Reality is realizing the invisible Soul, the Self, which is ever nondual hidden by the universe, which is a dualistic illusion.+

Reality means realizing the invisible nondual Soul, the Self, which is hidden by the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is ignorance. The Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Brahman or God in truth - One without a Second

The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial, Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti, Existence is One, Sages call it by different names Rig Veda, 1-164-146.

God, Brahman, Allah, Ishvara, Jehovah, Ahuramazda, etc., are one. God is the Soul, the ‘Self’. The Soul is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness, and intelligence, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

The Soul is the ‘Self’. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. In the beginning, the consciousness which is One without a second alone existed.

When darkness was rolling over darkness there was Existence only. Nobody knows how this universe came into being.

You will find in Rig Veda: Who knows here, who can here state whence came all this multifarious Universe? Even the Devas are posterior to its creation, who then knows whence this came out? Rig Veda VIII-17-6.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone, exists. Consciousness appears as the universe which we cognize just as a rope appears as a serpent. Consciousness puts on the appearance of this universe in which we exist.

Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Consciousness is the substance and witness of the universe which appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

Consciousness is without cause and without effect, without anything inside or outside, without defect or impurity, without length or breadth, without color, shape, or form.

Consciousness is without limbs, and parts, without name or caste, without hands and legs. Consciousness is an embodiment of wisdom, peace, and awareness. Consciousness shines by itself because it is Self-luminous.

The universes in which you exist really exist in the Soul, the Self. The universe comes into existence because of the Self-effulgent Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The whole universe exists within the Soul. The universe appears as external because of ignorance.

How can one describe the glory and greatness of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness? Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Even the Vedas have sung in praise of the Brahman according to their limited capacity. No one has been able to find out its beginning or end.

The Soul walks without feet, grasps without hands, hears without ears, sees without eyes, tastes without a tongue, smells without a nose, feels without a skin, and talks without a mouth, because, the Soul a mass of pure consciousness. All hands, feet, eyes, heads, faces, and the whole world are made from consciousness.

Consciousness is all-pervading. Consciousness is beyond the reach of mind and speech because it exists prior to the form, time, and space. One cannot see the Soul with these physical eyes, but he can realize the Soul by getting rid of the ignorance through Advaitic wisdom.

The eye cannot perceive the Soul. The ego cannot reach the Soul. The gross practical man within the practical world cannot grasp the Soul, without an intense urge.

The speech cannot describe the Soul because it is beyond form, time, and space.

The speech cannot describe the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness of inadequate terms.

People are baffled in their attempts to describe the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space; because it is indescribable.

To describe the Soul is to deny the Soul. How can a finite ego grasp the Infinite? But the Soul can be directly realized by that aspirant who has rectified his reasoning base from ego to the Soul.

Gnanis emphatically declare that Brahman or the Eternal is that which is above the undifferentiated, that which is unborn either as cause or effect

The Soul is not this, not that, Neti, Neti, etc. The Soul is the real unconditioned consciousness. Consciousness is the reality of reality.

Consciousness is destitute of any other characteristics. Consciousness is entirely without any sort of difference.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV-13:~ As a mass of salt has neither inside nor outside, but is entirely a mass of taste, thus indeed, has that ‘Self’ neither inside nor outside but is altogether a mass of Knowledge. Just as a lump of salt has inside as well as outside one and the same saltish taste, not any other taste, so also that Brahman has inside as well as outside one and the same intelligence. Inside and outside are mental creations only. When the mind melts in silence, ideas of inside and outside vanish. The sage cognizes one illimitable, homogeneous mass of consciousness only.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is all-pervading and unattached. So it is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.

Srutis emphatically declare ~ Akasavat Sarvagata Nitya i.e., like ether all-pervading and eternal. If the pot is broken the pot-ether is not in any way affected. So it is unattached (Asanga).

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is Immortal. The nature of the Soul is objectless consciousness.

The Soul is different from the knowable. The Soul is beyond the unknowable also. The Soul is incomprehensible. This does not mean that the Soul is a non-entity or void or a negative concept, or a metaphysical abstraction. The Soul is a mass of knowledge or awareness.

Consciousness is denser than stone or platinum or gold. Consciousness is the only real entity, the substratum for everything that exists within the dualistic illusion or Maya. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The ‘I’ is the state of ignorance.+

The ‘I’ is the state of ignorance. The state of ignorance is nothing but an illusion. In actuality, the ‘I’ itself is an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

That is why Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

The illusion appears and disappears, therefore, it is impermanent. But the Soul is the witness of the ‘I’, which comes and goes.

That is why Bhagavad Gita: ~ “The permanent (consciousness) is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God in truth) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist.

Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is real and eternal. The world in which we exist is an illusion created out of consciousness.

In the state of ignorance, the universe is superimposed over the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness and accepts the universe as a reality but in actuality, the universe is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness.

From the dualistic perspective, the individual perceives the world. From the non-dualistic perspective, the world is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is pure, transcendental consciousness and the world is as merely an illusion created out of consciousness. However, the Self, in reality, is not physical; it is absolute, formless, and infinite. The infinite Self appears as the waking world in which the individual perceives the world. so the appearance is superimposed on the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

It is due to ignorance that the individual fails to see the nexus between the Soul and the world. That nexus indicates the oneness underlying the subject-object, inner-outer, and Man-Nature distinctions. All that is required is to remove the error and the Soul will shine on its own accord.

Sage Sankara says: - VC-47 All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the not-Self.

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.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

One can see the bottom of the pond through its still water. When, however, pebbles are thrown into the pond, the water in it is disturbed and the bottom of the pond becomes no longer visible. That bottom, however, is there all the time and it remains unchanged, no matter whether the surface water is disturbed or not. The water in the pond is the transactional world. The bottom of the pond is the transcendental reality. The disturbance created is ignorance, which is present in the form of the ‘I’.

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).: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Without knowing what is this ‘I’, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.+

People are ignorant of the truth of their true existence. They think that the ‘Self’ is the ‘I’, without knowing the ‘I’ itself is an illusion.

People judge the truth on the false self (ego) within the false experience (waking). Therefore, they never are able to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

Until one makes sure that the Self is not the ‘I’, it is erroneous to judge and conclude the ultimate truth on the base of the ‘I’.

Realize the Self is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the ‘Soul’. The Soul is the witness of the ‘I’, which appears and disappears.

Without knowing what is this ‘I’, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as the waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

The one that becomes dual (I) and nondual (I-LESS) is consciousness. Thus, all three states are nothing but consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and all the three states are merely an illusion.

When the conviction about consciousness becomes firm, then it leads to Advaitic awareness in the midst of the duality.

Thus, it is necessary to have a perfect understanding of ‘what is ‘what’ to realize the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

Remember:~

There is no need for a Guru, to know you and your Guru, and the world in which you exist is created out of a single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Knowledge of that single stuff is the Self-knowledge of Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Gnana is given neither from outside nor from another person.

There is no need to follow anyone. There is no need to practice anything. A perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ leads to the realization of the Advaitic truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study the Scriptures, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~ then why indulge in studying the scriptures.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study philosophy, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why indulge in studying philosophy.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge in rituals, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge in yoga, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why indulge in yoga.

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)

~ then why stick a Guru who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Those who tell you that Brahman is unity, that you can get it only by intuition, that you should not reason, you should not question or inquire, are deluding you. Verification must come by thought. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

It is no use in convincing those who never get convinced.+

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like injecting medicine into a corpse.

There is no need to convince those who think ‘I-centric teaching as the ultimate. What is the use of convincing those who never get convinced? Those who are stuck with the ‘I’ are sticking to ignorance.

Swami Vivekananda:~ “The wicked are always looking for defects. Flies come and seek for the ulcer, and bees come only for the honey in the flower. Do not follow the way of the fly but that of the bee.

That is why Ashtavakra Gita 16:10:~ If you desire liberation, but you still say "I" if you feel the ‘“Self’’ is the ‘I’, you are not a wise man or a seeker. you are simply a man who suffers.

The Atmic path is straight. One travels from ignorance to wisdom by perfect understanding of ‘what is what’.

The search for the truth of our true existence ends in the discovery of the Soul, the ‘‘Self’’. When the form, time, and space are created out of a single stuff then there is no division in consciousness. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space.

It is erroneous to identify the Soul, the ‘Self’ as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul, the ‘Self’ is not 'I' or I AM’. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is that witness of the 'I'.

The ‘I’ is not the expression of the fullness of consciousness.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the division within consciousness.

The ‘I’ is the ignorance

The ‘I’ is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the experience of birth death and the world.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the universe.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the three states.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the mind.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ it is the fullness of consciousness.

Without the ‘I’ there is no division within consciousness.

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dualistic illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth death and the world.

Without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space.

Without The ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there are no three states.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the mind.

People try all kinds of paths and practice to get Self-realization. Realizing the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is Self-realization. Consciousness is the cause of the world in which you exist and it, itself is uncaused.

Consciousness is pure, flawless, and full, beyond form, time, and space. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Consciousness is beyond all limitations of form, time, and space.

Arguing and provoking the wisdom will not dawn. The argument is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and an argument is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

The Advaitic wisdom is not custom-made stuff to feed different mindsets according to their likes and fancy.

The uncontradictable truth is the ultimate truth or Brahman. The uncontradictable truth is beyond form, time, and space. Thus, whatever knowledge is based on form, time and space is dualistic knowledge.

Nondualistic wisdom has nothing to do with form, time, and space. Thus, mixing dualistic knowledge and trying to understand and realize the Advaitic truth is like mixing oil and water.

When the inner conviction becomes firm, then the dualistic illusion will start losing its realistic luster.

Consciousness is the root element of the universe. From consciousness, the universe comes into existence. In consciousness, the universe resides. And into consciousness, the universe is dissolved. Consciousness is the parent of all that there is.

The worries are of the dualistic illusion. The man and his world are within the waking experience. The waking experience is a dualistic illusion. The waking experience ceases to exist in deep sleep, where the waking experience has disappeared in deep sleep.

The one that appears as waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep is not the Self. The Self ‘is the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states. The three states appear to be real, but their unreal nature is exposed if one realizes the Soul, the ‘Self’.

The worries do not belong to the Soul, the ‘Self’. The Soul is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence, whereas you and your worries and your experience of the world are present only in the domain of the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Thus, Self-knowledge is necessary to realize the truth hidden by the illusory universe or Maya.

It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again until it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly, reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’.

People need to read and hear the words of wisdom to think deeply and reach the ultimate end.

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the ‘Self’ to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The Soul has to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and then only it is possible to realize that form, time and space are one in essence. That essence is the Soul or the consciousness.

If form, time, and space are one in essence, then there is no division in consciousness. If there is no division in consciousness, then there is no duality, if there is no duality when there is unity in diversity.

Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the duality as reality. Realizing the Soul as the Self leads to Advaiticf-awareness. The Soul, the ‘Self’ is Absolute Knowledge, which cannot be negated. The nature of the Soul is Advaitic awareness.

The universe in which we exist is present only in waking experience. The waking experience (duality) appears and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

In reality, the Gnani Gnana and the world are one in essence. That essence is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is the formless substance of the universe. Consciousness is the formless witness of the universe. Consciousness is also the source of the universe. Thus, the whole universe in which we exist is nothing but consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Brahman is totally different from the religious idea of Brahma with four faces.+

It is established that the Soul is without any connection with birth life death and the world because it is an ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul is the shining One. The Soul is not similar in its nature like the individual, who is bound by form, time, and space. The Soul is beyond the form, time, and space.

The Soul is not different from the world because the world is created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Religious ideas of Brahma with four faces and Brahman should never be confused. Brahman is totally different from the religious idea of Brahma with four faces. If you want to understand Brahman, go directly and immediately ~ not via Hinduism; then you will never understand Brahman.

God cannot be religious because God is universal. God is so vast that no religion can own God because God pervades everything and everywhere in all three states.

Only religion can be organized not God. Religion is limited to the domain of form, time, and space whereas God is unlimited because God is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

God's’ vastness is such that the moment you realize ‘what God is you and your world become merely an illusion.

You cannot see God from your physical eyes because God exists prior to whatever exists as the form, time, and space.

Whatsoever you have been hearing about God is not about the real God; it is about the God that religions have invented, and decorated to be sold in the market. The religious God is a commodity to be sold to the ignorant populace.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is a revolution. The ignorance will vanish through it; it is the fire of knowledge hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

If you are really seeking the truth, then you have to drop all your accumulated knowledge.

It is very easy to follow the religion. It is very convenient to accept the religious God but it is very difficult to accept the Soul, the Self as the real God.

Accepting the Soul, the Self as God, there will be a transformation; if you accept the religious God, there can be none.

The real God is not part of form, time, and space because the real God is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The real God is the cause of the form, time, and space but the real God is uncaused. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Where there is ‘I’ there is the mind. Where there is mind there is ignorance.+

It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality. One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’. People need to read and hear the words of wisdom to think reason reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ through deeper thinking and reasoning helps to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Where there is ‘I’ there is the mind.

Where there is mind there is ignorance.

Where there is ignorance there is duality.

Where there is duality there is an illusion.

Where there is an illusion there is form, time, and space.

Where there is, form, time, and space, the world in which you exist is ever-present.

Remember: ~

If there is no ‘I’ then there is no mind.

If there is no mind then there is no ignorance.

If there is no ignorance then there is no duality.

If there is no duality then there is no illusion.

If there is an illusion then there is form, time, and space.

If there is no form, time, and space then there is no world in which you exist.

The mind, ignorance, duality, illusion, form, time, and space, the world in which you exist are present only when ‘I’ is present.

The mind, ignorance, duality, illusion, form, time, and space, the world in which you exist are absent when the ‘I’ is absent.

Where there is no ‘I’ there is no world in which you exist then the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness alone exists. When the Soul alone remains in its own awareness is called Self-awareness.

The Soul is the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Soul is in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the Self -evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the Soul because it is the very essence of the one who denies it.

The Soul is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness (spirit), is the ultimate truth or Brahman. Brahman means God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

You have appeared along with the world and you will be disappearing along with the world.+

You and the world in which you exist are a reality within the dualistic illusion or Maya. Your individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world has nothing to do with the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. The happiness and suffering belong to you.

You have to die one day but you are death happens within the dualistic illusion or Maya. You have appeared along with the world in which you exist and you will be disappearing along with the world in which you exist. It is impossible to separate the world in which you exist from you.

This world in which you exist will disappear along with your death sooner or later. Why not then think that the world in which you exist does not exist in reality because the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Mentally reduce the world in which you exist as consciousness and rest in consciousness.

From the dualistic perspective, the world is real. From the non-dualistic perspective, the world is non-existent as a reality.

Those who see the world from a dualistic perspective see the world as reality and their knowledge is limited to form, time, and space.

From the non-dualistic perspective, the form, time, and space are one in essence.

The Advaitic path is not meant for those who see the world as a reality but for those who want to realize the truth hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Advaitic wisdom exposed the unreality of the universe. The universe is nothing but an illusion created out of single clay. That single clay is the Spirit or Soul or consciousness.

When you finally realize the ‘Self ‘ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you and your experience of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

In Self-awareness, the witness and witnessed are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Thus, whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person is a reality within the waking experience (duality) but the waking experience (duality) itself is merely an illusion.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed, and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego and, therefore, experiences birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness.:~Santthosh Kumaar

All the Advaitic Gurus and their teaching available in India and elsewhere is not the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

If you study and master the scriptures, you will not get Self-realization. If you learn the Sanskrit language you will not be able to get rid of ignorance. If you learn Shastras you will be trapped in ignorance.

If you follow physical Gurus, you will be stuck with the reality of the dualistic illusion. If you are stuck to the reality of the dualistic illusion you will never be able to realize the ‘Self’ hidden by ignorance. You must tread the path independently with a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’.

All the Advaitic Gurus and their teaching available in India are not the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

Sage Sankara's wisdom was hidden, the seeker has strived on his own to realize the truth hidden by ignorance by a perfect understanding of ‘what is what.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ “V C: ~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.

In reality, three is no scope for two. Advaita means one without the second. Advaita means the Soul. The Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, is one without the second.

Consciousness is one without the second because the world in which you exist is created out of consciousness. Thus, everything is consciousness. No second thing exists other than consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and eternal.

Advaitic truth has to be grasped mentally by realizing that form, time, and space are nothing but an illusion created out of the single clay, and that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Knowledge of the single clay is Advaita, the one without the second.

Those who come to India in search of truth must know the truth they are seeking is not available in the Himalayas or Ashrams or with any Gurus or yogis, but it is hidden by the world in which they exist.

All the paths and practices available in India are not meant for those who are seriously seeking the truth of their true existence.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “Atman is Brahman. The Atman alone is real is not religious truth. Sage Sankara declared this Advaitic truth, which is the ultimate truth to the whole world, many centuries back is the rational truth, scientific truth, and the ultimate truth.

Thus, the Atman which is present in the form of consciousness is real and eternal, the world in which we exist is merely an illusion.

Sage Sankara already declared ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’.

Atman is Brahman ~ “That is the Soul the innermost ‘Self’ is the ultimate truth”.

The world is unreal ~ “The unreal hides the truth because the world is created out of the real.

Sage Sankara: ~ “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 perverse arguments.

Sage Sankara: ~ 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.

Atman which is present in the form of consciousness is real and eternal, the world in which we exist is merely an 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 clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

Vedas declare not to accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman but people are unaware of their own sacred Vedas and worship non-Vedic Gods as real Gods.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Even the Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God in truth) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, that God is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

Religious Gods are based on blind belief. Religious God cannot be considered as the cause of the universe because, the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the cause of the universe. Without the Soul, the universe in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence.

Even Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says:~ "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from the Self does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

Gods worshiped in India today are not God in truth. Believing and worshiping non-Vedic Gods barred by Vedas.

That is why Swami Vivekananda: ~ “The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods, and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

Be aware of what you are searching for. Be aware of what you are seeking.

The truth will reveal itself to you if you move in the right direction. You are making it complicated by accepting the untruth propagated as truth by the Gurus.

There is nothing but water in the Holy Rivers. Even if you dip a million times and indulge in performing pranayama, your ignorance will not vanish.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us knowledge about our own Self. The firm experience of the nature of the Self is seen to proceed from inquiry along the lines of the salutary advice of the wise. (13)

All the Gods sculpted of stone and metal will not be pleased with your devotion and offering. People are praying out to them.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC- Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

The Sacred books of the East are nothing but words you will not find the truth in them.

Sage Sankara says: Keep the scriptures for children but throw them on the fire for wise seekers.

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)

People have lived indulging in all these priests' crafted beliefs dogmas and superstitions, something, that is not true.

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.

Mundaka Upanishad says:~ 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.

If you are seeking truth and you are trying to get it from yoga and following some teachings and following some Guru and other paths then you are dwelling in ignorance and go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar