Most God men or Swamis seems to be very sincere. Everyone speaks about great things and their lives, but their lives are with full of controversies. The trouble is that most people who come from the west have a very innocent, very trusting, and they are unaware of the fact that, in India, diverse beliefs and theories is considered as spirituality.
The dollar conscious guru focus his attention more on the western crowd and he makes them emotionally involved with him, naturally they get involved with him. Most people get attracted to tantric sex, with a promise of reaching super- consciousness.
Deeper inquiry revels the fact that, the self is not physical, but it is formless spirit , then how can one reach the super- consciousness on the base of false self.
The seeker of truth has to realize the fact that, the religion and yoga are not spirituality, because religion and yoga are built on physical foundation therefore, it is not the means to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Even the Advaita Master, Sri, Sankara' gave religious, ritual or 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.
In commentary to "Brahma Sutras Sri, Sankara writes." "The highest beatitude is not to be attained by Yoga." [Sacred Books of East Series page 298 Vol.1.] And he also says Samadhi is the same as sleep [p.312]. ---this indicates that yoga is not the means to self realization. And yogic Samadhi is not non dual wisdom.
Religion is parrot-like, but to the Western seekers it seems to be a tremendous revelation -- when some one quotes parable from the scriptures Because for the West, spirituality is a foreign affair, just as for the East, science is a foreign affair.
Yajurved says:
Translation 1.
They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc).
They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol etc.)
[Yajurved 40:9]
Translation 2.
"Deep into shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent."
[Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538]
Translation 3.
"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.]
They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc).
They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol etc.)
[Yajurved 40:9]
Translation 2.
"Deep into shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent."
[Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538]
Translation 3.
"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.]
So, Yajur Veda indicates that:-
They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol etc [Yajurved 40:9]
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.]
The religion of the Veda knows no idols
Max Müller says:- "The religion of the Veda knows no idols; the worship of idols in India is a secondary formation, a degradation of the more primitive worship of ideal gods."
Therefore, there was no individual god or temples and worships in Vedic religion, which exited prior to Buddhism. Thus the individualized gods and temples must have been built later on, when the worships of idol were introduced. Thus the Vedic religion which existed in the past was free from idol and nature worship and idol worshiping rituals.
Thus, the present days worship of individual gods, created things, nature and human are against Vedic teachings, and it looks like it has been fabricated and introduced by priest craft. Since it, has passed on from one generation to the next it is hard for the people to believe the truth of their own religion, because they have sentimentally and emotionally involved in it and they refuse to accept anything else other then their inherited beliefs.
Looking at the increasing number of fake god men and gurus and their scandals, it is high time for the truth seekers, who are capable of thinking must do deeper research and know the fact that, their inherited religious belief is mixed and messed up in the past and people are made to believe that it is their duty to protect their religion and their belief and tradition, which is the hotchpotch ideology and not the real non- dual philosophy. The ultimate truth lies beyond all religion, scriptures beliefs and philosophies.
It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study. Even Upanishads conform this.
This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or 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 
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada]
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada]
When the Upanishads says: the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana and they indicate the personal gods, scriptures, worship and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized god and scriptures are greatest obstacle to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana , because they are based on false self. The seeker of truth has to search the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.
Miracles are part of the duality. Without duality miracles are impossible. Miracles makes one remain in the prison of physicality. Miracle man is neither a mystic nor a Gnani, just an ordinary magician. This miracle based god men are hypocrites because they know nothing of ultimate truth. They declares themselves as great Gnanis. They build multi-specialty hospitals in the name of serving people, it means they do not have power to cure people without the hospitals. All their concern to people and good work has to be appreciated and they deserve to be glorified for their noble deeds, but not for their miracle power. In the realm of truth miracles are part of the illusion.
People go and seek god men , to fulfillment of their desire and dreams thinking he has the power to fulfill all his desire . People think he can produce things out of air, he can do anything, so a deep affinity happens immediately. That's why thousands of people around these god men waiting with their begging bowl ,without realizing the fact that, the god men himself is the beggar ,who accepts the money from everyone.
In the presence a Gnani , one will not see multitudes there, because there is no affinity because he is ordinary householder. He never claims himself a Gnani. He wears no religious robes. He never speaks of god , nor he invokes anyone in the name of god and religion. He only tries to guide others. He never imposes any one to accept his thoughts. Only advanced souls will recognize him.
This religious based gurus has an appeal deep inside the mass. People think he is the right man. He is right man for those who follow the path of blind beliefs. But wrong choice for those who are seeking after the truth. No one can decide who is the right man, because people create their own deceivers, they give them the opportunity. They follow magicians, snake charmers, blind believers ,and the people with religious robes but not to the man of truth, because mass is not after truth, they are after things.
If one really seeking the truth , then he has to drop ignorance. To drop ignorance he has to drop his beliefs. Seeker has to start in pursuit of truth completely without beliefs. Seek truth with no beliefs and no accumulated knowledge. Only then, he will be able to grasp the non-dual truth; only the truth starts revealing itself. Then one becomes aware all the god men who are pretending to be Gnanis are mere pretenders. .
All kinds of frauds... but people become interested in them, thinking that here is a man of miracles. And what is the use of this miracle power from which the violence and terrorism happening around the globe cannot be stopped.
In pursuit of truth there is scope for miracles. The three state itself a miracle. Whatever is happening between the three states is miracle. It is a beauty, it is magic, but it is all spontaneous. It is not practiced, it is not rehearsed. But most people are interested in supernatural powers, healing people with supernatural powers, or creating things out of nothing, just as these God men is doing. It is so simple that any street magician can do it. In fact the more experienced street magicians can do it in a far better way, and can do many more things than he is doing.
The great magician David Blain performs all sorts of magic but he never claims himself as god. These god men perform mere magic, which they claim as miracles. Even if they perform real miracle , it cannot be accepted as truth because they are performing them within the illusion.
People are in no mood to verify the facts, they think people who talk against the god men are senile or an Atheist.
All that god men produces is things, and he gives people things, not wisdom, and they think it is great. The magicians are pretending to be a spiritual personality. It is not only a question of a single person pretending to be spiritual when he is not. The question is that he attracts thousands of people, and people who are seeking after truth, who believe that this God men of miracles may impart something to them, may lead them to the ultimate truth.
Believers are not seeker of truth. Because the truth is not belief. Belief is the greatest obstacle in pursuit of truth. Once one accepts the belief he cannot come out of the physical shackles.
The religious people wants miracles ,they are not interested in truth. They go to god men because truth is not the question there -- miracles are happening. They can hope. They think the god men , by his miracle, can take their worldly troubles away. And by his blessing they will become rich. They go to god men because he deals in things which they need. their real object is they want what they need. This miracle games has no value at all, of no spiritual value at all.
The attachments, burden and bondage of the worldly life is so intoxicating that even if one go towards seeking truth he look for miracles. If he finds a man of truth standing before him , he will not recognize him. If man of truth and god men are both present he will definitely move towards god men, and not towards man of truth, because man of truth does not perform any miracles.
People are in search of god men nor man of truth. People are impressed by miracles, because their deepest desire is for the worldly things and not for ultimate truth or Brahman.
