It has not been possible to preach Advaitic Truth entirely free from the settings of dualistic weakness***

Yoga Vasistha:~  Even as particles of sand floating in water settle down when the water is absolutely steady, the mind of the man who has gained the knowledge of truth settles down in total peace.

Yoga Vasistha: ~  The sun and the worlds become non-objects of perception, to those who have gone beyond the realm of objective perception and knowledge, even as lamps lose their luminosity while the mid-day sun shines.

From the standpoint of the formless Soul the innermost Self, the effect is non-different from the cause. However in the realm of duality cause is different from the effect. The non-difference of the effect from the cause has to be grasped perfectly to realize from the ultimate standpoint there is neither the cause nor the effect because the cause and effect are one,  in essence. That essence is the consciousness.

 Sage Sri, Sankara says: - If the cause is destroyed, the effect will no longer exist. For example, if from the effect, cotton cloth, the cause, threads, are removed, there will be no cloth, i.e., the cloth is destroyed. Similarly,  if in the effect, thread, the cause, cotton, is removed, there will be no thread, i.e., the thread is destroyed. (Brahmasūtra Bhashya, commentary on the Brahma-sutra, ⁽⁹⁾ 2.1.9)

Despite the non-difference of cause and effect, the effect has its Self in the cause but not the cause in the effect. The effect is of the nature of the cause and not the cause the nature of the effect. Therefore, the qualities of the effect cannot touch the cause because the cause and effect are present only when the duality is present. The duality is present only when there is an illusion. The illusion is there only when there is ignorance. When there is no ignorance then there is no illusion. When there is no illusion then there is no duality. When there is no duality then there is no cause and effect. When there is no cause and effect then there is nondual reality.   

Sage Sri, Sankara says: ~ During the time of its existence, one can easily grasp that the effect is not different from the cause. However that the cause is different from the effect is not readily understood. As to this, it is not really possible to separate cause from effect. But this is possible by imagining so. For example, the reflection of the gold ornament seen in the mirror is only the form of the ornament but is not the ornament itSelf as it (the reflection) has no gold in it at all. (Chāṃdogya Upaniṣad Bhāṣya, commentary on the Chandogya Upanishad, 6.3.2)

All names and forms are real when seen with the Brahman but are false when seen independent of Brahman (Soul).

This way the seeker of truth establishes the non-difference of the effect from the cause.

In the context of Advaita Vedanta: ~ Jagat (the world) is not different from Brahman (Soul); however Brahman (Soul) is different from Jagat.

It has not been possible to preach Advaitic Truth entirely free from the settings of dualistic weakness it has not been more operative and useful to mankind at large because only few will be able to grasp and realize it.

'To realize the Advaitic Truth a freer and fuller scope the seeker has to realize the form, time and space are one in essence. And that essence is the consciousness. And the Soul the innermost Self is present in the form of the consciousness. 

To realize the Advaitic truth the seeker has to be free from all superstitions and orthodox contaminations. The seeker has to be dedicated to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana   alone.

A  Gnani will easily appreciate the high flights of Sage Sri, Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is one of the 'most majestic structures and valuable products of the Genius of man in his search for Truth. 

The path of wisdom is not for those who have the firm conviction about religion, yoga and theories as the only means to higher truth

People believe that teacher or mystic or priest has got so many followers and therefore there must be some truth in their teaching, is a common fallacy accepted by the mass due to their inherited conditioning. It proves only an ignorant can find a number of greater ignorant to follow him.

The one who identifies himself as swami, guru or yogi is not a Gnani. A Gnani never identifies himself as swami, guru, pundit or yogi. Swami, guru, pundit or yogi belongs to religious and yogic path not to path of truth or wisdom.  

Swami Vivekananda said: - “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

Sri, Sankara's commentary:-

 Page 489: "The knower of Brahman (self-realized or Gnani) 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 path of wisdom is not for those who have the firm conviction about religion, yoga and theories as the only means to higher truth and what they  knows or believes is ultimate truth.

In practical life, religion and yoga are needed.  Religion is the tool to give samskara or conditioning   to the mass, -- to be, to believe, to behave and to live in cultured society with its code of conduct with the fear of God, but are of no value as proof.

Intellectuals think that Ultimate truth cannot be known. They do not want o discuss nor accept anything whatever they know and accepted as truth.  "What I know is right, what another man knows is wrong." This unfortunate vanity is common to all men and prevents realization. A man must begin by doubting his own knowledge, therefore. Only when doubts begin to arise does a man start in quest of Truth. And such doubts usually first take the shape of asking why God sends or permits epidemics, calamities and wars and unrest. 

Quotation from others should come only after verification   convinced by the use of reason based on facts, and then only may one introduce quotations in order to show that others have reached the same conclusion.

One must go to the very fundamentals, to the root of thinking, to "grasp the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time and space.

How does one know what others say and quote is true?  When this question arises from within than the inner dialogue starts within and the truth will start revealing on its own. .

When all the doubts are cleared within, that is the doubts on every question. However, ultimate understanding cannot be reached without having doubts and asking questions and demanding proof from one’s own innermost self.

