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.+

The Advaitic wisdom is not suited for the unsettled mind, which sticks to religion, yoga, and all non-Vedic worship and activities. There is no use in convincing such a mindset.

Sage Sankara cautioned that the study of the Upanishad alone would not lead to Moksha.

The goal of the truth-seeker is to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, is inherent in every seeker of truth.

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

Traditionally, religious people are so entangled in orthodox religiosity; it is very difficult for them to free themselves from narrow-minded prejudices and dogmas, and superstitions.

These educated orthodox people are more ignorant than the illiterate. They strongly stuck to their inherited orthodox baggage meant for the ignorant populace. Even though their sage has said that orthodoxy is meant for the ignorant populace, they ignore it, and they are like the blind led by another blind, following the inherited blind belief.

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

But remember:~

Most Orthodox scriptural scholars are ignorant in the guise of Gnanis.

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

Sage Sankara:~ Loud speech, the profusion of words, and possessing skilfulness 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)

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 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 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 the worship of God has 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 the pursuit of truth.

People believe scripture is infallible, but deeper Self-search reveals the fact that they are merely the 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 that 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 a conceptual division invented by teachers of philosophy through 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