The pursuit of truth is a mental journey.+

The pursuit of truth is a mental journey. Deeper self-search makes one realize “what is the truth? ‘and ‘what is untruth?’ and the subconscious will be able to reject the untruth after knowing what is the truth. Whatever prevails after rejecting the untruth is the ultimate truth.

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. Self-realization is not an experience because the Self is not you but the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

There is no need for any teaching or a teacher in this journey of self-verification. If one has an intense urge to know the truth, then that urge itself will take him to his spiritual destination.

The seeker has to learn to think and reason on his own without the aid of his accumulated knowledge, to get rid of ignorance.

The seeker should not seek everything with the accumulated knowledge, perverse thinking, and argument.

Accumulated knowledge is a great obstacle in the pursuit of truth. If you are ready to drop what is not needed to realize the truth ready to do this then you will be able to move forward toward the non-dual destination.

A well-directed inquiry, analysis, and deeper reasoning with all humility, seriousness, and sincerity will definitely lead you towards realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The seeker has to try to find answers for himself without imagining it, but by pondering through deep thinking and Soulcentric reasoning constantly.

Whatever answers come from within the seeker has to verify through Soulcentric reasoning constantly, until the inner dialogue starts. When the seeker starts getting answers from within then all his doubts and confusion starts getting cleared.

There is no need for mental spoon-feeding, from the outer source, when the inner dialogue starts.

It takes a long time because the egocentric subconscious accepts the Soulcentric truth. When the subconscious becomes Soulcentric, then it becomes receptive and accepts the Soulcentric truth.

When the subconscious becomes Soulcentric then it will start analyzing what is real and what is unreal and then it will drop what is not real.

A Gnani uses the egocentric reason for a practical purpose and the Soulcentric reason to analyze the truth.

No Guru can teach, you to work out your own salvation. You, yourself must walk the path.

Tripura Rahasya: ~ Second-hand knowledge of the Self gathered from books or Gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. ~ (18- 89)

Sage Sankara has declared non-dual truth centuries back, but one has to reach the destination with a scientific (rational) investigation, not through punditry and intellectualism.

The seeker has to mentally reach the final conclusion, only then the conviction become firm. Without firm conviction, Advaitic wisdom will not dawn.

There is a need to realize that consciousness is real, all else is a myth, which Sage Sankara declared as the world is a myth, Brahman alone is real.

Guru, disciple, guru's blessings, and guru's grace belong to the illusory universe. Holding the physical Gurus as reality is holding the illusory universe as reality.

Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

A guru is needed in the religious and yogic path. For truth seekers, the Soul is the inner Guru.

The seeker has to grow from the inside out by Soulcentric reasoning. None can teach him none can make him reach the ultimate end of understanding. There is no other Guru but the formless Soul or the consciousness, which is the Self.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the source of all that exists as the universe. To realize the universe is nothing but consciousness in its essence, there is no need for a Guru.

That is why Sage Sankara says:~ ~ 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.

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.

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.

Sage Sankara says Atman is Brahman and everything is Brahman is a scientific declaration, not religious or yogic.

Sage Sankara is more scientific than anyone else in the world. Since the real Advaitic essence is hidden, it cannot be obtained without the inner (mental) journey.

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.

First, realize the Self is not you, but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Mentally hold on to the invisible 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.

When ignorance vanishes through Advatic wisdom then consciousness hidden by the illusory universe shines as the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

A perfect understanding of 'what is what' will help the seeker to realize God in truth in this very life.

When you mentally drop what is not needed to realize God in truth then God in truth will reveal on its own.

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No blessings and grace of a physical Guru are needed because the invisible Soul, the Self itself, is the guru that will guide you to reach the ultimate end of understanding and realization.

You have to work out your own salvation; no guru or no book will help you to realize God in truth.  : ~Santthosh Kumaar

If the ‘I’ is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false.+

People who think the 'I' in everyone and everything is the Self, without realizing the Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the invisible and unborn Soul hidden by the "I".

If the ‘I’ is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false.

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

The ‘I’ is not within you, but you exist within the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the world in which you exist.

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.

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

To understand the false nature of the ‘I’, the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, is necessary.

The Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the invisible Soul, which is the cause of the ‘I’. Holding the ‘I as the Self leads to hallucination based on the imagination.

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’- without knowing what the Self is in actuality?

Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden ignorance. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not you, but the Self is the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘Self’ is not you, then what is the use of you saying ‘I AM THIS ‘or 'I AM THAT' because you are the false self within the dualistic illusion.

When the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance, the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

When the invisible Soul, the Self, remains in its own awareness, the world in which you exist becomes one with the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the ‘I’ is present, then only the mind is present. If the mind is present, then only the universe is present. And the universe is present only when the waking or the dream is present.

One sees differences between things because of ignorance; all these differences would vanish when one gets wisdom and the various thoughts arise because one considers the Self as ‘I’.:~ Santthosh Kumaar

All the confusion is because of identifying the Self as the ‘I’.+

The waking state is a parallel dream, and the dream is a parallel waking state. The waking and the dream are a dualistic illusion.

All the confusion is because of identifying the Self as the ‘I’. Holding the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ without realizing what ‘I’ is in actuality.

Holding the Self ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is blocking the realization of the invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, which is without the illusory form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ is an object to the formless subject. Thus, it is necessary to realize ‘what is ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality.

The ‘I’ exists only when the mind exists. The mind exists only when the universe exists.

The universe is present only in the waking experience. If there is no waking experience, then there is no ‘I’.

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

If there is no min,d, then there is no universe.

If there is no universe, then there is no waking experience.

If there is no waking experience, then you do not exist.

Your existence as an individual is dependent on the waking experience. The waking experience is dependent on the universe.

The universe is dependent on the mind. The mind is dependent on the invisible Soul, the Self.

Thus, the invisible Soul, the Self, is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

If the ‘I’ is the universe, then it is necessary to include the universe in the inquiry to realize the unreal nature of the ‘I’, which is present in the form of the universe.

Sage Sankara: ~ “This entire 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 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.

From the standpoint of the invisible Soul, the Self, the universe is unreal. Therefore, whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person within the practical world is bound to be unreal.

There is no impermanence of the ‘I’ which comes and goes. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’, which comes and goes.

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, which is the cause of the 'I'.

People think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the invisible Soul, which is the cause of the ‘I’ is the true Self, which is eternal.

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.

Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of illusory form, time and space form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The universe appears as waking experience (duality) and disappears as the invisible Soul in deep sleep (nonduality).+

Q: ~ Sir, I don't understand this...The world is a reality within the waking experience, but the waking experience is merely an illusion.

A:~ Santthosh Kumaar: ~ The universe in which we exist is present only in waking experience. The universe appears as waking experience (duality) and disappears as the invisible Soul in deep sleep (nonduality).

The waking experience is a parallel dream, and the dream is a parallel waking experience.

The Self is neither the waking entity nor the Self is the dream entity, but the Self is the invisible and unborn Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.

The invisible Soul, the Self, has nothing to do with you and your experience of the world because it is an ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

A person who stamped his foot on the ground to refute, to show the world, is real, ignores that in the dream he would do exactly the same--stamp his dream foot on the ground and assert it to be real.

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 three states, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the three states will see them differently from a Gnani viewing the same three states. Each one interprets the three states that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, he 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 invisible Soul or consciousness. Thus, all the egocentric (religious) adulteration has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ 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.

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. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’.+

The seeker of truth has to do his duty in practical life within the practical world. The seeker should not remain idle like yogis who are no better than a wooden log.

Amid difficulties and the busy life of practical life within the practical world, the seeker has to live and yet get on with the inner quest.

There is no alleviation of ignorance except the realization of the ultimate Truth or Brahman. Yoga may alleviate one's mental and physical stress.

The seeker of truth has to live in the world, and he must know the Self is not of this world because the Self is the invisible Soul, which is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The advaitic wisdom will not dawn by renouncing the worldly life and shutting yourself in a cave or Ashram, or monastery. Too much yoga leads to insanity and fixed ideas or delusions.

The main purpose of analyzing the world that confronts is to discover that it is to realize it is nothing but the illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

People fail to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman because they are stuck with the reality of the world.

Too much religion and false belief drugs the power of reason. To effect this discrimination, we need intelligence much sharper than the average. Weak minds cannot take a comprehensive view and so decry what they cannot understand.

When you realize you and your experience of the world are made of the single stuff and that single stuff is consciousness with full and firm conviction, then there is unity in diversity in your understanding. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

It is ignorance that creates illusion, and it is the invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, that gets free of it.

Words may aggravate ignorance; words may also help dispel it. There is a need to repeat the same truth again and again until it becomes a reality.

The seeker has to reflect on the nature of the invisible Soul constantly day after day until the conviction of the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space, becomes firm, and he gets the firm conviction.

The seeker needs to hear the words of wisdom until he realizes that form, time, and space are one in essence.

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 invisible Soul, the Self, to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one to realize the truth, which is hidden by ignorance.

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

If the 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, then there is unity in diversity.

Ignorance is the cause of experiencing duality as reality. Realizing Soul as the Self leads to Advaitic Self-awareness.

The invisible Soul, the Self, is Absolute Knowledge, which cannot be negated. The nature of the Soul is Advaitic awareness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Bhagavad Gita Krishna says: ~It is only one amongst thousands of people who strive for spiritual salvation.+

Bhagavad Gita Krishna says: ~It is only one amongst thousands of people who strive for spiritual salvation. Even amongst such seekers, it is only the rare person who gets to know “Self” correctly.’ (7.3)

Realizing the universe is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness leads to non-dualistic or Advaitic Self-awareness.

Self-awareness is freedom or Moksha. Moksha is unity in diversity in the midst of duality.

It is very difficult to talk to people about the ultimate truth or Brahman because everyone thinks they know the ultimate truth or Brahman.

This I know business is dangerous. And whatever his reached conclusion is second-hand stuff. Therefore, accepting accumulated knowledge without verification will lead the seekers to a hallucinated realization based on the ego.

One may have some flashes of truth when someone tries to indicate it through fewer words. But it takes us nearer to the truth, not realization.

Mythology contains stories of people with 10 heads, etc., which are fables, yet are taken seriously by religious people. All these stories are a reality within the dualistic illusion or Maya.

The waking experience is a dualistic illusion. Thus, whatever belongs to the dualistic illusion is bound to be a falsehood. In reality, there is no duality because there is only Oneness.

That the ancient sages had miraculous occult power and books relate stories of their feats, are fairy tales were meant for children, women, and those whose minds had not developed.

When ‘Self’ is not ‘you’, then whatever you have seen, known, believed, and experienced as reality is bound to be an illusion.

Thus, self-realization is necessary to realize your the present world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

If the present world in which you exist is merely an illusion, then whatever you believe as a reality with the world in which you exist is bound to be an illusion.

The Bhagavad Gita: ~ 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 Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara must have an intense urge, sincerity, and seriousness in his quest for truth.+

The seeker who wants to acquire the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara must have an intense urge, sincerity, and seriousness in his quest for truth.

The seeker must be fully aware of the difference between Atman (Soul) and non-Atman.

Intense urge to reach the ultimate end of understanding and realization.

Seeing all the objects also as the subject, and fully aware of the fact that object and subject are one in essence.

Longing for liberation from ignorance to unfold the mystery of the universe to realize the Soul, the Self, hidden by it.

The seeker must have patience, endurance, unity, peace, trust, and equality.

The seeker of truth should not become attached to words as being in perfect conformity with meaning, because Truth is not in the letters.

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. 

You are being conditioned by the religious myth, which has made you a non-thinker. Come out of the religious myth by realizing God in truth.  

The seeker should not mix religion, mysticism, and yoga with the path of wisdom.  The seeker has to deal with the ultimate truth, not mere words, not this Guru's or that Guru's interpretation. 

The path of wisdom of Sage Sankara is divided into three parts: ~

 

First:- Hearing the truth--that the consciousness is the only reality and that the universe, along with you, is merely an illusion or Maya. 

 

Second:-Reasoning upon the words of wisdom of Sage Sankara from all points of view. 

 

Third:- Giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that consciousness is the ultimate truth, or Brahman or God in truth. 

 

The key to Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is to see the whole universe as Consciousness, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

 

A Gnani sees and knows the universe as consciousness." This means he sees and knows only one thing, the invisible Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of Consciousness. Therefore, there is unity in diversity in his understanding and realization. : ~Santthosh Kumaar