Without knowing and examining the nature of the universe, you can’t know the truth, +

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (8) ~ 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.

The truth you are seeking is not found in this illusory world in which you exist because it is hidden by the illusory world in which you exist.

It is hidden by the world in which you exist because the illusory world in which you exist is created out of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Do not search for truth within the illusory universe in which you exist. Without knowing and examining the nature of the universe, you can’t know the truth, as the idea that the universe exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the universe.

The universe itself is what God is all about. The totality of the universe is what God is all about.

You just study the nature of the universe with all the seriousness and sincerity to unfold the mystery of the universe. That is all you have to do. Until the mystery of the universe is solved, the Self hidden by the illusory universe will not be realized.

Remember:~

The seeker has to ignore the religion and its rituals and search for the ultimate truth. Religion and religious rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of ignorance.

Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of ignorance on these poor rafts or rituals. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people proud of their vain learning go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

The essence of Mundaka is: 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.

Remember:~

The Orthodox person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. And he is required to perform rituals all through his life. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.

The Soul, the ‘Self’ has no attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ and identifies ‘‘Self’’ with the ‘I’ is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person.

A person who engages in rituals with the notion of 'I' as the ‘Self’ is ignorant; the ‘I’ itself is ignorance. Ignorance can be removed by Self-knowledge. :~Santthosh Kumaar