Sage Sankara was an independent thinker. His wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India because, most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodox.+

Swami Vivekananda aptly described Sage Sankara’s Advaita as the fairest flower of philosophy that any country in any age has produced.

Swami Vivekananda: ~ Advaita encompasses everything. Since Advaita requires heavy-duty intellectualism, it had to be progressively simplified.

The Advaitic truth is a rational or scientific truth declared by Bhagwan Buddha and Sage  Sankara centuries back, but unfortunately, the original essence of the rational Advaita is lost mainly, because of orthodox adulteration and add-ons, which are based on the ego (waking entity), which is the false self within the false experience (waking).

The seeker has to first indulge in deeper self-search without scriptures and understand assimilate the Advaitic truth, which leads to self-awareness. Thus, soulcentric thinking, reasoning, and judgment are very much necessary in pursuit of truth.

Sage Sankara was an independent thinker. His wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India because most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodox.

It is that philosophy in India was for centuries more an exposition of the ancient classics than the independent thought of individual thinkers as in ancient Greece or modern Europe and America.

Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada are independent thinkers other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic wisdom is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the ‘I'. The dualistic philosophy cannot escape the charge of dogmatism.

Intelligence and thought, do not apply to Advaitism, intelligence and thought are based on false ‘Self’ (waking entity) within the false experience (waking). The whole Advaitic philosophy is an attempt to transcend the limitations of intelligence and thought.

The two points of view A Gnani is not cut off from the experience of practical life within the practical world because Advaitic truth is neither realism nor idealism; it is beyond both these. 

Sage Sankara said: - Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness. 

The Advaitic wisdom does not begin with the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Lots of Advaitin scholars will teach that all is yourself, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. Rational proof is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana. 

Theirs is mere dogma, parrotism, repetition of what they read in scripture. Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved. 

Sage Sankara endeavored towards establishing the Vedic religion overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism has reappeared in the Advaita of Sage Sankara. His inability to revive Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible. 

Sage Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Manduka, he gave the highest non-dual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Ishvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth. 

Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana negation of duality is possible. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman. 

Consciousness is the cause of the origin, maintenance, and withdrawal of the universe is Advaita (i.e. non-dual), which means that consciousness transcends all conceptions, positive and negative. Nothing positive can ever be imagined or said about it. 

Consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute. The existence absolute means that consciousness is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness. Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness. 

The nature of the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the non-dualistic silence. Non-dualistic silence is like a deep sleep state. The silence indicates that the nature of the formless Soul, the ‘Self’ is inexplicable, indescribable, and unimaginable. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The universe does not disappear when wisdom dawns. The universe exists when wisdom dawns but only its unreal nature is exposed. The same way the unreality of the dream is exposed when waking takes place.+

The universe does not disappear when wisdom dawns. The universe exists when wisdom dawns but only its unreal nature is exposed. The same way the unreality of the dream is exposed when waking takes place. 

Advaitic wisdom dawns when you realize the Self is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

The universe itself is the dualistic illusion or Maya created out of the Soul or consciousness.

In Self-awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion or Maya.

A Gnani is fully aware that, his own body and his experience of the universe is an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, the form and names have no value because they are part of the illusion.

The real is consciousness from which the whole universe is made. Thus through wisdom one reaches the stillness of the Self, which is formless non-dual in its nature. Thus, the one is aware of the material (consciousness), not the things (illusion) made out of the material.

As gold is the important material in making ornaments, so, consciousness is the material that is essential for the three states to arise. The gold remains gold when it is not ornamented. In Self- awareness, the consciousness remains in its formless nondual true nature in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

The form, time, and space are the product of ignorance. Until the ignorance is there the waking remains as a reality when the ignorance vanishes in the midst of the waking experience then the waking experience also becomes unreal, the same way as the dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place.

Manduka Upanishad:~The objects do not disappear, they are there, and yet they are non-dual. Disillusionment is not the same as appearance. Page -74. v. 17

It is erroneous to believe the general impression is that the universe disappears to a Gnani, that he sees nothing in Samadhi. Only by deluded persons will have such an impression?

Nothing is destroyed. Only ignorance disappears and the unreal nature of the universe is exposed. The universe which appears as the waking experience is a dualistic illusion.

Remember:~

A Gnani has the full and firm conviction that the world in which he exists is nothing but the consciousness in the midst of dualistic illusion. The Soul, the innermost self, being aware of its true nature in the midst of dualistic illusion is called Self-awareness.

The universe or the waking experience will not disappear. It is there always, but the unreal nature of the waking experience is exposed in the midst of dualistic illusion through Advaitic wisdom.

If one thinks its mere disappearance in the Yogic Samadhi is ultimate Truth or Brahman, then he would get it in deep sleep. Thus, the yogic Samadhi is not the Advaitic wisdom.  

The common people draw a wrong inference in thinking a Gnani must ascetically reject the world; this is only for those religious or yogic minds in the lower rungs of the ladder.

The yogi in Samadhi fails to see non-duality? Because he believes there is happiness to come to him from Samadhi. That shows he does not know the truth but still seeks bliss as something apart from his-Self.

Yoga is to be practiced only until one attains equilibrium of mind; when this is established, the continuance of yoga is foolish. The indifference practiced by a seeker is external to the Self, is formless; the indifference practiced by a Gnani is purely internal, is mental.

The greatest mistake is to think that a Gnani sees nothing. This blind reverence for Samadhi is as valuable as revering a man who has taken a Hemp.

The Gnani sees the essential universal unity and the multiplicity of objects simultaneously. The person in deep sleep or Samadhi leaves out the objects and sees the essence; hence, he has not the full Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A true seeker is not content with the knowledge gathered from Gurus and scriptures, he strives to gain direct knowledge.+

A true seeker is not content with the knowledge gathered from Gurus and scriptures, he strives to gain direct knowledge.

Knowledge gathered from books or Gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. Realize yourself, turning your attention inward on the Soul, which is the cause of the universe.

Meher Baba Said: ~ A true aspirant is not content with the knowledge of spiritual realities based on hearsay... he insists on the direct knowledge.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ “Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the ‘Self’ in truth.

A Guru who speaks of knowing Brahman within his body is thinking only of his head or heart, i.e. of his body. He is hallucinating.

You will not be able to find the truth because you are blindfolded by dualistic illusion. If you have to traverse the path, you will have to seek the aid of the one who knows the truth beyond the form, time, and space; else you will wind up meandering here and there without gaining anything.

The ‘Self’ is not within you because the ‘Self’ is not the body. If the ‘Self’ is not you, then why do you think the Self is within you.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that you and the world are within the Soul the Self. Perfect understanding and assimilation lead to Advaitic Self-awareness.

Many people are struck with awe or reverence at the outer indications of renunciation, and thus blindly accept a religious Guru or God-men to be a Gnani. The two have no connection. Because he has no wife, no family, and no possessions" they think a man who has merely repressed these desires as though these things had anything to do with the wisdom he is a merely religious man.

People are quite incompetent to judge who is a Gnani between Godmen, intellectuals, and yogis. A Gnani is neither Godmen, nor a yogi, nor an intellectual.

The path of wisdom attracts only those who are in search of truth and they appreciate it greatly. The ignorant are not spiritually matured they receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Ignorant indulge in argument and provocation and personal attack, which hinders their own realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

That is why Jesus said:~ Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ Jesus meant knowledge of the Spirit, the God or Self-knowledge, or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ “Don't unsettle the minds of ignorant by revealing the esoteric truth."

The Soul, the Self is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. The ‘Self’ is not found in the world in which you exist. The ‘Self’ is hidden by the world in which you exist because the world in which you exist is created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul the ‘Self is not within your body, because, the Soul, the Self, pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which you exist.

All the ‘I-CENTRIC’ Gurus propagated the ‘Self’ is within you and Self is ‘I’.

Remember the ‘Self is not within you. All the ‘I-centric Gurus spin the yarn of imagination holding the ‘Self as ‘I’.

Remember the ‘I-CENTRIC’ Gurus make you permanently remain the slave of your emotions. Emotion is duality. Duality is ignorance.

Remember getting stuck to the ‘I-CENTRIC’ Gurus and their teaching, is getting stuck to ignorance.

Remember whatever is propagated by the ‘I-CENTRIC’ Gurus is not Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana but half-baked knowledge based on imagination.

A scholar is proud that he has accumulated so much knowledge; Gnani is humble that he knows no more.

First, realize the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Mentally hold on to the Soul and mentally reduce the world in which you exist as consciousness by realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness.

All these experiences as the father, son, Guru, and pupil the world in which they all exist were one and the same consciousness appearing differently. All these distinctions disappear when one realizes Self is not ‘I’ but the Soul. The Soul is the cause of this world in which we exist and it itself is uncaused.

Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads to Self-awareness. By holding on to theories one remains in the realm of duality. You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper Self-search. Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of duality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ VC-63- "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

In Advaitic Self-awareness, the ego is not considered as ego, even though the ego is present, the body is not considered as a body even though the body is present, the world which confronts him is not considered as the world even though the world is present, the duality ceases even though the duality is present, because of wisdom everything is considered as consciousness. Thus there is conscious oneness.

Only in ignorance, the world in which we are is an illusion created out of the Soul, the ‘Self’.

Swami Vivekananda: ~' Jñāna Yoga is divided into three parts. First: hearing the truth--that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Maya. Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view. Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal.

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

Sage Sankara said:~' Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Humanity has to awaken to the reality of its true existence by realizing the world in which humanity exists is merely an illusion created out of the consciousness through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana frees the Soul, the Self from the cage of the dualistic illusion or Maya.

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.

People dwelling in ignorance, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round by various blind beliefs and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ "The Vedas teach that the Soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukthi - freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from death and misery."

The truth is very simple, but it is very difficult to grasp because of ignorance. You have to only realize 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 consciousness.

Thus, you and your body and the world in which you exist are nothing but consciousness because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed.

A Gnani points out at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

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 reading and hearing the words of wisdom to think reason and reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end.

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is 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 realizes the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara clearly suggests the direct realization of truth is not possible through orthodoxy.+

Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification that is why they are not keen on rational truth. Thus, Sage Sankara is the Jagadguru to the religious followers and he is a Brahma Gnani to the seeking world.

Advaitic Orthodoxy misinterpreted Sage Sankara and presented only the religious side of his teaching as the highest doctrine. Thus, people are misled.

The orthodoxy is based on rituals and mythical Gods and Karma. Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is nothing to with Advaitic orthodoxy.

Let Advaitic wisdom annihilate ignorance (I) and reveal Soul, the Self the God in truth. Let your ears become deaf to the untruth propagated by the religion as a reality; enable you to realize the truth hidden by the ignorance (I). Let your eyes become blind to illusion to receive the Soul as the Self as it is in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

Remember: ~

All the orthodox ideas were rejected by Sage Sankara. There is no need to indulge in rituals, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. There is no need to study philosophy, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman then why do you indulge in studying philosophy.

Sage Sankara pokes fun at ascetics and points out that all their austerities do not cause desires to go (Altar Flowers" Page 205, v.2 P.207 v.4)

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

Sage Sankara says the rewards of the rituals are not the means to direct realization. Advaitic wisdom is based on personal realization.

The orthodox Advaitin believes that rituals alone would lead one to higher levels of attainment. Further, the deities would reward only those entitled to perform the rituals alone. The entitlement involved the caste, creed, and other parameters.

The scriptural authority and value of rituals are part of the Advaitic orthodoxy, which is meant for ignorant people.

The Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is nothing to do with religion, caste, rituals, worships, yoga, and other practices. Therefore an obvious disparity between Sage Sankara‘s path of Gnana, and the path of Karma. The path of Gnana is meant for the advanced seeker of truth and the path of Karma is meant for the ignorant populace.

Even Sage Sankara appears and tells the orthodox people the path of orthodoxy is the path of ignorance they will not be able to drop their inherited samskara or conditioning, which they think is the only way to reach heaven and reap a happy life in the next life.

As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the 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. Also, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the Self has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal Self and identifies the ‘Self’ with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.- (11- Adhyasa Bhashya)

The orthodox people only teach and preach their knowledge of ignorance but none of them wants to know the God in Truth, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion or Maya. :

Remember:~

Sage Sankara says in V C: - 56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means.

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

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.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

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.

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.

67. The question that thou hast asked today is excellent, approved by those versed in the Scriptures, aphoristic, pregnant with meaning, and fit to be known by the seekers after Liberation.

Sage Sankara clearly suggests the direct realization of truth is not possible through punditry or orthodoxy. Why follow the traditional path, which does not yield any fruit? Therefore, the Seeker of truth has to take the direct path and avoid losing precious time and effort losing himself in philosophical studies and traditional paths.L~Santthosh Kumaar 

The mind is not within the body because the world in which you exist itself is the mind. Without the mind, the world in which you exist ceases to exist.+

First, know what this mind is supposed to be in actuality. The duality is not the creation of the mind because the mind itself is a dualistic illusion.

The mind is not within the body because the world in which you exist itself is the mind. Without the mind, the world in which you exist ceases to exist.

A perfect understanding of what is what leads to unfolds the mystery of the mind.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe is present in the form of form, time, and space.

Without form, time, and space, there is no duality. The duality is not a reality from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self.

The mind is present in the form of form, time, and space. Whatever belongs to form, time and space are falsehoods. The universe in which we exist as a reality is a falsehood.

Thus, there is a need to know ‘what is what’ in order to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ disappears as deep sleep, so what is the use of being attached to it? It is impermanent and illusory because ‘I’ is physical awareness.

Physical awareness is not Self-awareness. ‘I-less awareness is Self-awareness.

There is really no ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind.

The mind is in the form of the universe. And universe appears as waking or dream. The ‘I’ or mind or the universe or waking or dream dies disappears as deep sleep.

Thus, one that appears as ‘I’ or mind or the universe or waking or dream is consciousness, and it disappears as deep sleep is also consciousness.

In deep sleep, it is in its formless nondual true nature. The one, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states, is also consciousness. Thus, the witness and witnessed are one in essence.

Thus, the universe is a reality on the base of individuality and the universe is unreal on the base of the Soul (consciousness), which is the Self.

The seeker gradually will grasp and realize the unreal nature of the universe or mind. Individuality is illusory because the Self is not an individual because the Self is non-dual, and it pervades everything and everywhere in all the three states. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

You have the inborn conviction that you are an individual separate from the world in which you exist and the world in which you exist is existed prior to your birth and you are born in it afterward.+

You have the inborn conviction that you are an individual separate from the world in which you exist and the world in which you exist is existed prior to your birth and you are born in it afterward. Till this conviction is there, you can't realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Thus, you have to realize the ‘Self’ is not you because you are the birth entity whereas the Soul, the innermost Self is birthless and deathless. After all, it is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

You are carrying a load of accumulated knowledge collected from different sources. The seeker must realize that whatever knowledge he has accumulated within the domain of the form, time and space is based on dualistic perspective is invalid because the truth is beyond the form, time, and space.

You have to realize the truth about your own existence is part of the dualistic illusion.

Your inherited beliefs have made you a non-thinker, therefore you will not be bothered to think beyond your belief system

Orthodox people say: ~ “I am the son of a Brahmana belonging to such and such a lineage; I was a householder, and am now a wandering sanyasi trying to get freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

But how can get freedom from the cycle of birth and death as the world, in which birth and death take place is merely an illusion.

It is impossible to realize the truth without realizing the fact that, you are not the ‘Self’. You are born and you are going to die in this illusory world whereas the ‘Soul’, the innermost Self is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Without realizing the world in which they exist is the product of ignorance and because of ignorance, the world in which you exist is experienced as a reality. Without getting rid of ignorance, the experience of birth, life, death, and the world will prevail as a reality.

Thus, Self- knowledge of Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana is necessary to get rid of ignorance. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Atmic path is only for those seriously seeking truth, not for those who want solutions for worldly life but to realize the world life is an illusion created out of the ‘Self’, which is hidden by ignorance.+

 Advaitic wisdom is not for sale. Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara helps to expose all the dualistic fraud, which goes on in the name of spirituality.

Atmic path is only for those seriously seeking truth, not for those who want solutions for worldly life but to realize the world life is an illusion created out of the ‘Self’, which is hidden by ignorance.

All the suffering and solutions belong to the dualistic illusion. Those who are stuck to ignorance experience the individual experience of pleasure and pain as a reality.

My blogs and postings are mainly intended for the seekers who found theological, religious, yogic, and theoretical philosophies as a useless raft to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman and who are interested in direct realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time and space.

Advaita is not any type of teaching or philosophy. Advaita is the knowledge of your true existence. Advaita is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Advaita is the ultimate reality, Brahman, or God in truth.

That is why Sage Sankara said:~Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

If you are the truth seeker then it is better to spend time discovering the facts about your own existence than waste precious time attending Satsang, meeting Gurus and yogis, by traveling one place to another by reading books after books, by staying Ashrams, and by the walking in the Himalayas.

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.

People dwelling in ignorance, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round by various blind beliefs and tortuous paths and practices, like the blind led by the blind.

Swami Vivekananda said:~ "The Vedas teach that the Soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukthi.:~Santthosh Kumaar