People think that by mastering the scriptural knowledge, they attain Advaitic Gnana, but they fail to acquire it.+

The scriptures are not needed for Self-realization. Scriptural mastery is not the cause of the Self-realization.

Ashtavakra:~There is no wisdom whatsoever in the scriptures-just a collection of words.

The seeker should not bother about finding the meaning of what is written in the scriptures.

The seekers having been instructed by the Gurus to search for the truth in the scriptures spend all their time searching for the truth.

People think by mastering the scriptural knowledge he attains Gnana, but they fail to find it.

Instead, if he perseveres, he finds something of much greater value – his true Self. This cannot be found directly as the result of anyone’s teaching or in any scriptures. It can be attained from the instruction of the knower of Brahma,t gurus.

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only through inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

Upanishads says: ~

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~ “The Soul cannot be realized through hearing a 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 the holy place has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant soul awareness 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 the truth, and if there one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, the wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

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."

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~ “The Soul cannot be realized by the weak and timid.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ “VC-56- Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by word nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means.

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 that 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 realization 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 splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

Until one knows the truth of his true existence, whatever he knows about God is mere belief. Belief is individual whereas the ultimate truth is universal every belief system has its own idea of God thus there is no universality in the belief system. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar