Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge.+

Sage Sankara pointed out that those rituals could in no way bring about wisdom, much less Moksha.

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 a 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. 

If people have believed religious propagated myths thing over thousands of years, the length of time does not prove it true. 

Sage Sankara says Brahman or God in truth is impersonal. Worshiping personal Gods is meant for the orthodox people who are ignorant and refuse to accept the truth. 

Sage Sankara clearly says:~ Neither studying philosophy nor by worshiping as many gods nor observing ceremonies nor by singing devotional hymns nor by uttering mantra nor by mastering the scriptures liberation comes without realizing the Oneness. 

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The Sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the sea of Samsara on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded men proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

The essence of Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “Do not be satisfied with rituals, yoga, etc., which are good in their own way, but inquire. Into what? Brahman and Atman are things you can never see. So do not inquire into them. Inquire into the world around you, which you can see.

Science tells you it is passing away every second. Everything is dying repeatedly. Where is it going? Thus, you follow up your inquiry into what you can lay hands on. How can you inquire into Atma which you cannot see? So first we deal with the known and seen, this inquiry leads up to the unknown in the end.

The Advaitic wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is consciousness.

Freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or consciousness, the Self, are quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

In the past, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana was imparted only to a few because the Sages of truth had preserved it people were more interested in their religious beliefs.

Nowadays people are more advanced and capable of understanding assimilating, and realizing the truth beyond form, time, and space.

As the seeker starts his journey he may find it difficult in the first as his understanding matures his subconscious will start dropping the dualistic egocentric knowledge and start accepting the Soul-centric Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar