Brahman is the ultimate reality or God.in truth+

Brahman is the Ultimate Reality or God. All reality has its source in Brahman. All reality has its grounding sustenance in Brahman. It is in Brahman that all reality has its ultimate repose. Vedas specifically, consciously and exclusively aim toward this reality termed Brahman.

In the 'Taittiriya Upanishad' II.1:~ Brahman is described in the following manner: "Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma", "Brahman is of the nature of truth, knowledge, and infinity." Infinite positive qualities and states have their existence secured solely by virtue of Brahman's very reality. Brahman is a necessary reality, eternal (i.e., beyond the purview of temporality), fully independent, non-contingent, and the source and ground of all things. Brahman is immanently present in the realm of materiality, interpenetrating the whole of reality as the sustaining essence that gives it structure, meaning, and existential being, yet Brahman is simultaneously the transcendent origin of all things (thus, panentheistic).

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

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 description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

The Soul, the ‘Self itself is  Brahman or Infinite God in truth.

The Soul is the Self. God is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. God is the fullness of consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space. Therefore, there is nothing apart from it.

God in truth is self-evident. God in truth is not established by extraneous proof. It is not possible to deny God in truth because God is the very essence of the one who denies it. God in truth is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe in which you exist, God in truth is without the universe in which you exist.

God is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness, and intelligence, which is beyond form, time, and space. To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

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

Only the path of wisdom leads the seeker of truth on his journey to the ultimate realization of the true nature of the Universal Essence, which is the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, worships ‘Self’ as~ Atman (God) alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare."

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. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

It is impossible the seeker to discard the ‘I’ because they are stuck up with the idea that ‘I’ itself is the 'Self’.+

Only your intense urge to know the truth will take you to the ultimate end, but your accumulated knowledge will block you from realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

It is impossible for the seeker to discard the ‘I’ because they are stuck up with the idea that ‘I’ itself is the “Self’. In the past, some famous Gurus and their teachings glorified the ‘I’ people take it as a final and accepted it as the ultimate truth. Such acceptance without verifying the fact about the ‘I’, their journey is incomplete. Blind acceptance and reverence to the guru will not help the seeker to get rid of the ignorance.

Firstly, doubt about this ‘I’, how it came into existence. There are no other means to the final goal is the realization of the source of the ‘I’. There is a need to understand, assimilate, and realize the nature of this ‘I’, 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.

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

To understand the false nature of the ‘I’, the “Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary.

The “Self’ is not ‘I’, but the 'Self’ is the Soul which is the witness of the ‘I’. Holding the’ “Self’’ as the ‘I’ leads to hallucination based on the imagination.

Those who are stuck with the ‘I’ based teaching never be able to cross the domain of the form, time, and space.

All the Gurus of the east and west glorified the ‘I’. Thus, it becomes very difficult to discard the ‘I’. Those who have accepted the ‘I’ based teaching refuse to accept anything other than their accepted truth. Till you hold the 'Self’’ as the ‘I’, your knowledge remains skin deep.

The world in which you exist came into existence because of the ‘I’. The world, in which you exist ceases to exist without the ‘I’.

Sage Sri Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of Maya”.

The ‘I’ is what the seeker begins his investigation. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ will help the seeker to reach the Soul, which is the “Self’.

Sage Sri, Sankara: ~ "VC~ if the universe is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams.

This universe is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. From the Soul, the universe appears and when the universe disappears from consciousness,   consciousness still remains without any division of the form, time, and space.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The universe raises from the Soul, the 'Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the ‘Self’ to be “One” and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

To enable the seeker to steer clear of any possible doubt, the seeker should take the Atmic path. The ‘I’ is the clue and study the nature of the ‘I’ and discover its source.

The ‘Self' is not within you but the 'Self’ is hidden in the world in which you exist. The one which is born lives and dies is not the 'Self’ because the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is nothing to do with you the world in which you exist. From the standpoint of the Soul, the 'Self’, the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

The 'Self’ is not within you because the 'Self' is not the body. If the Self is not you, then why do you think the 'Self' is within you. Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you and the world are within the Soul the innermost “Self’. a perfect understanding and assimilation lead 'Self’-realization. 

Till you think he is an individual separate from this world you will remain in the realm of dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is the product of ignorance. When the Advaitic wisdom dawns, then the ignorance vanishes. When the ignorance vanishes, then the duality never remains as a reality.

First, the seeker has to know ‘what is the subject’ and ‘what is the object’. Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that”: the world in which we exist is an object to the formless subject. The formless subject is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Deeper verification reveals the fact that the object and the subject are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. Thus, the object is only an illusion created out of the formless subject. The subject alone is real exists eternal.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A Gnani will never force anyone to accept the path of wisdom.+

A Gnani will never force anyone to accept the path of wisdom. He will constantly bring the seeker back to the fact of his inherent perfection and encourage him to seek the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. 

A Gnani knows you need nothing, not even him, and is never tired of reminding you.  A Gnani continuously shares Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana with like-minded fellow seekers.

Self-declared Gurus are more concerned with themselves than with their disciples and play with their sentiments and emotions.  

By sticking to such Gurus the seeker will not get Self –realization.  Gurus and yogis are meant for those who are emotionally involved with their religion and religious Gods.

A Gnani never claims himself as a Gnani, he guides the seekers, not posing himself as a Guru, and he does not force his wisdom on others. 

Sage  Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

Sage Sankara in Viveka Chudamani (2), states that the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

Sage Sankara: ~ “Sometimes he (A Gnani) appears to be a Fool, sometimes a wise man. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, sometimes feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him.

Manduka Upanishads: - It is very difficult to find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.

Jesus said: ~  Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ Jesus meant Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana (pearls) should not be given to the ignorant populace (pigs).

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

Sage Sankara’ has already declared - ‘What is the truth?’ and ‘What is untruth?+

Sage Sankara’ has already declared

 ‘What is the truth?’

~ Atman is Brahman ~ “Atman is the only one ultimate reality or God in truth.

 

‘What is untruth?’

~ The universe is an illusion. ~ The universe is unreal.

Sage Sankara declared this truth centuries back Then why you are struggling to find out the truth.

Sage Sankara: ~ 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 perverted arguments.

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.”

Advaita means the Soul, the Self, which is second to none. The Soul, which is present in the form of the Spirit or the consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Advaita is the nature of God, the Self. Advaita is God. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness.

Sage Sankara’s wisdom is very much in the tune with the essence of Vedas and Upanishad but Advaitic orthodoxy indulges in non-Vedic beliefs of God and non-Vedic rituals and practices. There is no need to condemn the Advaitic orthodoxy because it is a path meant for the ignorant as per Sage Sankara himself. Do not mix  up the two and mess up your quest

 The Soul, the  Self, is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness.

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

~ then why do you indulge in studying the scriptures.

 Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study philosophy, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

~then why do you indulge in studying philosophy.

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

~then why do you indulge in rituals.

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

~then why do you indulge in yoga.

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani)

~ then why you are sticking a Guru who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false leads truth realization.

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

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The Para or Higher knowledge is the knowledge of the Supreme Being while the Apara or Lower Knowledge is that of following sacrificial rites and ceremonies.+

Sage Sankara, is one of the greatest thinkers of all time. This world owes him a deep debt of gratitude. He not only consolidated the classical values of life but also spiritual wisdom. Unfortunately, few philosophers in the world are as misunderstood and misinterpreted as Sage Sankara. Ironically, most of the harm came from his admirers and followers of the Advaitic sect because they propagated rituals as a means to attain lower knowledge which is meant for those who believed in the physical existence (universe or waking)  as reality.  

Sage Sankara taught jnana to those who desired liberation, karma to those who were inclined to actions, and bhakti to those who were devotional. 

We 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.  

Sage Sankara says: ~ The scriptures dealing with rituals, and rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.   

Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the 'Self' has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the Self with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.-Adhyasa Bhashya  

Sage Sankara:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for Self) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction, and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sage Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are, therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person.- Adhyasa Bhashya  

Sage  Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, a person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is avidya, an error that can be removed by Vidya. - Adhyasa Bhashya  

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality, drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the Self which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman.- Adhyasa Bhashya  

Remember:~ 

Mundaka Upanishad condemns rituals.  The Para or Higher knowledge is the knowledge of the Supreme Being while the Apara or Lower Knowledge is that of following sacrificial rites and ceremonies. ( 1/2/ 1 – 6) 

It is important to remember that Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana cannot be acquired through ritualistic practice. 

Ritualistic practices are meant for the ignorant populace.  The religious rituals practiced by different castes and creeds have become disparate, ritualistic, conflicting, and full of superstition and dogmas. 

The Saints and the religious reformers of the past had created great religious movements reaching out to far corners of the world that had lost their dynamism, clarity, and momentum and were beset by confusion and strife. 

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

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

Vedas and Upanishads confirm the Soul, the Self, is present in the form of the Spirit or the consciousness.  

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

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

The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the innermost 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.  

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

There is a clear-cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita. And also there is a clear-cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of real God.  Thus, it proves from a Vedic perspective the Puranic Gods are not Vedic Gods.

Vedas says never to accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman. 

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.

Hindus assert their religion is monotheistic, even though they honor a number of Gods, including Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer.  Hindus claim these various Gods are all manifestations of the oneness of the universe.  Hindu religious practices vary from place to place, but they frequently include yoga, physical and mental discipline to harmonize the body and the Soul, and ritual bathing.

Belief in multiple Gods, The worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God, The worship of sacred images,  ancestor worship, pilgrimage, priestcraft, the belief in avatars or incarnations of God, the hereditary caste system on the grounds that all these lacks Vedic sanction. 

Hinduism indulges non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All these lack Vedic sanctions, therefore, Hinduism is not Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

Realizing the universe is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness leads to non-dualistic or Advaitic Self-awareness. Self-awareness is freedom or Moksha. Moksha is unity in diversity in the midst of duality.

It is very difficult to talk to people about the ultimate truth or Brahman because everyone thinks he knows the ultimate truth or Brahman. This I know business is dangerous.  And whatever his reached conclusion is second-hand stuff.  Therefore, accepting accumulated knowledge without verification will lead the seekers to hallucinated realization based on the ego.  One may have some flashes of truth when someone tries to indicate it through fewer words. But it takes nearer to truth, not realization. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Lord Krishna says: ~It is only one amongst thousands of people who strive for spiritual salvation.+

By worshipping a God in human form, repeating mantras is like watering barren soil.  The seeker of truth should not waste life in empty formalities. Without realizing the world in which he exists is an illusion it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

In Bhagavad, Gita Krishna says: ~It is only one amongst thousands of people who strive for spiritual salvation. Even amongst such seekers, it is only the rare person who gets to know “Self” correctly.’ (7.3)

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of samsara, of birth and death. 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 men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

How can you worship the Absolute? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshipped, whereas the Absolute is nondual. One can worship his idea of the Absolute only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as apart.

Religious rites and rigid ceremonies were passed down from one generation to the next as a practice or set customs and tradition and performed automatically with blind faith. Such worship based on the belief of God does not reach God.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of ritual are meant for the ignorant populace.

Belief in God without knowing God in actuality holds the worshiper more firmly in the grip of ignorance. 

All worship and the ceremonies rituals performed on the base of non-~Vedic Gods will not yield any fruits.  Deeper self-search reveals the fact that worshiped, the worship and worshiper, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of ritual are meant for the ignorant populace. In the Atmic path, the seeker has to discard what is not needed to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of ritual formal observance have long since set in. 

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.  -Adhyasa Bhashya 

Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. In addition, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the 'Self' has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies Self with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya 

Sage Sankara:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for Self) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are, therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya 

Sage Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, a person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sri, Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is avidya, an error that can be removed by Vidya. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sri, Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality, drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the Self which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman. -Adhyasa Bhashya 

Sage Sankara: ~ Atman, the innermost Self is verily Brahman (God), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss. Atman is not the body that is non-existence itself. This is called true Knowledge by the wise.  

Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul the innermost Self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

Sage Sankara: ~ 'Like a servant who carries a lamp in front of you to find your way, and you have found it, so becomes the Veda to that person. What is the Veda? ~ utterances of those who have known the Truth. Here is one who has known the Truth; why should he or she depend upon the Veda further? Actual realization takes you beyond books. At a certain stage, books become a botheration. The Upanishad itself says that the 'words are only so much of distraction for such minds'

Bhagavan Buddha: ~ “Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders”.

You need not become a Guru or a monk to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. You have not to renounce the world or to leave anything ~ your wife, children, job, responsibilities. You do not have to renounce anything! The only thing you have to realize is the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space by realizing form, time and space are the product of ignorance. When the ignorance vanishes, the unreality of the form, time, and space is exposed.

Upanishad says:~  "He who thinks he knows, does not know." This means that to know anything implies a second, an object of knowledge, hence duality, i.e. no Gnana.

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) : ~ Santthosh Kumaar