A "Gnani " is one who has gained the knowledge of the "Self" ,which lies beyond the mind

A  "Gnani " is one who has gained the knowledge  of the "Self" ,which lies beyond the mind.  He has delved in to and realized  the non-dual tranquility when he transcended consciously all his identification with the physical apparatus.

The one who has realized the true self is not physical but consciousness  is termed as Gnani.     

For a Gnani:-  Noting is ever lost,nothing is ever gained because he is  aware of the ultimate truth or Brahman. only those who remain ignorant of the truth they will experience the pain and pleasure as reality. 

By realizing the self is not physical but self is consciousness, one becomes free from experiencing pain and pleasure as reality.

If one is aiming to be a master, Guru or teacher, he will never reach his destination. One has to share his knowledge with the fellow seeker not to make them his followers but only direct them if they are interested to travel beyond form, time and space.

It is foolish to impose our idea on others because everyone is not in same level of understanding.  Every one's inner work is on. When they are ripe enough they will understand, assimilate and realize on their own.  If they are ready and sharp enough they will grasp it instantly and they will reach their destination with lesser time and effort. Thus preaching, teaching is not wisdom, but by very careful reasoning, seeker has to determine the nature of reality. Thinking in right direction alone helps seeker determining the nature of reality.

Sage Sri Sankara's commentary:-

Page 489: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs.  Page 500 asks in effect "Tell us what you know, show it, and let us examine it under the mental microscope." It means we must bring notions and beliefs out of vagueness into clearness. It also criticizes the mystics who claim superior knowledge but who cannot communicate it for purposes of verification.

On page 482: On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior." 

The ignorance is the cause of experiencing all sorrow and calamities as reality. Thus eradicating the ignorance completely is necessary. And this is possible only through self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana OR Atma Gnana.   Thus, there is no other road to freedom other than Gnana.  There is no other entrance other than except Gnana.  The ignorance will vanish only when the non-dual wisdom dawns.

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

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

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

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

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immersed themselves in ritualistic oriented life style and follow the path of karma and upasana which is meant for lower and middling intellect   and not for realizing the Advaitic truth.  Many chose these orthodox scholars as their gurus. But these gurus are good to learn the conceptual Adavaita meant for those orthodox who believe their conduct oriented life style leads to Moksha [liberation].  But religious based Adavaita is not   the means to acquire Self –knowledge or Brahma Gnana or  Atma Gnana. Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or  Atma Gnana. 

The one which witnesses the pain and pleasure is not the body.

The one which witnesses the pain and pleasure and the world together  is not the body. The body ,which is born,lives and dies within the world is not the witness.

The witness is the one ,which witnesses the body and the world (waking) together without the physical apparatus . Until we think the body as self, the universe ,which contains all of us will prevail as reality.


When we become aware of the fact that, the self is not physical but the self is Atman, then only we become aware of the fact that, our true identity is without the body and the world.


Thus our true focus of attention should be on the Atman, not on the imaginary gods. because Atman itself is Brahman or ultimate truth. Ultimate truth itself is God/Christ/Buddha.


When we become aware of our formless true identity then the burden and bondage experienced within the world as an individual, is mere mirage created out of Atman ,which is in the form of consciousness.


One has to realize the fact that, it is not the waking entity (you) which witnesses the three states.  The formless soul is the witness of the coming and going of the three states. The soul is immutable. The soul is unaffected by the happening within the three states because the three states are mere mirage created out of the formless soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The soul or consciousness is the innermost self.

The self is neither the waking entity nor the self is dream entity but the self is the formless soul. The on the standpoint of the soul, the innermost self the three states are non-existent as reality.     


A permanent view of world as unreal can come only after soul centric reasoning; such knowledge cannot change. Were the seeker who is sufficiently sharpness he could grasp the unreal nature of the world by soul-centric reasoning alone.  To know whole truth, one must know the whole universe, otherwise he gets only half-truth. 

Renouncing the worldly life and accepting sanyasa or monk-hood means incapacity to think deeper, an impotency to inquire and reason. 

People speak of getting rid of conditioning or samskara but they themselves are unaware of the fact that, the universe in which they exist is product of the inborn samskara or conditioning.  The ignorance is cause of the inborn samskara or conditioning which present as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’. 

The real Moksha or freedom is   to realize the fact that ‘I’ consciousness is mere physical awareness. Physical awareness is not self-awareness. The self –awareness is when the formless soul or consciousness remains aware of its own non-dual   true nature.