Devoid of Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana one is enveloped in ignorance

It is like the sea water is forgetting its own impurities and is thinking that it is the pure water, which is a component of the sea water. By such thinking, the impurities are not filtered and the saltishness does not disappear. To remove the impurities, work (filtration) should be done. Then the sea water can really become the pure water. Thinking is not work. Filtration is the work.

 From the standpoint of the formless  soul, the innermost  self, the three states are unreal.  The man and the world are reality within the waking. The mind or I appear as waking and dream, and disappear as deep sleep.  The one which is aware of the three states is within the three states, and it is apart from the three states. it is within the three states   as  their formless substance, and it is without the three states as their  formless witness.  It is apart from the three states because it is not an entity or identity within the waking or dream.  The three states are mere object to the soul or consciousness, the innermost self.

Oneness is possible only when we become aware of the fact that, the formless soul  is the true self, and able to view and judge the three states , on the standpoint of formless soul  as self.  The diversity (duality/illusion) is reality, only on the base of  the ego or waking entity as self.

Therefore it is necessary to discover and realize the fact that, the source of the three states is soul, and soul is the true self, and witness of the three states, which appear and disappear in succession.  The three states are unreal, on the standpoint of the formless soul as self; this helps the seeker to realize the fact that the world is unreal.

 The world is reality only within the waking experience, but waking is as real as dream.  Therefore the substance and witness of the three states, which is soul or consciousness is the true self, and real. And the formless   soul itself is ultimate truth or Brahman. 

A man may wish to live for a hundred years, performing his worldly duties as prescribed by the religion and scriptures. But religion and scriptural knowledge is not the means to acquire the self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. There is no other way other than the path of truth or wisdom.

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.

There is no point in running after the pleasures of the world. Pleasures and pain are momentary. If on e run after pleasure of the world he will not be able to cross the threshold of duality. Without receptiveness and without inner urge it is impossible   to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Deeper self-search will slowly make one receptive to receive self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. As the spirit of discrimination will grow stronger, and love for Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana develops. When this happens they will be able to grasp the non dual truth. The end result is that they will acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, and able to realize the universe (mind or waking or duality) is mere mirage on the standpoint of the soul or consciousness the innermost self.  

Soul-centric reasoning is only way to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. One need not feel lost. It takes time to assimilate. People who are practicing other paths sooner or later they have to come to the path of truth if they are interested in the acquiring Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Till then they must continue the chosen path.

Devoid of Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana one is enveloped in ignorance. Those people who have neglected the attainment of Self-knowledge will remain in ignorance experiencing the illusory experience of birth, life, death and the world (waking) as reality.

The formless soul will be liberated from experiencing the illusory experience cycle of birth, life and death only through non-dualistic wisdom.

Just as there are many paths to a city, multiple religions of the world today has many paths symbolize multiple paths but none lead towards the reality of one’s  true existence. Each religion has its own idea of god, haven, hell, sin, karma, birth, death and rebirth.  But there is no religion in the world which is without the idea of god.

When man and his universe and his idea of god cease to exist without the mind, it is high time for everyone one of us to verify:-

The man cannot operate himself as a person and perceive the world without the mind because he and his experience of the world are within the mind.  If man is not a man but the man is  mind then his whole experience of the world also becomes the mind. Therefore mind is not limited only the physical entity but to the whole universe ,which appears as Waking or dream in which the man perceives the world as an individual. Therefore it is necessary to analyze the three states in order to unfold the mystery of the mind through deeper self -search.

The mind is in the form of universe and soul is in the form of Consciousness are one in essence.  And that essence is consciousness. The consciousness is the formless substance and witness of the three states. Without the Consciousness, the three states cease to exist. 

The whole Waking experience is like chariot. The charioteer is formless soul. The main purpose of the spiritual journey lies in seeking the formless charioteer which is Consciousness. The soul or Consciousness is within the three states as their  formless  substance and   it is without the  three states  as  their  formless  witness. 

To seek the truth is to know the truth.  To know the truth means  realizing the truth.  Realizing the truth means  to abide in the truth. Consciousness the innermost self an unborn, an unbecoming, an un-created, an uncompounded therefore there is no escape from the duality if one thinks he is born, created and made.

But the one who realizes the fact that, whatever he believed on the base of ‘I’ as self,  that is about his birth, life, death  and the world are mere illusion on the standpoint of the Consciousness which is the innermost self.  The soul is liberated from experiencing the illusory experience cycle of birth, life and death only through non-dualistic wisdom.

The nature of the deathless substance which is called Consciousness or spirit is the unconditioned ultimate reality. Thus ultimate truth is only soul or Consciousness rest is illusion created out of consciousness.