To overcome doubt by the sword of wisdom, it does not mean that the seeker should give up his doubt and believe, as the religionists and intellectuals interpret it, but that he should keep on thinking about his doubts until they are solved; that he should not stop until this point is reached.

The nature of the God is Advaita***

Sage Sri,   Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is the fairest flower of wisdom in the world.  Sage Sri, Sankara  says   Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Advaita is not philosophy. Advaita is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.   The nature of the God is Advaita.  All the teaching propagated by some gurus are adulterated with theories, tradition, religion,  are not Advaitic wisdom. Advaita Gnana is Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Lord Krishna confesses that the oldest wisdom of India (Advaitic wisdom) has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify it today as they did then. It is not yoga but the  philosophic truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and leaders of mysticism or religion do not want to inquire into the truth and have no time for it. (Gita –Chap- IV-v.2)

Advaitic reality there is neither God nor Goddess but only the consciousness. The consciousness is the real God.

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

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material  then  nothing has to be accepted  other than consciousness a God. 

Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost Self.   In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirms God is Atman (spirit), the innermost Self.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and   worship in place of real God.

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Meher Baba said: ~   God is your innermost Self. Do not search for God outside of you.  Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and does everything. God is beyond us and is everything.  God alone is and all else is an illusion.

People who are saying ‘I Am GOD’ are hallucinating that they become God. First, you must know what God supposed to be in actuality.

Sage Sri, Sankara declares Atman is Brahman. That is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is the ultimate truth and the ultimate truth or Brahman is God.

 The nature of the God is Advaita. Advaita is the fullness of consciousness. God is the form of the Atman, therefore; never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman.

Thus, truth realization is Self-realization. Self-realization is God realization. God realization is real worship.

Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “ thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.***

In the Atmic path,  sharing is more important. More one shares more one gains.  No one is unwise in pursuit of truth.  Atmic Wisdom dawns only when we drop all accumulated knowledge and ready to start afresh.

I quote scriptures because the scriptures are also saying the same thing what I am saying.

To realize the ultimate truth or Brahman, no scriptures are needed. I am highlighting only the rational views of the Sages of the truth. 

No one can stay as Self without realizing the Self. After realizing the 'Self', nothing stays as reality other than the Self.  It is foolish to say I AM THAT, I AM THIS without realizing “what the Self is” and “what the Self is not”.   

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

People think that by studying Vedas one will be able to get Self -realization, but it is not so.  

Vedic studies lead one to nowhere. What is the use of studying scriptures when Upanishads itself declares:~

Katha Upanishad:~ 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 the study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is the Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 page-70 - Mundaka Upanishad- Upanishads by Nikilanada)

When the Upanishad says:  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 Upanishads declare:~

 
Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.” 

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~“The weak and timid cannot realize the Self,  Self -Realization is not possible through intellect or hearing spiritual discourse. One who welcomes God in every activity, through a thorough controlled and disciplined life, to him also the Soul is revealed

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~The Soul cannot be realized through hearing the scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.

Katha Upanishad 1:3:6:~ “Through the knowledge of the Soul, God, one is pure and clean constantly.” Neither by reading the book, nor by taking a bath at holy place has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant Soul Consciousness is the real purity. 

Kena Upanishad 2:4 :~ When it is known through every state of cognition, it is rightly known, for (by such knowledge) one attains life eternal. Through one's own Self  one gains power and through wisdom one gains immortality. 

Kena Upanishad 2:5 :~ If here one knows it, then there is truth, and if here one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

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. 

One has to get rid of the inborn samskara or conditioning ,which is present in the form of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’.

People try to overcome their inherited religious conditioning but it by getting rid of the religious conditioning one will not be able to overcome the physical shackle.  One has to get rid of the inborn samskara or conditioning ,which is present in the form of  ‘I’ or ‘I AM’.  Only by getting rid of the ignorance one can get rid of the inborn samskara or   conditioning.

v  What is the use of arguing on base of the birth entity, which is not the self?

v  What is the use of knowing what happens after death when the self is birthless? 

v  What is the use of thinking of the heaven and hell when the self is not an individual and it is never born and never dies?

But he is unaware of the fact that, he and his experience of the world are within the waking experience.  The waking experience appears and disappears, same way as the dream. When there is dream than there is no waking. When there is waking than there is no dream.  When there is neither the dream nor the waking it is identified as deep sleep in waking experience.   One is aware of the dream or deep sleep only in waking.  The one which is aware of the coming and going of the three states is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the formless witness of the three states. 

All the scriptures indicate that Atman is Brahman, and Brahman is ultimate truth. Therefore the soul, 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

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’. I or ‘I AM’ itself is cause of ignorance.

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 nondual 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 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.

Sage Sri, Sankara says:~ The skill in expounding the Scriptures is no good for Liberation***

The Upanishads are self -contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. The final authority therefore is using one’s own reason. One should apply his reason to them.

The scriptures are for ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem.

The Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth. They have no value as authority for those who use reason.

I quote only verified citation form the scriptures. I need no scriptures but I quote them to help the seekers to realize the religion, scriptures and the belief of God is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world which declare: ~

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study.

That is why Sage Sri, Sankara says: ~ VC~ 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.

The religion is based on the birth entity whereas the Soul, the innermost Self is birthless and deathless. Spirituality is based on the Soul (formless). Thus, there is a need to bifurcate the religion from the spirituality.

Buddha: - There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting***

Buddha: - There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting

Everyone’s inner work is on. Until a man is ripe to receive Self-knowledge, he will not be able to understand what I am saying. 

Even they may find it difficult in the first as they go on reading and reflecting repeatedly the post their subconscious will start dropping the dualistic egocentric knowledge and start accepting the Soul-centric Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Grasping the truth depends on the spiritual maturity of the seeker. My mission is sharing the knowledge by inspires the serious and sincere seekers of truth and divert their attention towards the inward reality. 

As their urge is in the seed level and As they go on reading the words of wisdom it will start growing. 

 “It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. 

 “It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the innermost Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space. 

The seeker must  have: ~  

An intense urge to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space

Receptive to receive the truth

Sharpness to grasp the truth  

Courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth

Patience

Humility

Non- argumentive

Ready to reflect the truth repeatedly

Drop all the accumulated knowledge

All the above things are very much necessary to tread the Atmic path.    The Guru is needed only in religious and yogic paths.  In Atmic path,  there is no need for the Guru.  There is no need to stick to any Guru or any teaching.

A Gnani will never accept himself as Guru nor does he claim himself as a Gnani.   One who accepts himself as Guru does not know the truth. When one inquires into the nature of the mind than the truth will start revealing on its own.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said:~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

Buddha said:~ Do not believe a spiritual teaching just because:-

1.   It is repeatedly recited

2. It is written in a scripture

3. It was handed from Guru to disciple

4. Everyone around you believes it

5. It has supernatural qualities

6. It fits my beliefs anyway

7. It sounds rational to me

8. It is taught by a respectable person

9. It was said to be the truth by the teacher

10. One must defend it or fight for it.

However, only when it agrees with your experience and reason, and when it is conducive to the good and gain of oneself and all others, then one should accept the teachings, and live up to them." 

Sage Sri, Sankara says:~ What is accepted without proper enquiry will not lead a person to the final goal***

Advaitic truth is supreme truth; all dualistic systems hold false self as real Self and false experience as a reality.  Advaitic wisdom is the culmination of all systems including the theistic Advaita. 

 There is no need to discuss argue and quarrel with those who think they know the truth.  There is no need of any support of scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.   Theistic Advaitic orthodoxy is nothing to do with the Advaitic wisdom.  The theistic Advaitic orthodox scholars or pundits like Dualist sages could not distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘formless witness of the ‘I’.

They take the ‘I’ as the witness.  They are stuck to the reality of the ‘I’, all their theories are based on the ‘I’. All the ‘I’ based theories are the false theories

 They are so much attached to the 'I' that they do not want to think that 'I' does not exist. Again they are unable to detach the ‘I’ from the Soul, the Real witness.  

There is  no need to study the scriptures.  The seeker has to self-search the truth and realize it without the scriptures.  When he realizes the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space then he reads the scriptures he realizes some of the scriptures are also saying the same thing,  but everything is misinterpreted.  

Yoga Vasistha:~ "Teachers, interpretations of sacred texts, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth which is revealed in the clear reflection of the heart, engendered from contact with the good."

When the ultimate truth is rightly known and one attains eternal life thereby. Through Soul, the innermost Self he gains strength and through its knowledge immortality.

 Advaitic truth cannot be realized by intellectualism      but only by perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth?’  and ‘what is  the untruth?’.

 The soulcentric vision when you learn to view and judge the world which confronts you on nondualistic perspective.

 The nature of the Soul, the innermost self’s is like state of deep sleep.

 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 Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature”. - 3 page70upanhsds by Nikilanada

It means the truth is beyond scriptures and egocentric intelligence.  Thus in order to grasp, assimilate and realize the Advaitic truth the seeker to employ soulcentric reasoning. 

That is why  Sage Sri, Sankara says in the commentary in Vedanta-sutra that what is accepted without proper enquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, in something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.  

Seeker of truth should not believe blindly in traditional orthodox nonduality without verifying all the facts from every angle. One has to reflect through reasoning over and over again without getting tired of the process.

That is why Sri, Sankara says:~  VC- 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 utter the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

There is nothing more rational, more intelligible and more un-dogmatic insights of Sri, Sankara, is to drop all the theistic nonduality or Advaita which is meant for those who are incapable and not receptive to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

 If one merely theorises, tries to understand through his intellect and there contended he cannot become a Gnani,  but he becomes a scholar or pundit.   Seeker of truth must make what he has understood and assimilated has to be  realized, to get firm conviction of the non-dualistic truth or ultimate truth or Brahman,   then only it is possible for him to transcend all the limitations of the experience of form, time and space.    

The existence beyond limitations of form, time and space is known as Moksha or Nirvana. Spiritual freedom or self-realization is the goal of every seeker of truth.  

The Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is goal of the true seeker.  Self-knowledge is end of all egocentric knowledge.