The essence of Mundaka Upanishad: Not be satisfied with rituals, yoga but inquire into the world around you, which you can see.+

From the Advaitic perspective, yoga is dualistic. The dualistic experience is nothing but ignorance.  

Yoga helps the yogi by giving him the feeling that the world is not worth bothering about, it detaches him from the world; it makes him treat the world as a dream, i.e. an idea. It does the same to his ego to some extent because he becomes indifferent to what happens to him. But the great secret is that this is only feeling, he feels these things only but does not know that the world is an illusion. Such knowledge can come only after Soulcentric inquiry and in no other way. That is why yogi cannot be Gnani. It is the difference between feeling and knowledge. 

The feeling of the yogi that the world is unreal may change tomorrow because all emotions are liable to change; and the fact is that yogis do change, as when going after women they lose their sense of world unreality though previously they felt it.

A permanent view of the world as unreal can come only after intellectual inquiry; such knowledge cannot change. Were the yogi of sufficiently sharp intellect he could discover the ideality of the world by reasoning alone and then it would not be necessary for him to have gone through yoga practice at all; that is why we say yoga is for dull or middling intellects.

The essence of Mundaka Upanishad: Not be satisfied with rituals, yoga, etc. which are good in their own way, but inquire. Into what? Brahman and Atman are things you can never see. So do not inquire into them. Inquire into the world around you, which you can see. Science tells you it is passing away every second. Everything is dying repeatedly. Where is it going? Thus you follow up your inquiry into what you can lay hands on. How can you inquire into Atma which you cannot see? So first we deal with the known and seen, this inquiry leads up to the unknown in the end.

Yoga cannot remove ignorance. It is only a step. It removes obstructions. It is not possible by mental control alone, by yoga, to achieve Brahman, but at best one falls asleep. It is like eating fire or leading an elephant by a thread or draining an ocean drop by drop, to try the yogic way. When the yogi shuts his eyes and does not see the world he is like the cat in the Indian proverb who shuts its eyes when drinking forbidden milk although other people are there, and it imagines it is unobserved because it cannot see them.  Yogi does not examine the phenomenal world and hence cannot realize Brahman for he takes that world as real but runs away from it.

 Gnana cannot come if anything is left out. The whole universe must be included. Only when all is known can all be known to be but ideation. Hence yogis blotting all out in samadhi cannot lead to Gnana. The ‘I-thought', the ego, belongs to the Seen as does the universe thought. The yogi may get the knowledge that the Seer is separate from Seen, but he will never know Brahman without inquiring into the world, because he is giving up the world, and hence cannot discover his unity with the world. The Gnani regards everything in the world as Brahman; the yogi rejects the world. Thus there is a fundamental difference.

That is why Sage Sankara said: ~ VC-63- “Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’ how is one to achieve Liberation.  

The universe in which we exist will not remain as reality when wisdom dawns. The universe is a mere illusion created out of consciousness and there is a conscious awareness of unity in diversity because there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Realization is of the Soul as the ‘Self’ is -Perfection.  The non-dualistic truth cannot be comprehended by the dualistic perspective.

The universe is a reality only from the dualistic perspective. The universe is an illusion from the nondualistic perspective.  From the non-dualistic perspective the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the sole reality. There is no second thing that exists other than the Soul in non-dualistic reality.

The Soul is the unknown reality on the dualistic perspective and the universe is the known reality on the dualistic perspective. The universe hides the Soul, which is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana helps to mentally transcend the mind into the Soul, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

As the conviction of the Soul, the 'Self' becomes firm then gradually the ‘Self’ is free from experiencing the dualistic illusion (universe) as a reality.

When the Soul, the ‘Self’ becomes freed from all the obstruction by fully eliminating the ignorance it remains in its own awareness.  When the Soul, remains in its own awareness in the midst of the waking experience then the universe is merely an illusion created out of the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When the Soul, the innermost 'Self' gives up identification with the waking entity then and recognizes its true nature is as undifferentiated awareness, unaffected by form, time, and space, and enter into its own awareness of its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature.

The universe is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the universe, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, experiences the birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as the consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or the consciousness. Thus, all the egocentric knowledge has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara says: ~ V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know 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.

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it. 

It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world, he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

Remember:~

This universe in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness.

The experience of birth, life, death, which happens within the universe is merely an illusion.

The form, time, and space are within the universe. Without form, time, and space there is no universe.

The universe is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present when ‘I’ is present.

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

If the universe is merely an illusion, then the experience of birth, life, and death happens within the universe is merely an illusion. 

If the universe is merely an illusion, then form, time, and space are merely an illusion. 

If form, time, and space are merely an illusion, then the mind is merely an illusion. 

If the mind is merely an illusion, then the ‘I’ is merely an illusion. 

If the ‘I’ is merely an illusion then the substance and the witness of the ‘I’ which is the formless Soul alone is real and eternal.

The mind is one.  The mind is present in the form of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara’s whole wisdom can be summed up in one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman (God).+

The question "Who am I?” - is a religious, not a spiritualistic question. ‘Who am ‘I’?- inquiry is an egocentric inquiry. Without knowing this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality it is impossible to realize the ‘Self’ hidden by the ‘I’.   

People say Aham Brahmasmi -- I am God, I am Brahman. But when Brahman is, how can "I" remain? - Only Brahman remains, not the ‘I’ because the ‘Self’ is the witness of the ‘I’.

The ‘Self-inquiry’ is to find out the ‘Self’ which is hidden by the illusory world, in which we exist. By inquiring ‘Who am I?’, the ignorance will not vanish because the ‘I’ itself is illusory.

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

Sage Vasistha: ~ ‘We contemplate that reality in which everything exists, to which everything belongs, from which everything has emerged, which is the cause of everything and which is everything.

Sage Vasistha: ~ ‘This world appearance is a confusion, even as the blueness of the sky is an optical illusion. I think it is better not to let the mind dwell on it, but to ignore it.

Only the serious seeker can lift their thoughts above ego and ask "What is the universe?"

The seeker must inquire~ "What is the individual experience of the birth, life, death, and the world as a whole?" "What is this universe?"- to unfold the mystery of the ‘Self’ hidden by the universe. 

Sage Sankara says in the commentary on the Vedanta sutra that what is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, in something detrimental to our spiritual progress.  

Seeker of truth should not believe blindly in traditional orthodox nonduality without verifying all the facts from every angle. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process.

Sage Sri, 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 come 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 religious inherited beliefs. 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.

Chandogya Upanishad:~ One who meditates upon and realizes the 'Self' discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantrams and meditation--all come from the Self.

Sage Sankara says: ~ V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know 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.

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it. It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world, he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of Maya.

Sage   Sankara says:~VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the not-Self.

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and world that existed prior to you and you are born in it afterwards the ignorance will prevail as a reality.  Until ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.

Sage Sankara said:~ VC-63- “Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’ how is one to achieve Liberation.

The universe in which we exist will not remain as reality when wisdom dawns. The universe is a mere mirage created out of consciousness and there is a conscious awareness of unity in diversity because there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

As the conviction of the Soul, the 'Self' becomes firm then gradually the ‘Self’ is free from experiencing the dualistic illusion (universe) as a reality.

When the Soul, the ‘Self’ becomes freed from all the obstruction by fully eliminating the ignorance it remains in its own awareness.  

When the Soul, remains in its own awareness in the midst of the waking experience then the universe is merely an illusion created out of the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When the Soul, the 'Self' gives up identification with the waking entity then and recognizes its true nature is as undifferentiated awareness, unaffected by form, time, and space, and enter into its own awareness of its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature.

Remember: ~

Advaitic Gnana cannot come if anything is left out. The whole universe must be included in the inquiry to realize the 'Self' hidden by the universe. 

The Soul becomes the whole universe (duality in waking).  The whole universe becomes the Soul (nonduality in deep sleep).

When the ‘Self is not you but the Soul why you are thinking of the physical Guru worshipping him. Such an act keeps you permanently in ignorance. Come out of the religious conditioning by realizing the ‘Self is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

If you are unable to come out of the Guru/disciple game you are not qualified for Advaitic wisdom.

The ‘I’ itself is the universe, and the universe is the dualistic illusion. Without realizing the ‘I’ is universe it is impossible to realize the ‘Self’ hidden by the ‘I’. 

Sage Sankara says you must first know what is before you. If you cannot know that, what else can you know or understand? If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC- All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

The universe is the product of ignorance. The ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

Sage Sankara says: ~VC-47 All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-Self.

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world that existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward the ignorance will prevail as a reality. Till ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.

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.

Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads to Self-awareness. By holding onto theories one remains in the realm of duality. You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper Self-search. Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of duality.

Sage Sankara’s whole wisdom can be summed up in one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman. He says that the 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 in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances.

In fact, Sage Sankara states a paradox- the world is and is not. It is neither real nor unreal. It leads us to recognize the existence of Maya. He thinks that the world is illusory from one perspective and from the second it is nothing but Brahma, Itself in manifestation. This apparent world is Maya and has its basis in Brahman, the Eternal. It looks as real. It has names and forms and actually, it is not real In the light of true knowledge, it disappears and 'Self' alone shines as real. However, Sage Sri, Sankara’s Mayavada has not been accepted by many preachers and philosophers.

When Sage Sankara says clearly, the universe is not real. He says that Brahman and Atman are one. The ultimate and the Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one though appearing as many in different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is Real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances, then it indicates the form (waking/duality/mind) is unreal the formless is real (Soul/Spirit/Witness). Therefore, only Atman is real because there

Sage Sankara also clearly mentions that: ~

The path of religion, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Intuition always implies knowing something, hence a second, hence it is rejected as duality.+

Intuition always implies knowing something, hence a second, hence it is rejected as duality. Even if it is the intuition of the infinite, of bliss, God, etc., it is still a pointer to duality. Therefore the way to ultimate truth or Brahman, i.e. Non-duality is not intuition, not mysticism but reason.

The beliefs are considered to be barriers to realization.

Meher Baba Said: ~ A true aspirant is not content with the knowledge of spiritual realities based on hearsay... he insists on the direct knowledge."

A scholar is proud that he has accumulated so much knowledge; Gnani is humble that he knows no more.

Isa Upanishads indicates ~ By worshipping Gods and Goddesses and going to the world of Gods after death is of no use.  The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend the same time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non-dual destination by glorifying God and Goddesses and by doing that, one goes deeper and deeper into darkness. It surely indicates the fact that the seeker of truth has to drop the worshiping God and Goddess in order to get Self-knowledge.

Sage Sankara as a rationalist philosopher, in contrast to the more traditional image of him as a theologian: (Sage Sri, Sankara’s system of Advaita) is not even a philosopher dish cooked to suit exclusively the palate of the Hindu. It is like the air and the water, the common food of all men in all countries. It is ... an attempt ... at constructing a "Science of Truth," nay, in fact, it is the only attempt yet made at such a science. If rightly interpreted Sage Sankara’s teaching as food for all humanity, the universal teaching par excellence; it is not just a religion, but the religion; not a philosophy, but the philosophy; not a science, but the Science of Truth; not a soteriology, but the path to spiritual liberation par excellence, wide and deep as the ocean which contains virtually all the water of the world and in which all particular forms ultimately dissolve.

Sage Sankara gave religious, rituals, and 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. 

The Upanishads says:~

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 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 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 verified citations from the scriptures. I need no scriptures but I quote them to help the seekers realize what the scriptures are saying.    

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world that declare:~

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study.

Katha Upanishad: ~ This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, nor by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “This Atman cannot be attained through 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  Upanishads by Nikilanada)

When the Upanishad says: ~ “The human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized God,  belief in physical Guru scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing non-dual truth or Self-realization because they are based on false Self.  The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper Self-search and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sage Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance, and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman.

Thus, Self-knowledge is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get the firm conviction. 

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom.   The path of wisdom is the only means. 

The knowledge of both matter and spirit is True knowledge. The true knowledge is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is the fairest flower of wisdom in the world. +

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

Advaita is not philosophy. Advaita is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.   The nature of God is Advaita.  All the teaching propagated by some gurus are adulterated with theories, traditions, religions are not Advaitic wisdom. Advaita Gnana is “Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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

In Advaitic reality, there is neither God nor Goddess but only the consciousness. The consciousness is the real God.

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

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

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

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

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

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the 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.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   God is Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. 

Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

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

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

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

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

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

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