The wisdom of the Advaitic Gurus of the east and west that are being followed by people are not the real Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.+

The wisdom of the Advaitic Gurus of the east and west that are being followed by people is not the real Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara. Many Advaitic Gurus of the east and west have altered his words, added their own teachings based on imagination and spoiled them.

Sage Sankara's work has got two aspects: the dualistic perspective and the nondualistic perspective. The dualistic perspective for those who take the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality and nondualistic perspective for those who are seeking the truth of their true existence. 

There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

The Guru and Guru Paramparas are meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, there is no need to follow any parampara and follow any Guru those who wish to realize the truth which is hidden by the illusory form, time and space.

We should not mix religion with spirituality because the religion is based on the ego and spirituality is based on the Soul. The religion is concerned with its paramparas, not truth whereas the spirituality is concerned only with the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space. Religion is not spirituality. 

Imparting the Advaitic wisdom to the unprepared mind sent would be ‘equivalent to giving sermons to the stone statues.

Everyone is not ripe enough to understand, assimilate the Nondualistic or Advaitic truth. Some people want to exhibit their intellectual wealth, but it has no value in the pursuit of truth. 

The seeker must have enough patience, humility, and an intense urge to know the truth. Arguments and provocation will not yield truth. 

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what ‘leads to the realization of Nondualistic or Advaitic truth. As the seekers understanding of ‘what is what ‘grows, gradually the seeker gets the glimpse of truth. Whatever is based on the waking entity is falsehood and whatever is based on the formless Soul, the innermost Self is real and eternal. 

Thus, it is necessary for the seeker of truth to make sure the waking entity (ego) is not the Self but the Self is Soul to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The seeker has to have an inner urge to know the truth seriousness, patience, and humility in order to reach the ultimate end of understanding. 

A man of truth will not indulge in any argument he keeps his distance with such a mindset.

There is nothing to realize the world in which you exist is created out of the Spirit the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. 

Consciousness is the root element of the universe. The consciousness is present in the form of the Soul, the innermost Self. From the Soul, the universe comes into existence. In the Soul, the universe resides. In addition, into the Soul the universe dissolves. The Soul is the parent of all that is there is. 

Rest in consciousness, by realizing the universe in which you exist is nothing but the consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaita is an inner revolution.+

Advaita is an inner revolution. If you are serious and sincerely seeking truth then you have to drop what is not needed in pursuit of truth.

If you say you are Self-realized then you are not Self-realized because only an ignorant person declares he is self-realized. You are simply hallucinating that you are Self-realized.

Self-realization is possible only when you realize the ‘Self is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. The Soul is not an individual to get self-realization. You and the world in which you exist are the product of ignorance. Only when the ignorance vanishes then only the 'Self' appears.

A Gnani never identifies himself as Gnani. A Gnani shares only Gnana. A Gnani is the fountainhead of Gnana.

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

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

You are struggling to realize the truth because you are caught up in the prison of your emotions and sentimentally involved with the physical Guru.

Until you remain in the prison of the emotion you will never be able to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. Your physical Guru belongs to the dualistic illusion.

You have to transcend the dualistic illusion. If you hold anything of the dualistic illusion as divine or scared then you will not be able to transcend the dualistic illusion (matter) into consciousness (Spirit).

If you are seeking truth then you have to keep away from this Gurudom. If you hold physical Guru as God and worship him then you are worshipping the illusion. You should not hold anything of the illusion as God. You do not require the grace of the physical Guru. 

You will get the grace of the inner Guru when you fix your attention on the Soul by realizing the Soul alone is real and all else is an illusion.

If you are seeking the truth you should not indulge in glorifying Gurus and yogis. Guru worship is meant for the religious and yogic path, not for the Gnanic path. You and Gurus and yogi belong to the dualistic illusion. Thus, their blessings and grace are bound to be illusory.

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

Thus, the above passage proves that all those who were the sanyasin robes are wearing it for the sake of bread belongs to the religion; they are nothing to do with the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. There is no need to criticize and condemn the Gurus, yogis, and swamis because they are needed for the welfare of ignorant masses in the dualistic world.

The Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

Guru is needed in the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire Self-knowledge.

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 wasting your precious life and time with half-baked knowledge. Why you are allowing them to play with your innocence, emotions, and sentiments.

Be courageous. You do not require a Guru to acquire Self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.

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

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

Yogis and Gurus are not Gods.

This idea of worshiping Guru as God is not a Vedic idea but adopted from Jainism and Buddhism.

Vedas bars human worship: ~

"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.":~ (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

Then why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities and it also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.

God exists prior to form, time, and space. The form, time, and space cease to exist as a reality when wisdom dawns. Thus, the Gods and Gurus have no place in the domain of the Advaitic reality. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is the real God. Thus, Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

By worshipping the religious Gods and Gurus one will not get Self-realization or God-realization.

The Soul, the inner Guru reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

Religious Gurus and mystics are not Gnanis, they propagate only religion. Religion is not spirituality.+

Religious Gurus and Mystics are not Gnanis, they propagate only religion. Religion is not spirituality. Religious Gurus do not propagate wisdom they are meant for guiding ignorant populace in practical life within the practical world. Many Religious gurus are serving humanity by giving free education and maintain love and harmony in society but they are nothing to do with the Atmic path.

The guru is nothing to do with Advaitic wisdom. A Gnani never identifies himself as a guru.

There are so many in the guise of Gurus and Godmen with criminal records who indulge in cheating rape, murder.

The Gurus and Godmen who promise instant enlightenment or Self-realization are not Gnanis. Mixing religion with the Atmic path is like mixing oil in the water.

Seekers from the west mistake whoever calls them as gurus are Gnanis, thus, their mission of seeking the truth is misguided by such Gurus.

Those mystics, who talk of experiencing the supreme reality, do not know that the word experience implies something else, a second to be experienced, i.e. duality, i.e. non-reality, and those who talk of "direct knowledge" of reality again do not perceive that knowledge implies a second thing to be known; i.e.duality exists. i.e. no reality here!

The ignorant are always egocentric. He thinks what he knows is the ultimate truth. He always indulges in pursuit of an argument. Ignorant is sentimentalized to his belief system. An ignorant person just to prove that he is correct and others are wrong because the ignorant presumes he already knows and wants to see whether others know or not. 

The ignorant person provokes others to snub them. Ignorant accumulates knowledge and tries to show his intellectual wealth. Such intellectual’s sharing of knowledge is mere garbage. It is of no use in pursuit of truth. Because they are ego-centric based on ignorance thus they will not yield any truth.

Remember:~ 

Someone posing as a Gnani is not a Gnani. If someone poses himself as a direct disciple of some guru cannot be a Gnani. Those who pose themselves as Gnanis are not Gnanis. A Gnani never poses himself as a Guru, a swami, a sadhu or a yogi or some Guru’s disciple.

Even friends and family members of a Gnani will not know him as the Gnani. Due to ignorance, people will not be able to recognize a Gnani. Outwardly the Gnani behaves as an ordinary person behaves. A Gnani talks and jokes like others, but he is not understood as he really is. People may regard him as an exceptional person, but only a few can recognize him as a Gnani.

Manduka Upanishads:~ Even the Gods cannot find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.

A Gnani cannot have the idea of renouncing the world or giving up something of the practical world because that would connote the idea of duality. Duality is merely an illusion from the ultimate standpoint. Knowing no second thing at all there remains nothing to be given up.

Self- Knowledge is only is true knowledge not the absence of duality. Self -Knowledge cannot destroy the world but it eliminates ignorance and exposes the unreal nature of the mind or universe.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

By attending Satsangha of Gurus or by meeting Gurus and yogis or staying in Ashrams Advaitic wisdom will not dawn.+

People think they attended many Satsang of Gurus they have met many Gurus, and they traveled to India and met many yogis, they have read many books, they have stayed Ashrams, they walked in the Himalayas, they totally surrender to their physical Guru but still they are not achieving what they are seeking for.

To acquire Advaitic wisdom, there is no need to study  Advaita Vedanta. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river to quench your thirst.

 The intellectual wealth of accumulated knowledge is of no use in the quest for truth. Each Guru spins his own imagination and calls it wisdom.

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

If you are seeking truth then first get freedom from all these ‘I’-centric Gurus and their teaching.

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

Dattatreya's Song of the Avadhut: ~ “The ‘Self is the ultimate Reality; have no doubt. The Self is not something known by the mind; The Self is the very one who knows! How, then, could you think to know the Self? (1.36-42)

Advaita is not any type of teaching or philosophy. Advaita is the knowledge of your true existence. Advaita is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.  Advaita is the ultimate reality, Brahman, or God in truth. 

That is why Sage Sankara said:~Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

If you are the truth seeker then it is better to spend time discovering the facts about your own existence than waste precious time attending  Satsang, meeting  Gurus and yogis, by traveling one place to another by reading books after books, by staying  Ashrams, and by waking in the Himalayas.

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

People dwelling in ignorance, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round by various blind beliefs and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ "The Vedas teach that the Soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukthi

By indulging in anything within the dualistic illusion the ignorance will not vanish.  Realize the ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance. Your blind acceptance of ‘I’ based gurus and their teaching as final, is blocking your realization of truth.

The ‘I’-centric knowledge blocks the realization of truth because religion is built on the foundation of the form, time, and space whereas the ultimate truth, is based on the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

If one is ready to drop all his baggage of inherited accumulated knowledge then it becomes easy to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   Freedom means becoming free from ignorance.  The ‘I’ is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

Realize the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the  Soul, the Soul. 

Remember: ~

Whatever is based on ‘I’ is an illusion.

 Whatever is based on the Soul is a reality.

It is not possible to realize the Self without realizing the ‘I’ is supposed to be in actuality.

The truth is hidden within the ‘I’ but it is without the ‘I’.

All the ‘I’-centric accumulated knowledge is false knowledge.  Such ‘I’ -centric Gurus and their teaching makes you only hallucinate.  

By giving up thoughts and beliefs, ignorance will not vanish. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ helps you to unfold the truth which is hidden by the ‘I’.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

This is your bondage that you are stuck up to the ‘I-centric' Gurus and their teachings. ‘I-centric' teachings are lower knowledge meant for lower stages.+

This is your bondage that you are stuck up to the ‘I-centric'  Gurus and their teachings. ‘I-centric' teachings are lower knowledge meant for lower stages.

The seeker has to ignore these ‘I-centric' teaching and search for higher knowledge. ... Such teachings are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of ignorance. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of the ignorance on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

The Soul, the innermost Self is verily Brahman (God), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Awareness. The Soul is not the ‘I’ which is non-existence itself. Realization of this truth is called Self- Knowledge by the Sages of 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.

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.

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

First, you must make sure the ‘I’ itself is illusory because the ‘I’ is not permanent.

The seeker has to find for himself the truth of his true existence and to come to a fuller and deeper understanding and realization of the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

The purpose quest for truth is to first find out what is the untruth to realize the truth and discard the untruth.

Do not try to get rid of the ego you will never succeed in getting rid of the ego. Think in a different direction. The ego exists only in the domain of the form, time, and space.

The form, time, and space exist only when the mind exists.

The mind exists only when the universe exists.

The universe appears only when the waking appears.

The waking appears only when the ‘I’ appears.

Remember:~

The ‘I’ disappears in deep sleep.

There is no form, time, and space when ‘I’ disappears.

There is no mind when ‘I’ disappears.

There is no universe when the ‘I’ disappears.

There is no waking when the ‘I’ disappears.

Remember:~

‘I’ appears means the duality appears.

The duality appears means there is the division of form, time and space.

If there is division in the form of time and space means there is diversity in the unity.

Remember ~

When ‘I’ disappears there is nonduality.

Nonduality is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space.

The fullness of consciousness means unity in diversity.

Unity in diversity in consciousness is Advaita.

Consciously becoming aware of the Soul in the midst of diversity (waking) is Self- awareness or Brahmic awareness.

If you desire Self-realization, but you still say "I,” and if you feel the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise seeker. You are simply ignorant. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A clear-cut understanding and realization of a ‘what is what’ is Awakening.+

Awakening is nothing but a complete, perfect understanding, assimilation, and realization of what is what.

A clear-cut understanding and realization of a ‘what is what’ is awakening. Reality is not to be achieved; it is there as it is.

After this perfect understanding, assimilation, and realization, nothing is required.

And we expect "awakening" to be some great, mysterious happening! "Reality is not to be achieved; it is there” as it is, as unchangeable existence hidden by the changeable illusion.

Spiritual awakening happens when the Soul, the ‘Self’ remains in its own awareness. Spiritual Awakening does not involve losing your practical life within the practical world but only exposes the unreal nature of the world in which you exist.

There is no need to fear losing the world in which you exist. In ‘Self’-awareness the illusory bondage of form, time, and space becomes an illusion in the midst of the form, time, and space.

Nothing is lost. People think if they accept the world as an illusion they are going to lose (things, homes, jobs, careers, family, friends, etc.).

The Dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place. The waking becomes unreal when Advaitic wisdom dawns. Advaitic wisdom dawns, when the Soul, the  ‘Self’ remains in its own awareness.

Spiritual awakening when the seeker has a full and firm conviction of ‘what is the truth?’ and ‘what is ‘what is untruth?’

Remember:~

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

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

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

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

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

Remember: ~

You are not the ‘Self.

You are bound by form, time, and space.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ‘I’ hides the 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 as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such mindsets. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

Advaita is the true nature of existence. The ‘I’ hides the Advaitic reality. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of consciousness, which is Advaita. 

Consciousness is Advaita because it is second to none. The world in which you exist is the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion created out of consciousness, which is Advaita. The Advaita (non-duality) is real and eternal the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion.

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

To love God you must know what God supposed to be in actuality. The religious Gods are merely belief not God in actuality.+

To love God you must know what God is supposed to be in actuality. The religious Gods are based on blind belief not God in actuality.

Meher Baba said: ~ To love God as he ought to be loved, we must live for God and die for God, knowing that the goal of life is to know God and find him as our own Self.

To realize God is to attain liberation from the bondage of illusion.

Live only to find and realize your true identity with your Beloved God.

The energy which is expended in mere thinking, talking, or writing is like steam that escapes through the whistle of a railway engine …

That is why the sages have always insisted on practice rather than theory. This applies particularly to those who want to know and realize God.

~ It means one has to know and realize the Soul the ‘Self ‘ is God and identify it as the real ‘Self’ to find liberation from the bondage of the illusory experience of the birth, life, death, and the world (duality).

The goal of our life is to find and realize our identity with God, which is the Soul, the Self.

Realize God in truth.

Religious Gods are based on blind faith or blind belief. Blind belief-based Gods are not God in truth. Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul the Self’ is the center of all that exists. 

Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

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

There is no God but God. There is no God because the world in which we exist is merely an illusion created out of God, the Spirit. Call it by any name God is universal. God belongs to the whole of humanity. Religion creates separation God is unity in diversity. 

God is one which the cause of the whole world in which humanity exists. there is no God but God means the world in which we exist is an illusion the GOD is the cause of the world is real and eternal. God alone is real and all else is an illusion. There is a second thing that exists other than the Spirit, the God thus, God is Advaita.

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

God with form, name, and attributes does not find any support from the Vedas.

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman 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 besides 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 constituted the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage  Sankara is impersonal.

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.

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

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

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 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) 

Remember:~ 

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, tradition, and 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 consciousness. Consciousness is God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar