

Sages of truth restrained themselves parting the Advaitic Gnana to only a selected few. Advaitic Gnana itself is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Advaitic Gnana was hidden from the people who were not qualified and receptive to it.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~   “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.

The Atmic path is not for religious and yogic-minded people. Religious and yogic people must move on their chosen path. The Atmic path is for only seekers of truth who are seriously searching for the truth of their own existence.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few. Thus, religion was given to the mass, and knowledge of the spirit is given to only a selected few. Thus we find traces of the knowledge of the Spirit in the religious books in the form of parables.

The Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is soulcentric knowledge.  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is soulcentric knowledge that destroys ignorance.

Tripura Rahasya: ~ Second-hand knowledge of the Self-gathered from books or Gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. Realize yourself, turning the mind inward. (18: 89)

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.

Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is pure spirituality. Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with religion and yoga and philosophies. All Advaitic teachings of the Gurus of the east and west are not the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

Advaita is universal. Advaita is not for sale. Do not buy Advaita from the spiritual supermarket. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self. The world in which you exist is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Knowledge of the single stuff is Advaitic wisdom.

Advaitic truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to realize because you have accumulated mental garbage from different sources in the name of Advaita. Until you discard all the accumulated knowledge you will never be able to realize the Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. 

The Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the  'Self' shines in its own awareness when wisdom dawns. 

The Advaita is the Soul is the cause and the support of all that exists as the world in which we exist. Advaita is the nature of God, the Self. 

The Advaita is present in the form of consciousness. Advaita is the root element of the universe. From the Advaita, the universe comes into existence. In the Advaita, the universe resides. And into the Advaita, the universe is dissolved. The Advaita is the parent of all that is there is.

All your accumulated knowledge from different Gurus and teaching is nothing to do with the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  All your accumulated knowledge is not of any use in realizing the ‘Self’, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.  If you want to realize the ‘Self’ then you have to drop all accumulated knowledge and start afresh.  Do not hold your accumulated knowledge as a yardstick.

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)

Scriptures are not needed in pursuit of truth. Even the Upanishads and the Advaitic Sages declare the same.

The ultimate truth has to be ascertained without the scriptures by realizing the Self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the Self is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. 

In the realm of truth the form, time, and space are created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Realizing the single stuff as ultimate truth is Self-realization or truth realization. To realize this truth there is no need for the scriptures. 

The ultimate truth has to be realized first then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

God in truth will reveal only when one drop the orthodoxy and starts thinking on the unorthodox way.+

As the seeker proceeds deeper self-search, the seeker will come to the final conclusion there are no such Gods exists with forms and names.   God in truth will reveal only when one drops the orthodoxy and starts thinking in an unorthodox way.

No one can stop anybody from believing in their religious belief of God if that is what people want to stick to it.

People dedicated their lives to devotion to religion, cult, caste, and creed, and their religious belief of by so many wasted years of unanswered prayers worship and rituals never given any fruits.

When all these outdated dogmas introduced in the past by religion no longer have any value because it is lost its luster.   Everyone is free to choose to live their life how they want.   

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with the orthodox belief systems. Some philosophers in the past dissented from this interpretation of Vedanta philosophy, holding that the incarnated Souls were separate from the Divine Essence and only finally merged with it after the cycles of birth. 

All these theoretical philosophies are based on the imagination based on the false ‘Self’ (ego or you) within the false experience (waking). 

Sage Sankara:-  VC 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 (verses-6)

The Sage who has hidden “truth” in the religion is Sage Sankara.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~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.

Therefore the seeker should personally strive by all the means to be free from the bondage of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality. :~ Santthosh Kumaar