Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices.+

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

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.

Traditionally religious people are so entangled in orthodox religiosity; that it is very difficult for them to free themselves from narrow-minded prejudices dogmas and superstitions. These educated orthodox people are more ignorant than illiterate. They strongly stuck to their inherited orthodox baggage meant for the ignorant populace.

Even though their own Sage has said that orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant populace they ignore and they are like blind led by another blind follow the inherited blind belief.

Sage Sankara clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

~So, it indicates that the Swami and Gurus of the parampara are not Gnanis.

But remember:~

Orthodox scriptural scholars are ignorant in the guise of Gnanis. They are unable to discard their orthodox baggage. Without discarding the orthodox baggage it is impossible to get Advaitic Gnana.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came Into vogue, projecting Sage Sri, Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

Sage Sankara:~ Loud speech, a profusion of words, and possessing skillfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned. They do not lead to Liberation."

Mundaka Upanishads:~ So-called spiritual pundits and learned are called children because a child takes whatever it thinks as truth. The question never occurs to children “Is what I have seen or thought really the truth?" (P.334 line 9)

Sage Sankara cautioned that the study of the Upanishad alone would not lead to moksha. In matters such as spiritual attainment, one’s own realization was the sole authority and it cannot be disputed

Sage Sankara also said the study of Upanishad was neither indispensable nor a necessary prerequisite for attaining the human goal, the moksha.

Sage Sankara pointed out; that even those who were outside the Upanishad fold were as eligible for moksha as those within the fold were. He declared that all beings are Brahman, and therefore the question of discrimination did not arise. All that one was required to do was to get rid of ignorance (Avidya or duality).

The Seeker's aim is the search for the Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The search to find the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth that in actuality never was lost, only hidden.

The Scriptures mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman.

The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is the truth? and ‘What is the untruth?. When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of a single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time, and space.

An adherent of the orthodox philosopher may say his philosophy teaches so and so", another man may object and say, “No, his religious philosophy teaches such and such." Thus, they may go on uttering contradictions in the name of philosophy. True philosophy deals only with the appeal to facts, not theories.

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them.

How is one to know that the scriptures are true? The seeker has to look into the facts, for the proof of what has the worship of God done for the people! When a tsunami occurred in Japan God did not save the believers of Japan. Thus, God saves one who prays, such an argument is of no value in pursuit of truth.

People believe Scripture is infallible, but deeper Self-search reveals that they are a mere book of words. The words are a mere expression of thoughts. Then it is impossible to see if the scripture-writers' thoughts are founded in fact or not.

The fallacy of orthodoxy’s appeal to scripture lies in the varying and conflicting interpretations of the same scripture which different men feel entitled to give or hold.

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

Where scriptures and authorities do not agree with the reason, the seeker of truth must reject them.

Scriptural knowledge is conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. All these concepts are a great obstacle in the pursuit of truth. Why should confusion be created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which they all arise..: ~ Santthosh Kumaar