Manduka Upanishad:~ A Gnani bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.
Sage Sankara:~ The knower of Brahman or Gnani wears no signs.
Sage Sankara:~Tell us what you know, show it, and let us examine it under the mental microscope." It means we must bring notions and beliefs out of vagueness into clearness. It also criticizes the mystics who claim superior knowledge but who cannot communicate it for purposes of verification.
Sage Sankara:~On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior."
The knower of Brahman or Gnani wears no signs -- means he does not identify himself as a Guru or a teacher or Yogi or Swami.
A Gnani will never force anyone to accept the path of wisdom. He will constantly bring the seeker back to the fact of his inherent perfection and encourage him to seek the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.
A Gnani knows you need nothing, not even him, and is never tired of reminding you.
A Gnani continuously shares Self-knowledge or Bramha Gnana or Atma Gnana with like-minded fellow seekers.
A Self-declared Guru is more concerned with himself than with his disciples and plays with their sentiments and emotions. Sticking to such Gurus the seeker will not get the Self –realization. Guru and yogis are meant for those who are emotionally involved with their religion and religious Gods.
Religious Gurus are not Gnanis, they propagate only religion. Religion is not spirituality. Religious Gurus do not propagate wisdom they are meant for injecting morals, ethics, and love and guide ignorant populace in practical life within the practical world.
Many religious Gurus are serving humanity by giving free education and maintain love and harmony in society but they are nothing to do with the Atmic path.
The Guru is nothing to do with Advaitic wisdom. A Gnani never identifies himself as a guru.
There are so many in the guise of Gurus and Godmen with criminal records who indulge in cheating rape, murder.
The Gurus and Godmen who promise instant enlightenment or Self-realization are not Gnanis. Mixing religion with the Atmic path is like mixing oil in the water.
Seekers from the west mistake whoever calls them as gurus are Gnanis, thus, their mission of seeking the truth is misguided by such Gurus.
Those mystics, who talk of experiencing the supreme reality, do not know that the word experience implies something else, a second to be experienced, i.e. duality, i.e. non-reality, and those who talk of "direct knowledge" of reality again do not perceive that knowledge implies a second thing to be known; i.e. duality exists. i.e. no reality here! : ~
Santthosh Kumaar
