Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana unfolds the mystery of the universe.+

Self-knowledge is not dualistic knowledge. ‘I-centric’ knowledge is dualistic knowledge. ‘I-centric knowledge is egocentric knowledge whereas the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is Soulcentric knowledge. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana unfolds the mystery of the universe.

The dualistic knowledge is based on individuality which is used in practical life within the practical world. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is higher Knowledge is that by which the ultimate truth or Brahman or God is attained.

Through Self-Knowledge, the Gnani behold everywhere Brahman, which otherwise cannot be seen or seized, which has no root or attributes because it is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul is all-pervading and extremely subtle; which is imperishable and the source of the universe. Everything in the universe arises from the Imperishable Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Sage Sankara ~ VC- "All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ “VC ~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.

VC~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.

VC ~66- Therefore, the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths (illusion).

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani)

Sage Sankara: ~ “The world, filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream: it appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when the ‘Self’ is awake.

Sage Sri Sankara: ~ “As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation; for Liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge." (Self-Knowledge)

Sage Sankara: ~ “As the moon appears to be moving when the clouds move in the sky, so also to the non-discriminating. Atman appears to be active when in reality the senses are active. Advaitic can never be reached by argument and provocation.

Discard all the accumulated dualistic knowledge by realizing the world in which you exist, exists because of ignorance. Get rid of the ignorance by realizing the world in which you exist is created out of single clay and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Realizing the ‘Self’’ is not you but the Soul is Self-realization. The Soul is the cause of the universe and it, itself is uncaused.

Sage Sankara says: ~ VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

Advaita is not a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self. There is no need to study any philosophy to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth. All the philosophy and all the teachings on nonduality are based on the dualistic perspective. Such teachings are mere imaginary nonduality on dualistic perspective.

Sage Sankara‘s Advaitic wisdom is based either on reason independent of Sruti or on Sruti confirmed by reason."

Sage Sankara:~ This (the unreality of duality) is borne out by the Srutis ... But it is possible also to show the unreality of the object world even from pure reasoning, and this second chapter is undertaken for that purpose. (Commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, II, 1)

Sage Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture. This may be because Sage Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus, in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter. He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can, therefore, dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Advaita by pure reason. What one has learned from the Sages of Truth has to be understood through the exercise of reason as far as the reason might go. And what one has assimilated must be realized.

Sage Sankara believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can therefore dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Reason as a means to reality. (Chap.18 verse 37)

Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ I cannot save you, but I can give you Buddhi (reason). (chap. 10)

In chap. 10 of in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says: ~ "I have given you the most secret teaching, now reflect over it all" Krishna plainly says reflect, think. (Verse 63 of Chap. 18)

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc., because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Mandukya Karika)

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “It is not the absence of Buddhi that can grasp Advaita but the man who possesses the highest intellect. Brains are necessary. Such a man, by merely hearing the truth mentioned will know it. (Page~ 224)

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. All accumulated knowledge is of no use to realize the Advaitic truth beyond the form, time, and space.

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta to realize the Advaitic truth beyond form, time, and space. Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, the Self.

There is no need for any theory, philosophy, or scriptures to acquire Self-knowledge. Only a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed. There is no need to buy a book of Sage Sankara to acquire Self-knowledge.

Perfect understanding of what is what is needed. Nothing else is a need other than realizing the fact that, the form, time, and space are one in essence and that essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness in order to get the Advaitic Self-awareness.

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures in order to acquire non-dualistic wisdom.

Fools, dwelling in darkness, but wise in their own conceit and puffed up with vain scholarship, wander about, being afflicted by many ills, like blind men led by the blind.

A Gnani who knows all and understands everything has acquired the knowledge of the Imperishable the Soul, the ultimate truth or Brahman. The form, time, and space are born out of the Soul, the Brahman.

Religious people immersed in ignorance in various ways, flatter themselves, saying: We have accomplished life's purpose. Because these performers of karma do not know the truth owing to their attachment, they fall from heaven, misery-stricken, when the fruit of their work is exhausted.

Ignorant people regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed their reward on the heights of heaven, gained by good works, they remain in the domain of birth and death (duality).

A Gnanis who lives and contemplates on Atman freed from ignorance. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar