A Gnani does not spend his life sitting in meditation as a sanyasi or giving sermons but he shares Advaitic Gnana.+

India is the home of mysticism and deification and very few are keen on rational Advaitic truth. Indian populace is most interested in their caste and creed propagated by different founders in different regions of India.

Very few are interested in Advaitic wisdom. In Atmic path has no place for an extra-cosmic God or for anything supernatural.

Without Sage Sankara, there is no Advaita. Without Advaita, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Sage Sri Sankara’s whole wisdom can be summed up in one sentence, ‘There is nothing else but Brahman. He says that Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge, and Absolute Bliss are real. The universe is not real. He says that Brahma and Atman are one. The ultimate and Absolute Truth is the Self, which is one, though appearing as many different individuals. The individual has no reality. Only the Self is real; the rest, mental and physical are but passing appearances.

Genuine wisdom must be independent of religion, that in Sage Sankara himself the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is only a part of the phenomenal (if not illusory) world, and the Nirguna Brahman is the only reality and has nothing to do with religion.

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)

The Brahma Sutras together with Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain the higher wisdom. They are intended for those who are incapable of thinking rationally.

Sage Sankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on an orthodox and mystic basis, with an appeal to the Vedas as a final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage Sankara explains in Manduka that those who study the Sutras are orthodox minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Shruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God. A Gnani says the scriptures are for children, but wise seekers will think rationally.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie, nevertheless one will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion and dogmatism, but in the commentary, Sage Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that a number of Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, only a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Scholars' translation of Brahma Sutras in Sacred Books of East must be read cautiously as he has not understood its highest sense, e.g. for Advaita, they wrongly put "Unity" instead of “Non-duality."

Sage Sankara gave religion scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the seeking world. He was great enough to be able to do so. His commentary on Manduka is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.

Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification which 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.

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 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.

A Gnani sees the world in which he exists as the consciousness, just as the goldsmiths view the ornaments as nothing but gold.

A Gnani does not spend his life sitting in meditation as a sanyasi or giving sermons but he shares Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana with the seeking world.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but seeing the star is the seeker's work.

Many times we get insights into a mysterious way and mysterious people in mysterious circumstances. The advanced seekers will be able to grasp the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. The Advaitic truth is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

People think ‘I’ is limited to the body and ‘I’ is within the body. This is an error. The ‘I’ is the whole universe in which you exist.+

People think that the ‘Self’ as the ‘I’ and they think it is not possible to function without the ‘I’ as a person because they think ‘I’ is limited to the body and ‘I’ is within the body. This is an error. The ‘I’ is the whole universe in which you exist.

People refuse to accept the world is an illusion. But they must think the world in which they exist appears as waking and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).

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

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

People and their experiences of birth, life, death, and the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and all else is an illusion. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Many Gurus in the past glorified the ‘I’. People got emotionally stuck with their Gurus worshipping them and got entangled with studying the life and happenings of their guru when their Gurus were alive. They forgot their main goal of discovering the truth of their true existence. This following Gurudom trend is still continuing.

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only by means of inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

There is no need to condemn Gurus, but there is a need to highlight how they become an obstacle in realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Remember:~

Swami Vivekananda said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, and none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but the Soul, the Self.”

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

A Guru is needed for the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire ‘Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

There are two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the most advanced seeker who seeks to know the truth beyond the form, time, and space. The Gurudom is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. The Atmic path is meant for those who wish to go beyond the domain of form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, and dogmatic instruction to the masses but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence, the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

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 form, time, and space are created out of 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 the consciousness.

The ‘I’ is 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.

But 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 practices in order 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 or God in truth. Consciousness is beyond all limitations of the illusory form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

If you are seeking truth nothing but truth then prepare yourself for unfolding the truth, which is hidden by the I.+

All those whose intelligence has been stolen by the intoxication of the illusory ‘I', stick to the ‘I’ based Gurus and their teachings.

Many have a childish and slavish mentality and accept statements merely because they are uttered by famous men or a popular guru or a yogi. They lack the scientific method of investigation.

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.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take 'I' as real because some Gurus have propagated that the Self is the ‘I’. There is no need to convince such a mindset. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

If you are seeking truth nothing but the truth then prepare yourself to unfold the truth which is hidden by the ‘I’.

Remember:~

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

Remember this:~

The ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance because ‘I’ itself is ignorance.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the mind because ‘I’ itself is the mind.

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

The ‘I’ is the cause of the universe because the ‘I’ itself is the universe.

The ‘‘I’ is the case of the waking or dream, because, the ‘I’ itself appears as the waking or dream.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the experience of the birth, life, death, and the world because the ‘I’ itself is the experience of the birth, life, death, and the world.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the duality because ‘I’ itself is duality.

The ‘I’ is the cause of the illusion because the ‘I’ itself is an illusion.

The ‘I’’ is the cause of all their ignorance, mistakes, and misunderstanding.

Remember:~

Every man thinks "I know". He does not stop to ask first "What is the meaning of what I believe I know?

This ‘I’ know attitude blocks one from realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

First, the seeker has to investigate ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality?

Everyone says they know everything and all the facts. “No one stops to doubt or to understand, or to inquire as to ‘what is the fact?’ or ‘what is the definition of experience?’.

Ignorants take the simplest path, that of the uninquiring mind, because, the other way, the search for truth, is hard and difficult and laborious.

The religionists, yogis and the common people do not worry about finding the truth of their true existence. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The jivanmukta is one who has realized the invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, hidden by ignorance.+

A Gnani consciously becomes one with the Soul before his physical death, whereas the ignorant unconsciously becomes one with the Soul after his death.

Sage Sankara: ~ “Action (karma) cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with or opposed to ignorance. Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance as light destroys deep darkness. -Atma Bodha

The Moksha is not a result of ritual action (karma marga) or of devotional or bhakti. The rituals and devotionally performed worship to an imaginary God within the illusory world with the illusory identity (you) will not yield any fruit.

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)

Advaitic Moksha is Gnanic Moksha. The Advaitic Moksha is synonymous with Brahman. Sruti says, "brahmavit brahmaiva bhavati" - He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman itself. It is not as if something that was not Brahman suddenly becomes Brahman. Rather, "realizing Brahman" means the removal of ignorance by realizing the Self is not an individual but the Soul, which pervades everywhere and in everything in the universe.

Thus, to "know Brahman" is to "be Brahman". The one who has realized the Soul, the ‘Self’, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion (Maya), is the jivanmukta, one who is liberated even while embodied. Such realization is possible by acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana itself is the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

The jivanmukta is one who has realized the invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, hidden by ignorance.

Gnanic moksha is not a religiously propagated moksha. Religious propagated moksha is dualistic. The religion that propagates moksha is the result of ritual action (karma marga) or of devotional service (bhakti marga).

The religious propagated paths, not the liberation. Gnanic moksha is not a result of anything, for it always exists. All that is required is the removal of ignorance.

Advaitic realization comes only by getting rid of ignorance by perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Soul, the ‘Self’ does not reside in the human heart, and one will not find the Soul, the ‘Self’ in the human heart if he searches for it.+

Q: ~ ‘Much gratitude for your posts! Could you define consciousness or soul, and how do you feel it if not from the heart?

Santthosh Kumaar: ~The Soul, the Self, does not reside in the human heart, and one will not find the invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, in the human heart if he searches for it.

The Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which we exist. Limiting the invisible Soul, the Self, to the human heart is erroneous. The Advaitic truth is not based on blind belief propagated by religion.

Tattireya Upanishad: ~ “The Self in man and in the sun is one. Those who understand this see through the world and go beyond the various sheaths of being to realize the unity of life”.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: ~ In that unitive state, there is neither father nor mother, neither worlds nor gods nor even the Scriptures. In that state, there is neither thief nor slayer, neither low caste nor high, neither monk nor ascetic. The Self is beyond good and evil, beyond all the suffering of the human heart.

The invisible and unborn Soul itself is the Spiritual heart.. The invisible Soul, the Self, does not reside in the human heart, and one will not find the invisible Soul, the Self, in the human heart if one searches for it.

The Self is the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which we exist.

Limiting the invisible Soul, the Self, to the human heart is erroneous. The truth is not based on the blind belief propagated by the belief system.

In the Spiritual sense, the heart is not the human heart. Heart is merely another name for the invisible, unborn Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in the universe.

The entire universe is merely an illusion created out of the invisible Soul, the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the cause of the universe, and it itself is uncaused.

The invisible Soul is the spiritual heart. The invisible Soul is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the invisible Soul because it is the very essence of the one who denies it. The invisible Soul is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs.

The invisible Soul, the Self is within, the invisible Soul, the Self is without; the invisible Soul, the Self is before, the invisible Soul, the Self is behind; the invisible Soul, the Self is on the right, the invisible Soul, the Self is on the left; the invisible Soul, the Self Self is above and the invisible Soul, the Self is below.

The invisible Soul is everything. Thus, the invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Emptiness is the nondual nature of the invisible Soul, the Self. Emptiness is the Soul itself.+

Emptiness is the nondual nature of the Soul, the Self. Emptiness is the invisible Soul itself.

Emptiness is the fullness of consciousness without the illusory division of form, time, and space.

There is unity in diversity in emptiness. There is oneness in emptiness.

When the invisible Soul, the Self, remains in its own nondual awareness, then there is emptiness.

When there is no ignorance, then there is emptiness.

When there is no dualistic illusion, then there is emptiness.

The emptiness is the nondual nature of the Soul, the Self.

The emptiness is the fullness of consciousness.

The invisible and unborn Soul, the Self, is the fullness of consciousness.

Remember this:~

If the Self is empty of the ‘I’, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of the mind, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of the universe, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of duality, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of ignorance, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of the illusion, then it is the fullness of consciousness

If the Self is empty of the three states, then it is the fullness of consciousness.

If the Self is empty of form, time, and space, then it is the fullness of consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

From the Advaitic perspective, the ‘I’-centric’ knowledge is dualistic knowledge based on ignorance.+

From the Advaitic perspective, the ‘I’-centric’ knowledge is dualistic knowledge based on ignorance.

If ‘I’ is present, then only there is ignorance.

If ignorance is there, then only there is duality.

If there is duality, then only the mind is present.

If there is mind is present, then only the form, time, and space are present.

If the form, time, and space are present, then only the universe is present.

If the universe is present, then only the waking is present.

If the waking is present then only the individual experience of the birth, life, death, and the world is experienced as a reality.

If the ‘I’ is absent, then: ~

If ‘I’ is absent, then there is no ignorance.

If ignorance is absent, then there is no duality.

If there is no duality, then the mind is absent.

If the mind is absent, then the form, time, and space are absent.

If the form, time, and space are present, then only the universe is present.

If the universe is absent, then the waking experience is absent.

If the waking is absent, then only the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world is an illusion.

Without the illusion, the invisible Soul, the Self alone prevails as the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the seeker will be able to mentally observe the invisible Soul, the Self as it is in the midst of the dualistic illusion by realizing the form, time and space are one in essence.

This is your bondage that you are stuck in the ‘I-centric' teaching. ‘I-centric' teachings are lower knowledge meant for lower stages.

The seeker has to ignore these ‘I-centric’ teachings and search for higher knowledge. Such teachings are unsafe rafts for crossing the ocean of ignorance.

Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the ocean of ignorance on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded people, proud of their vain learning, go round and round like the blind led by the blind.

The invisible Soul, the Self, is verily Brahman (God in truth), being equanimous, quiescent, and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge, and Awareness.

The invisible Soul is not the ‘I’ which is non-existence itself. Realization of this truth is called Self-knowledge by the Sages of truth.

There is nothing that exists prior to consciousness. The ‘I’ ceases to exist without consciousness.

The invisible Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman. : ~Santthosh Kumaar