The seeker of truth has to unlearn what he has learned from the standpoint of the ego.+

Holding some Guru or some teaching as a yardstick leads to all types of doubts, confusion, and unnecessary arguments. Argument fuels the ego. Argument is possible only when one tries to grasp the Non-dualistic truth from the dualistic perspective.

The seeker of truth has to unlearn what he has learned from the standpoint of the ego. Without mentally burning the accumulated knowledge, accumulated from different sources, it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana.

The seeker of truth should not become attached to words as being in perfect conformity with meaning, because Truth is not in the letters. When a man with his fingertips points to something, the fingertips may be mistaken for the thing pointed at; in like manner, the ignorant are unable even to the day of their death to abandon the idea that in the fingertips of words there is the meaning itself. They cannot realize the ultimate reality because of their intent clinging to words that were intended to be no more than a pointing finger.

The words and their discrimination bind one to the duality; meaning stands alone and is a guide to non-dual awareness. Meaning is attained by much learning, and much learning is attained by becoming conversant with meaning and not with words; therefore, seekers of truth have to avoid the sticklers for particular words

The Soul, the Self, reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready.

Sages of truth restrained themselves, parting the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana to the mass and only a selected few. It was hidden from the people who were not qualified and receptive to it.

Self-knowledge, or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few.

Thus, religion was given to the ignorant populace, while knowledge of the Spirit was reserved for a select few. Thus, we find traces of the knowledge of the Spirit in the religious books in the form of parables.

Katha Upanishad says: ~ This Atman is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one, Atman reveals its own form. (II -23-P-20)

Remember:~

There is no such thing as ignorance beyond the ‘I’. Beyond the ‘I’ is the invisible Soul, which is the Atmic reality.

The invisible Soul is the fullness of consciousness without the division of form, time, and space. The invisible Soul is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The ‘I’ itself is ignorance, the cause of the bondage of illusory form, time, and space.

When ignorance is eliminated, the unreal nature of form, time, and space is exposed. Only ignorance is the form; time and space prevail as reality. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

The path of wisdom leads to Self-realization.+

The path of wisdom is the inner (mental) journey. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, and wisdom are one and the same thing.

Without an intense urge, it is difficult to tread this path. The path of wisdom is only for those who are seriously seeking the truth. The path of wisdom leads to Self-realization.

The path of wisdom is not for religious-minded people. Everyone is free to follow their chosen path, which gives them satisfaction and makes them happy.

The path of wisdom is only for those who are seriously seeking the truth.

The path of wisdom or Atmic path is spirituality or Adyathma. Spirituality or Adyathma has nothing to do with religion.

Whatever is written is for the words of wisdom of the sage of truth.

Do not mix religion and yoga with spirituality. Religion is meant for the ignorant populace.

Adyatma has nothing to do with religious sects or creeds, and religious beliefs.

Adyatma is pure spirituality. Knowledge of Atma is Adyatma. Advaita is Adyatma.

Adyatma is the knowledge of the truth hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. Bifurcate religion, yoga, and theoretical philosophy, and base the truth on the Athma, it is Adyathma.

Adyatma is based on the ultimate truth, which is based on the Atman or Spirit, which is the Self.

Sage Sankara's Advaitic wisdom is pure spirituality or Adyathma.

Remember:~

First: hearing the words of wisdom that the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the only reality, and that everything else is an illusion.

Second: realizing the ‘Self’ is you, but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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.

Remember:~

If you are waking, sleeping, eating, and sleeping within the dream, the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, if you are waking, sleeping, eating, and sleeping within the waking state, the waking state becomes unreal when you realize the Self is not you, but the Self is the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

From the standpoint of the invisible Soul, the Self, whatever you are doing within the waking state is merely an illusion. The illusion is created out of a single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness.

Thus, there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Thus, realizing consciousness as the ultimate truth is truth-realization.

Our experience of birth, life, death, and the world is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. It means we all along with the world in which we exist, are created out of a single stuff, which is consciousness.

Humanity is divided into caste, creed, race, color, and religion because we are unaware of the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Without knowing ‘what is this ‘I’?’ in actuality it is impossible to unfold the hidden truth, which is hidden by ignorance.+

There is a need to realize ‘what is this ‘I’ is in actuality. Without knowing ‘what is this ‘I’ is in actuality, it is impossible to unfold the hidden truth, which is hidden by ignorance.

Till you hold the Self as the ‘I’, you will never be able to get Self-realization. ‘I’ hides the invisible Soul, which is the Self.

Until you are ripe to receive Self-knowledge, you will not be able to understand what I am saying.

You, your body, and the world in which you exist are within the dualistic illusion, which is present in the form of the ‘I’.

Realize you are not you, your body is not the body, the world in which you exist is not the world, but they are all made of a single clay. That single clay is the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness

Those Gurus who propagated the Self is within the body are in error. This mistake has to be rectified to realize that the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the fullness of consciousness.

By emotionally sticking to these ’ I-centric gurus and their teachings, you will remain permanently in the domain of ignorance.

Because of ignorance, you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world that existed prior to you; you are born in it later on.

The ‘I’ is inborn ignorance is the cause of experiencing the illusory world in which you exist as a reality. The world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion.

Whatever belongs to dualistic illusion is bound to be an illusion. So, your experience of birth, life, death, and the world is bound to be an illusion.

Everyone is holding some teaching or a teacher or their accepted truth as a yardstick. All the accumulated egocentric knowledge is inadequate or useless in unfolding the mystery of the mind or the universe.

Sage Sankara said:~ Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way. (1) Vivekachoodamani v 56, pg. 25

Sage Sankara: ~ VC Neither sacred baths nor any amount of charity nor even Hundreds of pranayamas* can give us the knowledge about the real 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.

Sage Sankara: ~ “The vital-air Sheath cannot be the Self because it is the modification of air (Vayu). Like air, it enters the body and goes out of it, never knowing the joy and sorrow like others. It is ever dependent on the Self. ~Viveka Chudamani 165-166

Breath, body, and the world are one in essence. That essence is formless consciousness. Consciousness (Soul) is the Self. Breath, body, and the world are part and parcel of the illusion.

By holding the breath (vital force) as Self, one cannot get rid of ignorance. Without getting rid of ignorance, Advaitic wisdom will not dawn.

Advaitic wisdom dawns only when one realizes that form, time, and space are one in essence.

The truth realization is very simple. We make it complicated by mixing diverse theories, different ideologies, religions, and yoga.

All your accumulated knowledge is the greatest hindrance in the pursuit of truth. To realize the truth beyond form, time, and space, one must have the courage of Buddha. Buddha got enlightenment only after dropping the religion, the Vedas, and the concept of God.

To realize the simple truth, there is no need to go from one mountain to another, one Ashram to another, or worship Godmen or a Guru as a God, or convert from one faith to another. The truth is universal. Anyone can realize it if they have an intense urge.

There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. In the world in which we exist, all our thoughts, words, beliefs, and experiences are nothing but consciousness.

Realizing consciousness is everything, is truth realization, or Self-realization, or God-realization.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

You are the false self within the dualistic illusion. The ‘Self is not you but the Self is the Soul.+

You are the false self within the dualistic illusion. The ‘Self is not you, but the Self is the invisible Soul.

The Self does not die; only you die, because you are bound by birth, life, death, and the world.

The birth, life, death, and the world take place within the domain of form, time, and space. The form, time, and space belong to the dualistic illusion. So your existence and your individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world belong to the dualistic illusion.

The invisible Soul, the Self, does not die because it is birthless and deathless. After all, it is an ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The form, time, and space are merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If form, time, and space are illusions, then the universe is an illusion. If the universe is an illusion, then the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world is bound to be an illusion.

The invisible Soul, the Self, is the reality hidden by the illusory universe because the invisible Soul is the cause of the illusory universe.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe.

The seeker has to make sure what this ‘universe supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the universe comes and goes to realize the truth, which is hidden by the universe.

The invisible Soul is permanent, is always there; only the transient universe comes and goes.

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.

The universe hides the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, which is the cause of the universe.

That is why Sage Sankara says: - 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. :~ Santthosh Kumaar

Ignorance is present in the form of 'I'.+

The ‘I’ is inborn samskara or conditioning, because of this inborn samskara or conditioning, one has accepted the 'Self as 'I'.

People are ignorant that the ‘I’ itself is the cause of ignorance because ignorance is present in the form of 'I'.

The world, in which you exist, exists because of the ‘I’, without the ‘I’, the world, in which you exist, ceases to exist.

Thus, it is necessary to realize ‘what is this ‘I’. The ‘I’ itself is ignorance.

Till one holds the ‘I’ as the Self, it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Thus, the seeker has to get rid of the ignorance, which is present in the form of ‘I’, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, helps to get rid of ignorance. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what leads to getting rid of ignorance.

The ‘I’ hides the invisible Soul. Therefore, the seeker has to realize ‘what this ‘I’ is supposed to be in actuality.

If the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the invisible Soul, then on the standpoint of the invisible Soul, the Self: ~

Where is the ‘I’?

Where is the ego?

Where is the body?

Where is the mind?

Where is the world in which you exist?

Where are the form, time, and space?

Where is the waking experience?

Where is the duality?

Where is the void?

They are or have become one with the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth, or Brahman or God in truth.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present only when the world is present. The world is present only when there is a waking experience.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the waking experience is not considered different from the world. The world is not considered different from the mind.

The mind is not considered different from the’ I’. This truth has to be assimilated.

The ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. ‘I’ is not the subject.

The ‘I’ is an object to the invisible Soul, which is the formless, timeless, and spaceless subject.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then the world in which you exist is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then the three states are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then the form, time, and space are bound to be an illusion.

The seeker has to get rid of the ignorance, which is present in the form of ‘I’, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman, or God in truth.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then the words and thoughts are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then the duality is bound to be an illusion.

The seeker has to make sure what this ‘I’ is supposed to be. The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’, which comes and goes, to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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

The ‘I’ hides the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Bhagavad Gita::~Those who have achieved knowledge of Atman' and see no difference, are free from conflicting dualities have merged in Brahman.+

In Gita Chap.IV where Lord Krishna says: ~ “This yoga has been lost for ages" the word yoga refers to Gnana yoga, not other yogas: the force of the word this is to point this out. 

Lord Krishna describes some of the other yogas but devotes this chapter separately to Gnana Yoga. So one sees even in those ancient days people did not care for Advaita; they wanted religion; hence, Gnana got lost. That is why Krishna calls it "the supreme secret." Krishna points out that yoga must-see "Brahman in action." 

Gita Chap.IV:~ “He who achieves perfection in Yoga finds the Self in time." This means that after his yoga is finished, he begins the inquiry into ultimate truth, and in due course, this inquiry produces the realization of the universal spirit as the result. 

Understanding what is God is not so easy. Religious people can only imagine God based on their beliefs. 

That is why Lord Krishna says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know the Self  in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God. 

No duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists. 

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

It proves that the all-pervading Atman, which is present in the form of consciousness, is God. Thus worshipping the form-based Gods is meant for the ignorant populace who are incapable of realizing the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.  

Bhagavad Gita: 4: 22:~ ".....Who has gone beyond the conflicting dualities like good (happiness) and bad (sorrow)....." 

Bhagavad Gita: 4: 42:~ ".....Cut all such conflicting dualities (doubts) by the sword (weapon) of knowledge. ....." 

Bhagvad Gita: 5: 18:~ “The learned men (who have come out of delusions (Māyā), got rid of Avidya) see no differentiation have equal vision for a revered Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a cāndāla (outcaste, rogue, mleccha, demonic person, etc)" 

Bhagavad Gita: 5: 19:~ "Those who have achieved the true knowledge i.e. the 'Self-Knowledge' or the 'knowledge of Atman' and see no difference, are free from conflicting dualities have merged in Brahman." 

Bhagavad Gita: 5: 20:~ "One who does not get excited out of happiness on getting good and does not get depressed on getting bad is situated in Brahman i.e. is merged in Brahman." 

Bhagavad Gita: 6: 9:~ "The one who has equal vision for a Selfless do-gooder, a friend, a foe, an unbiased, a well-wisher, a depressed and jealous man, relatives, a righteous and a sinner is the best (as he sees no duality and differentiation but sees everything as Ātman)." 

Bhagavad Gita: 6: 32:~ “.....as one seeks and treats oneself with equal vision, the same way one who has equal vision for good and evil, for everybody is the best of all." 

Bhagavad Gita: 6: 8:~ "For whom soil, a pebble, and gold are alike, he is merged in Brahman." 

Bhagavad-Gita Gita: 7: 27:~ ".....people are getting entangled in the primordial ignorance (Avidya) of the conflicting dualities like good and evil, happiness and sorrow caused due to attachments, desires, and hatred....." 

Bhagavad Gita: 6: 28:~ “.....who have cut-off conflicting dualities (like good and evil) are determinedly in my service. ...." 

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, in the last birth in the series of many births worships Me as~ Atman alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare." 

The earliest part of Bhagavad Gita deals with religion because it is for mentally immature persons, but in the latter part, you get philosophy as that is intended for the intellectually evolved. You can’t make all men into geniuses, and therefore, religion is provided for them. 

Lord Krishna himself says that he can do nothing to make a man intelligent straight away. The adepts give Prasad, blessing, initiations, mantrams, etc. only to confer temporary peace of mind, to help one to get rid of worries, but not to confer Gnana. The capacity to receive it must first be inborn in man by evolutionary degree. 

In the statement in Bhagavad Gita which says that the path of the Unmanifest is harder than others, this path means Gnana Yoga. 

The Upanishads and Gita do not give detailed explanations because the knowledge of those days was not as advanced as it as nowadays. However, there are odd words here and there which give hints. 

Bhagvad Gita gives dualistic worship of "God” only for the lower minds; it also indicates the Advaitic wisdom for the more evolved. 

Likewise, thinkers and poets of the Age of Devotion (Bhakti) of the 16th century believed in a God with attributes who became very tangible when incarnating as Avatar and was attainable simply through love and devotion rather than scholastic and intellectual meditation. 

For the religious people, the Bhagavad Gita became the main vehicle of inspiration with its qualified and deistic Monism, rather than the esoteric path shown by Sage Sankara’ Advaitic path. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

The Soul is the only reality that is the cause of the illusory universe in which we experience our birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.+

Self-Realization is to realize that the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, the Self.

Ignorance is the cause of experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. Without ignorance, the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness alone, prevails as the ultimate reality or Brahman, or God in truth.

There is no higher or lower goal within the dualistic illusion (world). There is only one goal, Self-Realization.

If the Soul is free from ignorance, then it is free from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. Similarly, the waking (the world in which we exist) becomes unreal when the invisible Soul, the Self, wakes up from its sleep of ignorance. The invisible Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance when you have the firm conviction that the ‘Self is not you, but the Self is the invisible Soul.

There is no meaning of life from the standpoint of the invisible Soul, the Self, because the world, in which you exist, is merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The one that is born, lives, and dies is not the Self.

You are bound by birth, life, and death, so you are not the Self because the Self is the invisible and unborn Soul, which is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Only the false self thinks there is a meaning of life within the dualistic illusion because of ignorance. Without the invisible Soul, the world in which we exist ceases to exist.

The invisible Soul is the cause of the dualistic illusion (the world in which we exist), and it, itself, is uncaused.

The invisible Soul is the only reality that is the cause of the illusory universe in which we experience our birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.

The birth, life, death, and world are part of the waking experience, which is an illusion from the standpoint of the invisible Soul, which is the true Self.

It is no use saying that we are not born, we do not die, because we all were born and we all are going to die. However, birth, life, death, and the world are part of the illusion, which comes and goes as waking experience.

The invisible Soul, which is the substance and witness of the three states, is real; it is the true identity. The invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, is present in the form of consciousness that has no birth and death.

When there is no scope for two in reality. Only from the dualistic perspective, there is meaning in life. On the non-dualistic perspective, life is meaningless. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar