When Great Sage Sri, Sankara indicates that the scriptural studies are useless in pursuit of truth, than why seekers of truth must indulge in scriptural studies and waste their precious time and life .

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Sri ,Sankara says:~(VC59) The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

When  Great Sage Sri, Sankara indicates that  the scriptural studies are useless in the pursuit of truth,  then  why seekers of truth  must indulge in scriptural studies and waste their precious time and life .   

Even   Upanishads also confirms this:~  

Katha Upanishads :~ 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. ( 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)

The scriptures indicate that Atman is Brahman, and Brahman is the ultimate truth. Therefore, the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is the 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. 

Self-Realization is a direct realization of the ultimate truth or real god, in contrast with traditional paths, which are indirect. And the other paths cannot lead to the ultimate destination because they are based on the false self, which they hold as real self and false experience as reality.  

 

Scriptures are being added to from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

Buddha  rejected Vedas,religion and concept of God  and he clearly said :~ Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.

Seeker of truth has to get rid of his doubts through deeper self-search  on his own, to realize the fact that, the self is not the form but self is formless. Thus, his analysis and reasoning has to be based on the formless not on the form.  By simply go on believing and accepting whatever said by the punditry will not lead one towards path of wisdom. All the doubt has to be got rid of "by the sword of Self - Knowledge."  The scriptures, yoga are not necessary if one follows the inner (mental) path.  Religion and yoga are not the means to path of wisdom.  

 

Scriptural citation may be quoted in pursuit of truth as authoritative only after one has verifies them deeply and shown the reality and proved the truth, for then he can point out that the texts teach the same thing. If one quotes them before having demonstrated truth, then it is scholasticism or punditry.

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 is meant only for those who have an 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. 

Wisdom is that which liberates one from experiencing the illusion [waking] as reality-- this is the criterion of truth. Pundits don't appear to be liberated, they look enslaved. They talk about liberation, but they don't look free. They seem to be bound with a thousand fetters. 

The orthodox people more enslaved than others because they live in self-imposed prison. A householder may have a little freedom, but the gurus, yogis saints are more stuck with their own idea of truth than others. Orthodoxies are just blind followers of tradition. They cannot move freely, they cannot sit freely, they cannot live freely. 

Many people pretend they are self-realized just by being orthodox one cannot get liberation.  Because yogi practices Samadhi he will not get liberated. Everyone has their own idea of liberation. 

The most important thing is that neither society nor politics nor any religion has anything to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. Self –Knowledge helps the seeker transcending emotion, transcending form, time and space. Perhaps this is why pursuit of truth, has not had much impact. 

There is no wisdom whatsoever in this. Scriptures are just a collection of words. Thus wisdom is not found in scriptures. Wisdom is within oneself. The truth is not found in words.  Truth is within oneself." 

 The scriptures are filled just with information. By accumulating information one cannot attain    wisdom.  No matter how much one knows, wisdom is not attained. One  can go on gathering more and more knowledge, learn the scriptures by heart, become parrots, memorize each and every sutra or stanza , let the complete Vedas be imprinted in his  memory -- but still the  wisdom will not dawn. 

People think that mastering scriptural knowledge is wisdom.  Pundits and religious gurus call scriptural knowledge as wisdom. Scriptural knowledge binds one instead thus it is not liberation.  Wisdom is that which liberates one from experiencing the duality as reality.

That is why Sage 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. 

Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani indicated that:~ 58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendour of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

Thus, Sri Sankara clearly indicated that: - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to self-knowledge.  But by the realization of one's identity with consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman, freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality is possible, and by no other means. 

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi  says:~

Q by D:- Is not necessary to study the Vedas or at least the Prasthanatraya [the Bhagavad Gita,Dasopanishad and Brahma Sutras, all with commentaries]to ensure firm realization?

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi:~ No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explaining doubts and difficulties if others rise them or if you yourself encounter them in the 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 thirst. (Page 111/112 of Practical guide to know yourself c/e by A.R.N).

This surely indicates  Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi’s path is independent path nothing to with the religion and scriptures.