Thus it is necessary to realize the universe is mere illusion in order realize non-dualistic or Advaitic truth.

The one which believes itself as body is not the body.  Only after  belief of body  all other beliefs will arise. Thus the basic belief “I am the body” has to be there before any belief. After this basic belief, the belief of name is accepted. After the belief of body with the name, the belief of person is born. Thus, the belief of birth becomes belief of ignorance, without realizing the fact that, the believer is formless soul, which is the true self.

The universe is the product of ignorance. the man exists within the universe. from ultimate standpoint the universe is mere illusion. Thus it is necessary to realize the universe is mere illusion in order realize non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. 

Man and his individual experience of the birth life and death are reality within the falsehood. Until one has a firm conviction he is an individual separate from the universe and universe existed prior to him, and he is born in it afterwards he will never be able to acquire nondual wisdom. Because of this reason he will not be able think beyond form, time and space.    Until this conviction is there all his views, judgments and conclusions are based on the false self within the false experience. Thus there is a need for overcoming this conviction by realizing the fact that the self is not form but self is formless.

Without overcoming this conviction one is in the grip of form, time and space.  Till self is in the grip of form, time and space, the duality will prevail as reality.  If duality prevails as reality the ignorance prevails.  If ignorance prevails the wisdom will not dawn.  Without wisdom detachment to attachment is impossibility. 

It was desperately important for the believers of their belief system for some reason that others shared their beliefs because they assume that their religious doctrine is literally true, and then justify their beliefs because "God says so in their doctrine ".

It is no use of arguing with someone who has faith in his belief system because for him there can be no possible refutation of what he believes, so rational argument is entirely useless. He clings to his belief so strongly that he makes no distinction between the truth and his belief. One has to know the fact that god cannot exist without his existence. The truth does not depend on gods’ existence but it entirely depends on man’s existence.   Thus it is foolish to venture in knowing the truth of gods existence without verifying the facts about his true existence. 

The seeker has to have courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth. Most people will not be able to subscribe to path of truth because they sentimentally and emotionally involved with their inherited belief system and even if one does he has to overcome all his doubts confusion and despair.  These are problem for the seekers who are from religious back ground because of their conditioning and they are made to accept their blind belief as truth and their interest or insight is not deep. 

It becomes difficult for the orthodox cult to accept anything else as truth other than their accepted belief, which they hold as truth. Although all religious followers are participants alike in the spiritual endeavor of the world, overzealous   followers of each religion are not prepared to accord equal status to other faiths and assert the superiority of their own. Thus universal brother hood is total impossibility because it is difficult to accept anything other than their inherited belief system.        

Intense inner longing to know the ultimate truth will guide the seeker, he needs no other guide. People who think by worshiping their gurus as God in human form in order to get self-realization are unaware of the fact that, accepting someone as guru and himself as disciple is greatest obstacle in the path of truth. The person who accepts himself as guru is not a Gnani, because he has already accepted self as body whereas the self is not the body. The person who accepts himself as disciple of some guru also considers his self as body thus; it becomes a great hindrance in path of truth. Guru is essential in religious and yogic path but not for Self-Realization

Nothingness is the nature of the consciousness, because there is no second thing exists other than itself.

The non-duality has to be grasped in the midst of the waking experience.  That is, being aware of the truth and untruth, reality and unreality. And able establish himself in the truth and able to view and judge, the three states, on the base of the soul, which is ultimate truth or Brahman.

It is unfortunate people are stuck with their accumulated ideas based on the false self, and imagine about non duality and say nothing exist other than the source. But a Gnani says everything exists (illusion) but everything is created out of the consciousness.  Everything rises from the consciousness, and subsides as consciousness. Thus, the whole diversity (three states) has no relevance, on the standpoint of the consciousness as self.

Everything (illusion) is nothingness (consciousness) realizing the three states are created out nothingness (consciousness). Nothingness is the nature of the consciousness, because there is no second thing exists other than itself.   

Truth is not only that which is beyond contradiction, but also that in which is no possibility of contradiction. Such a state can only be realized as non-duality, where there is no second thing other than consciousness. The illustration for that is deep sleep but sleep is not the ultimate reality. It is merely an analogy.

 Brihad Upanishad declares:-, "if you think there is another entity whether man or God there is no truth." This is the teaching since time immemorial of those who have inquired into truth.

Consciousness alone which is permanent and eternal, unchanging in the changing world is reality. People hear of Brahman or ultimate truth. People can only imagine it. One requires words only to distinguish between is there and not there, but he can’t posit either of Reality, because his saying so is only an idea, not reality. Ultimate truth is beyond words. Words are of use, however, as a thorn to pull out the thorn of other words that hinder knowledge.

Intellectually knowing the truth is only an imagination, whereas realizing the truth is knowing it as such. 

There is nothing to realize other than realizing the experience of the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness (soul), the innermost self.   On the standpoint of the innermost self the universe in which we exist is mere illusion.  But to realize this truth one has to all sorts of mental acrobatics because of too much of accumulated physical based (egocentric) knowledge. 

The formless soul or consciousness is real God.

 His Holiness the Dalai Lama:- We should quickly seize enlightenment while we still have the chance. In much less than a century all of us will be dead. We cannot be sure that we will be alive even tomorrow. There is no time to procrastinate. I who am giving this teaching have no guarantee that I will live out this day 

Blinded with the illusion very few grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic  truth. Only few escape from the web of illusion, only few seekers are able to acquire non-dual wisdom.

waking experience (form) becomes oneness in deep sleep and (formless or oneness) deep sleep  becomes  waking or dream. Therefore, that which becomes diversity (form), and that which becomes Oneness (formless)  is not our physical entity, because the physical entity is present only in waking and dream. The one, which is aware of all the three states, is formless, apart and eternal which is the soul. the soul is present in the form of consciousness   The soul or consciousness  itself is ultimate truth/Christ/Brahman/Buddha.

  

The Soul, the innermost self is neither the body, nor the mind, nor the intellect, nor the world. The Soul, the innermost self is neither the breath, nor the heart. The  true  nature of the  Soul, the innermost self is object-less awareness.  The experience of duality is mere mirage created out of the Consciousness.  Thus there is no second thing other than the consciousness  Therefore, holding anything else other than the soul, the innermost self as God is ignorance caused by illusion.   The one which powers the illusion is the consciousness. The formless  soul or consciousness is real  God. 

We are discussion  about the  truth or god within  illusion. We argue discuss about the ultimate truth or Brahman within the illusion. In reality there is nothing to argue, nothing to judge, because there is nothing exists other than the formless  soul or consciousness.

Upanishad declare:-  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 and scriptures are greatest obstacle to realize non-dual truth or self-realization, because they are based on false self.  Therefore, one has to search the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, he should indulge in deeper self-search and assimilate and realize it.  

The Seekers goal is towards Self-knowledge or  Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  and noting other then it. Therefore, guru is needed in religious and yogic paths, path of love, path of humanity which are meant for the people who are not searching for truth but they are searching for worldly comforts and temporary peace in this physical existence.  They fear of losing their physical identity and all that is connected to the physical identity. When one realizes the physical identity (ego) is false self and the true identity is the soul, which is in the form consciousness, then he realizes that the fear factor is limited to the false self within the false experience. When the self is not form but formless consciousness all the burden and bondage of the duality is mere mirage created out of consciousness.

Thus perfect understanding and assimilation is required for realization of the truth.  Whatever One has read, heard and accumulated as truth has to be verified through deeper self-search. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification.

Self itself is the guru and guide. And the disciple also is the self ; therefore there is neither guru nor disciple, nor teaching because everything is self, which is in the form of consciousness.  Consciousness is ultimate truth. 

The illusion is created, and sustained, and finally dissolves as consciousness,

Upanishad's 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.

Gnani and Illusion

A King who was greatly incensed at the wisdom taught by Gnani that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Gnani to his palace. That Gnani went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world was illusion. The king had arranged to let loose a hungry lion against Gnani. The beast rushed at Gnani who took to a precipitate flight to save himself.

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the lion is only an illusion?'

'Oh, king,' said Gnani in his course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.’

Similarly, we all are searching truth within the illusion not being aware of the fact that, the illusion is created out of single stuff which is:  Consciousness or  Brahman.

Thus searching the truth in illusion with the illusory self, within the illusory experience, has to be illusion.  The illusion is created, and sustained, and finally dissolves as consciousness, which is Soul, the innermost self.  Since, there is no second thing other than the consciousness; the consciousness itself is God or  Brahman or Christ.  This conviction derives only through from deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning.

The ultimate nature of the experience of diversity is, pure and true, is like the infinity of space, which is soul or Brahman.

Empty and calm and devoid of self is the nature of all things. No individual being in reality exists. There is no end or beginning, nor any middle course. All is an illusion, as in a vision or a dream. All beings in the world are beyond the realm of words. Their ultimate nature, pure and true, is like the infinity of space. - Prajnaparamita

This Empty and calm and devoid of ‘I’ is the nature of the Self. The individual being or non being exists in reality. There is no end or beginning, nor any middle course. The diversity is an illusion or a dream. The formless substance and witness of the diversity, which is the Consciousness is beyond the realm of words. The ultimate nature of the experience of diversity is, pure and true, is like the infinity of space, which is soul  or  Brahman.

The nature of true self is oneness is incomprehensible and so any communication about it can only be an interpretation of the ideas based on the false self or ego. Ignorance generates doubts and confusion. Ignorance makes one experience the duality as reality.  Ignorance makes one view and judge the three states  on the standpoint of false physical self or ego. Whatever is based on false physical self or ego is bound to be falsehood because everything is viewed and judged believing the duality as reality. Thus, one is unable to think beyond duality.

Deeper understanding and assimilation is required for self-realization.  It becomes difficult to understand and communicate about the oneness on the base of false self.   Thus rectifying the reasoning base from form to formless is   is necessary  to understand and assimilate and realize the non-duality. 

No one can escape the waking experience which is the very basis of the physical existence. What was the waking experience before it appeared? Was their existence before the appearance of the waking experience?  When the waking perishes, does the soul or consciousness survive alone?  Is there a self or soul?  The seeker has to find answers for all these doubts in order to realize ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. 

As one goes deeper in self-search one becomes aware of the fact that the self is neither the waking entity not self is the dream entity but self is formless substance and witness of the three states. And the formless substance and witness of the three states are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness.  If the formless substance and witness are one in essence, than there is second thing can exist, other than consciousness?  Thus consciousness alone is real and all else is mere illusion created out of consciousness, which is the innermost self.

People who argue there is nothing beyond the universe; there is nothing other than the matter; that the body was the man; and death was end of all.  According to them there is no truth other than the practical life within the practical world, which they hold as reality. Their only agenda is as long as they live in the world live happily with all the pleasant things of life, who can demonstrate that there is something left after the physical death.  Beg, borrow or steal – but live happily is their mantra.    

There are also people who believe strongly there was a sprit which defied the ravages of time, which cannot be confined in space; that sprit transcends the limits of this universe in which the body exists. 

How one can decide what is truth,   when he is bound by birth, life and death or form, time and space? 

The consciousness is the innermost self. And nature of the consciousness is formless and non-dual.  One should realize the consciousness as whole universe without parts.  To describe non-duality as a system is erroneous because the dual and non-dual is the nature of the self. Duality is illusory nature of the self and non-duality is real nature of the innermost self, which is consciousness.  Ultimate truth  cannot be confined into a narrow set of ideas. 

Non-dualistic truth is supreme truth; all dualistic systems hold false self as real self and false experience as reality.  Non- dualistic wisdom is culmination of all systems including theistic non-duality.   The true non-dualists will not quarrel and argue with any theoretical philosophy because he is fully aware of the fact that, this orthodox theistic non-dualistic scholars or pundits like Dualists sages could not distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘formless witness.’ The 'I' was the witness. Their highest was the Jiva. One is so much attached to the 'I' that he do not want to think that 'I' does not exist. Again one is unable to detach the ‘I’ from the Real witness.

There is need to study the scriptures. One has to self-search the truth and realize it without the scriptures. And then when he reads the scriptures he becomes aware the scriptures are also saying the same thing but everything is misinterpreted.   

Devotional path is religious path.

Devotional path is religious path. Devotion towards an inherited belief cannot transport the seeker of truth towards the non-dual destination.  Devotion is between the person and his belief.  The devotion is based on the belief system. The person who has inherited some belief system believes in the individualized God and indulges in the devotional path. The devotion makes one believe that he is person and god has created this world.  Therefore he believes that he is born in this world and world existed prior to him, this conviction makes him feel he is the doer.  Since, he accepts himself as the doer he will remain ignorant of the true self, which is the soul.    The ignorance makes him feel the illusion as reality.

The idea of religion and religious identity is based on the false physical identity(waking entity or ego) and false experience. Focusing/diverting attention from the world to a thing  or belief will lead one to hallucination.  Without realizing the true self is soul, all types meditation keeps one in the grip of duality.

 The people, who practice meditation, are unaware of the fact that, the true self is not physical, but the soul. When they consider themselves Hindu, Christian or Buddhist or think their meditation as a way to enhance their religious faith are unaware of the fact that, their physical identity is the false self within the false experience.  Thus, any type of paths and practices, which are based on the false self (waking entity or ego) will not yield any fruits.  

When one is searching for truth he is not aware of the fact that, he is searching for the truth within the false experience with his the false identity.  There is no me or you or us, no seeker, no enlightenment, no disciple and no guru, no teaching, when one becomes aware of the fact that the true self is not ‘I’ but the consciousness.  . There is no birth, life and death, no purpose of life, and nothing that has to be achieved when one realizes and becomes aware of the fact that, his physical identity and its experience of the world are mere illusion.

All that appeared as three states(illusion) is the consciousness. Soul is source. All that apparently manifests in the illusion creates ignorance and ignorance creates separation – man and his the world, his belief of god, the search for truth is part of the illusion. The ignorance makes one appearing as two. Absent of ignorance absent of duality. Whatever prevails without duality is non-dual reality.

All past, present and future are reality in ignorance. Absent of ignorance absent of diversity(illusion). The wisdom brings unity in diversity. Destiny is part of the illusion, because birth, life and death itself is illusion.

 All the happenings are part of the illusion.  Seeker has to discover the source.  The source is the consciousness which is uncaused, unchanging, formless and non-dual.

Self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Brahma Gnana cannot be attained by one who is without strength or earnestness or without the receptiveness and courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth. If a serious seeker strives sincerely by means of inquiry, analysis and soul-centric reasoning, he will be able to realize it.

It is only seekers sincerity and earnestness in his spiritual pursuit, the knowledge started revealing on its own.  Anyone who has humility and patience and is sincere and ready to drop their accumulated dross and receptive to accept the truth will enter non-dual Self-Awareness when his conviction becomes firm. 

Why go round and round, by various tortuous paths

The modern society uses people as instruments whether they are workers or scholars.  Education is in closed compartments.  Just as a mechanic tends his own machine without consideration for his own development, so a scholar contributes his fragment of research totally alien to wisdom or self-knowledge.

 The society is not greater than a man.  An anthill is greater than the single ant that composes it, but man has a divinity in his nature which potentially contains and transcends this whole world; and a society which denies this by treating people as instruments, providing no means for their spiritual development, is eating out its own vitals.

 Traditionally it has always been held that the search for Truth or Knowledge is sacred and requires no motive or justification, that it is a fit end to which to devote one's life.  Only Self-Knowledge gradually illumines or transforms the seeker.  The accumulation of mere factual knowledge is mere accumulation of dross.

There are religionists who rejects modernity altogether.  A more progressive approach should be taken by the new generation, which has to rebel against the imposing of inherited conditioning in the name of religion, god without verifying their validity.  One has find freedom from all out-dated orthodox traditions, which are imposed on in the name religion and society.   Therefore, there is a need to understand the fact that, even ancestors had accepted the changes time to time and brought new reforms and way of life.   There is a need to realize the religion is built on the false foundation is meant to bring order in the society with its code of conduct. But most of these codes of conducts are out-dated and not suited for the modern generation.  Therefore there is a need to know the ultimate truth, which only can be called as god.    

Ultimate truth has no connection with end-gaining, belief, path or process. It cannot be taught but is continuously shared, discussed, grasped, assimilated and realized. Because it is universal inheritance, no-one can lay claim to it. It needs not to be argued, proven or embellished, for it stands alone simply as it is, and can only remain unrecognized and rejected, or realized and lived.”

The religious orthodox wants to wage against modernity: secularism, science, reproductive rights, and the Enlightenment generally. The orthodox mass, argue that any and all problems with the world can be attributed to the groups and ideas which they most dislike. One of the worst aspects of this attitude is how some religion latch on to any tragedy to promote their theocratic vision. Every religion argues that only their religion and their god can cure whatever ails this world.

History speaks that   man has made it challenging and difficult to understand why he has experienced and witnessed such an array of human behavior  With constant introspection and the continued judgement of right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust it has been a constant challenge to find and understand the truth behind his physical existence. This subject is super sensitive, yet if one is to continue on his pursuit of truth then there is a need for perfect understanding and assimilation. There is need to stop this wars and violence ,which is going on in the name of religion and god, by knowing and understanding and realizing  the universal  truth ,which is holding the whole universe in which the humanity exists.   The universal truth alone is god all else is mere mirage.

In Vedas the God has been described as:-

v  Sakshi (Witness)

v  Chetan (conscious)

v  Nirguna (Without form and properties)
.

v  Nitya (eternal)

v  Shuddha (pure)

v  Buddha (omniscient)

v  Mukta (unattached).

So, it clearly indicates that god is formless thus there is no scope for form based god. The religion and its conceptual gods, and its theories of karma, haven, hell, papa, punya. rebirth, reincarnation are based on the false self, within the false experience. Therefore, they are meant for lower mind-sets, they are of no use for those who are seeking higher truth as indicated in the scriptures.   

  There are many schools of thought in Hinduism based on Vedas. These schools of thoughts are add-ons. Therefore, these add-ons have to be bifurcated from original Vedic Religion, to get the pure Vedic essence. 

Sri, Sankara said: The world is unreal and Brahman alone is real.  It means the birth, life and death, which happens within the world, also is unreal.  If birth, life and death are unreal, then the rebirth and reincarnation and Avataric concept has to be unreal. Thus, it is for the seeker to find out, on what standpoint the world becomes unreal, to know the Brahman, which is ultimate truth.

Causality taught in the Upanishads is only to enable us to understand the supreme truth of no-origination. The world is not different from the self and the self is not different from Atman and Atman is not different from Brahman. That the non-dual absolute appears as the diverse world is only an illusion. If it really became diverse then the immortal would become mortal.

 The dualists who seek to prove the origination of the unborn, by that very enterprise try to make the immortal, mortal. Ultimate nature can never change - the immortal can never become mortal and vice versa.

Gaudapada quotes from the Upanishads: "There's no plurality here"; "The Soul through its powers appears to be many"; "those who are attached to creation or production or origination go to utter darkness"; "the unborn is never reborn, for what can produce it?”

No conceptual God can exist, apart from consciousness

People are not aware of the fact that, there is no individual God can exist, apart from consciousness, which is in the form of consciousness. Thus the consciousness is the consciousness.  Consciousness is the true self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no body, no ego, no universe, no religion and no conceptual god.

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks physical entity or ego  as self, then there is a creator, but if one thinks the consciousness or consciousness  as the Self, then there is nothing exists other than the consciousness, which is the true self.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things beside himself and postulate a God, the creator. Body, God and world rise and set together from, and into, the Self( soul or consciousness) . If God is apart from the Self ( soul or consciousness), then He would be Self-less, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent.

Mahaayaanists who say: Buddha due to his excellent skill preached the truth in different ways depending on the aptitude of his disciples.

Gaudapada says that: the merciful Veda teaches karma and upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for the higher knowledge or wisdom.  

Ish Upanishads :-

Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping gods and goddesses. By worshipping gods and goddesses you will go after death to the world of gods and goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted, because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of gods and goddesses you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Avidya is Karma and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other.

Ishopanishad "They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery."

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-Upanishads Nikhilananda]

It indicates that the one who is ignorant (darkness) of the true self (Atman) searches truth by accumulating knowledge of every path and practice and uncertain about the truth, and thinks every path leads towards reality. The ignorance of the true self leads one towards unreality or hallucination.

Bhad upanishd: - This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, because It is innermost. If one holding the Self dear were to say to a person who speaks of anything other than the Self as dear, that he, the latter, will lose what he holds dear—and the former is certainly competent to do so—it will indeed come true. One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear. He who meditates upon the Self alone as dear—what he holds dear will not perish. [Bhad  upanishd -8-p- -211]

It is the first instance of monism in organized religion. Vedic religion remains the only religion with this concept. To call this concept 'God' would be imprecise.

The closest interpretation of the term can be found in the Taittariya Upanishad (II.1):- where Brahman is described in the following manner: Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahman - "Brahman is of the nature of truth, knowledge and infinity". Thus, Brahman is the origin and end of all things, material or otherwise. Brahman is the root source and Divine Ground of everything that exists, and does not exist. It is defined as unknowable and Satchidananda (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss).

Since it is eternal and infinite, it comprises the only truth. The goal of Vedic religion  through the various yogas, is to realize that the consciousness (Atman) is actually nothing but Brahman.

 The Vedic pantheon of gods is said, in the Vedas and Upanishads, to be only higher manifestations of Brahman. For this reason, "ekam sat" (all is one), and all is Brahman.

Several mahā-vākyas, or great sayings, indicate what the principle of Brahman is:

prajnānam brahma[1]

            "Brahman is knowledge"

ayam ātmā brahma[2]

            "The Self (or the Conciousness) is Brahman "

aham brahmāsmi[3]

            "I am Brahman"

tat tvam asi[4]

            "You are that"

sarvam khalv idam brahma[5]

            "All this that we see in the world is Brahman",

sachchidānanda brahma[6][7]

            "Brahman is existence, consciousness, and bliss".

Why go round and round, by various tortuous paths

When the Vedas and Upanishad declare that Consciousness or Atman is actually nothing but Brahman, then why go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. One has to realize the fact that, the mind is in form of universe.  Trace the source of mind and realize that source is consciousness. The mind rises from consciousness as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.  

In Mandukya Upanishad Brahman and Atman are defined as same:

सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात् / sarvam hyetad brahmaayamaatmaa brahm soyamaatmaa chatushpaat 
–

Mandukya Upanishad, verse-2

Translation:-

sarvam(सर्वम्)- Whole/All/Everything; hi(हि)- Really/Just/Surely/Indeed; etad(एतद्)- This here/This; brahm(ब्रह्म)- Brahm/Brahman; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; aatmaa(आत्मा)- Atma/Atman; sah(सः)- He; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; chatus(चतुस्)- Four/Quadruple; paat(पात्)- Step/Foot/Quarter

Fragmented Verse:

सर्वम् हि एतद् ब्रह्म अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म सः अयम् आत्मा चतुस पात् / sarvam hi etad brahm ayama aatmaa brahm sah ayam aatmaa chatus paat

Simple Meaning:-

All indeed is this Brahman; This Atman is Brahman; He, this Atman has four steps/quarters.

While Brahman lies behind the sum total of the objective universe, some human minds boggle at any attempt to explain it with only the tools provided by reason. Brahman is beyond the senses, beyond the mind, beyond intelligence, beyond imagination. Indeed, the highest idea is that Brahman is beyond both existence and non-existence, transcending and including time, causation and space, and thus can never be known in the same material sense as one traditionally 'understands' a given concept or object.

Imagine a person who is blind from birth and has not seen anything. Is it possible for us to explain to him the meaning of the colour red. Is any amount of thinking or reasoning on his part ever going to make him understand the sensation of the colour red? In a similar fashion the idea of Brahman cannot be explained or understood through material reasoning or any form of human communication. Brahman is like the colour red; those who can sense it cannot explain or argue with those who have never sensed it.

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

In Advaita Vedanta: - Brahman is without attributes and strictly impersonal. It can be best described as infinite Being, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. It is pure knowledge itself, similar to a source of infinite radiance. Since the Advaitins regard Brahman to be the Ultimate Truth, so in comparison to Brahman, every other thing, including the material world, its distinctness, the individuality of the living creatures and even Ishvara (the Supreme Lord) itself are all untrue. Brahman is the effulgent cause of everything that exists and can possibly exist. Since it is beyond human comprehension, it is without any attributes, for assigning attributes to it would be distorting the true nature of Brahman. Advaitins believe in the existence of both Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman; however they consider Nirguna Brahman to be the absolute supreme 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, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self.

So, it clearly says the one who meditate upon the self (consciousness) discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self. Therefore , there is a need to know the fact that ,the true self is not physical but the soul in order to realize the fact that :  the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self, which is in the form of consciousness.

Ataman is Brahman. Brahman (soul or consciousness  the Absolute is alone real; this waking is unreal; and the three states are non-different from Brahman(consciousness).

Whatever is, is Brahman(consciousness) . Brahman(consciousness) it itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory."  Brahman (soul)is not a person, as the Absolute is not this. But if one wants to call it God or Paramataman, then fine. But it is not a person. Personifying it can make it easier to understand.

To realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal. 

All the scriptures indicate that Atman is Brahman, and Brahman is ultimate truth. Therefore the consciousness, which is in the form of consciousness, is ultimate truth.  Thus to realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal.   A well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning will lead one to his non-dual destination.

Studying of scriptures is not necessary

The Upanishads clearly indicate:-

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]

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)

Raman Mahrshi explains [in page 111/112- practical guide to know yourself]:-

Q: D: Is it not necessary to study the Vedas or at least Prastnatraya[Bagvad gita.Dasoponishad and Brahma Sutra all with commentaries] to ensure firm realization?

A: Bhagwan: - No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explain doubts and difficulties if others rise them if you yourself encounter them in course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your quest.
--

Ramana Maharishi said fortunate are the one who do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. Bhagwan says: Take Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of 15 pranas the names and functions of it   which the student is asked to commit memory. Will it not be sufficient if he thought only one prana does the whole work of maintaining the body? Again the antakaran is said to think, to desire, to will, to reason etc. Why all these details? Has anyone seen antakarana, or all these pranas? Do they really exist? They are conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these concepts end? Why should confusion created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to the source from which they all arise. (GURU RAMANA .By S.S Cohen -vii Danger of philosophy-Page -58-59)

The above passages further prove that: Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.  Therefore there is no use of studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual wisdom.  That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sri, Sankara indicated that, the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, concept of god and scriptures. 

Upanishads :- They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman  The ordinary man does not understand their way. [Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada]

Therefore, there is no use of taking strain to understand assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusions, if one tries to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through scriptures.

Why to follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth without them.  By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.  The mind raises form consciousness and subsides as consciousness.  Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding assimilation of non-dual truth. 

There is no need to renounce the worldly life to get Self-Realization. Any householder can attain it if has the inner urge.

ASHTAVAKRA SAMHITA: - "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.