The seeker of truth must first make sure what God supposed to be in actuality according to Vedas and Upanishads.+

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.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the 'Self’. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

It is for every seeker who is seeking truth must first know what God supposed to be in actuality according to Vedas and Upanishads and reject all non-Vedic Gods to realize the Atman is God in truth.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter:~ “All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many gods. (7- Verse -20)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself’.

Thus, it refers to formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the ‘Self’ within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imagination based on the false ‘Self’. Thus Atman or Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ is God.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of the Vedic religion never worshiped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jainism. There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ in i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

It indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imagination based on the false ‘Self’.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

All the Gods with form, name, and attributes are not God in truth. Religious Gods are merely a belief not God in truth.

People worship God in various ways, not knowing the Truth. At different levels, at different epochs, in different lands, people have different conceptions of God. They have quarreled because they did not know the truth about God.

The conflict of opinions among mystics and religionists proves that all are imagining God as they like, not knowing God.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1.164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda says God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

When Upanishad itself declares: ~ Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it is beyond the reach of the senses.

Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage  Sankara is impersonal.

Sage Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman or God in truth. 

Thus, Truth-realization is Self-realization. Self-realization is God-realization. God-realization itself is real worship.

People are not aware of the fact that there is no individual God can exist, apart from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without consciousness, the attributed Gods with name and form ceases to exist.

Religious Gods are based on blind faith or belief. Belief is not God. Religious God cannot be considered as the center because, the Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists. Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

No conceptual Gods can exist, apart from consciousness.

Even Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) 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.

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks of the physical entity or ego as the Self, then there is a creator, but if one thinks, the Soul (consciousness) as the Self, then there is nothing that exists other than consciousness, which is the Soul, the Self.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things besides himself and postulate a God, the creator. Body, God, and world rise and set together from, and into, the Soul, the innermost Self (consciousness).

If God is apart from the Self (Soul or consciousness), then God would be Self-less, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent.:~ Santthosh Kumaar

Science is the highest teaching in the world of duality. Spirituality has its roots in the same world but ultimately leads to non-dualistic awareness.+

The ‘I’ blocks you from realizing the truth hidden by form, time, and space because the ‘I’   is present in the illusory form, time, and space. Whatever belongs to illusory form, time, and space is bound to be an illusion.  the illusory for, time and space are present in the form of the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya. the dualistic illusion or Maya is the product of ignorance. 

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

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

People are stuck glorifying the ‘I’ and ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching. The more you glorify the ‘I’ and ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching you will be caught up in the prison of ignorance. ‘I-centric teaching is dualistic.

The ‘I’ appears on its own it perishes on its own. The ‘I’ is not the cause of the appearance and disappearance because the ‘I’ itself is the appearance. The ‘Self’ not ‘I’, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The one which witnesses the appearance and disappearance is not ‘I’ because the ‘I’ appears and disappears.

The one which is aware of the appearance and disappearance of ‘I’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Realize, ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality’ and what is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

If you realize the ‘Self ‘not the ‘I’ but the Soul then whatever hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

Realizing the Soul is not the ‘I’ but the Soul is the Self, is Self –realization.

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self. 

People think the ‘I’ without the body is the Self. The seeker has to understand the fact that ‘I’ is not the Self, but the witness 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.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take as real because some Gurus have propagated 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.

Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ lead to Advaitic Self-awareness.

The dualists, having the idea of difference, even the least notion of the ‘I’, can never get realization.

For those who are mentally so constituted that they must rely on some authority, who cannot think for themselves, who cannot stand on their own legs, who must quote some man or other, we prescribe scriptures. But for those who have sharp brains, we appeal to reason and so. There is no need for the scriptures to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Science is the highest teaching in the world of duality. Spirituality has its roots in the same world but ultimately leads to non-dualistic awareness. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

Experience is possible only within the dualistic illusion.+

Experience implies duality. Experience is possible only within the dualistic illusion. Experience is nothing to do with the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Experience is possible only in the domain of the form, time, and space. Without the form, time, and space experience cease to exist.

Experience is present in the form of the ‘I’. without the ‘I’ experience ceases to exist.

The I’ is present in the form of the mind. Without the mind, experience ceases to exist.

The mind is present in the form of the universe. Without the universe, the experience ceases to exist.

The universe appears as waking or dream without the waking or dream experience cease to exist.

The individual experience of birth, life, and death are happening within the waking experience but the waking experience is merely an illusion. Without the dualistic illusion the individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world cease to exist.

The dualistic illusion is created out of a single clay. That single clay is the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness the dualistic illusion ceases to exist but the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness can remain with or without the dualistic illusion.

The seeker must realize the ‘Self’ hidden by dualistic illusion not to experience the ‘Self. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaita is the Soul itself. Advaita is the ultimate truth. Advaita is Brahman. Advaita is God, the one without the second.+

Advaitic wisdom is the Science of the Spirit, which is [resent in the form of consciousness. 

Sage Sankara as a rationalist philosopher. The orthodoxy projected him as a theologian.

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is not even a philosopher dish cooked to suit exclusively the palate of one particular religion. Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is like the air and the water, the common food for the whole of humanity.

If rightly interpreted Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom as spiritual food for the whole of humanity. Advaitic wisdom is the universal wisdom par excellence. Advaitic wisdom is not just a not a philosophy, but not a science, but the Science of Truth.

Sage Sankara gave religious, rituals and dogmatic instruction to the mass 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.

Advaita is not a religion. Advaita is not philosophy. Advaita is not yoga. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Advaita is the Soul itself. Advaita is the ultimate truth. Advaita is Brahman. Advaita is God, the one without the second.

The word ‘One’ is not understood anywhere except in the Advaitic path. ‘One’ always means two when analyzed. Hence, the Upanishads are careful to show they do not mean this monism, but "One without a Second” is the Advaita. No philosophers of the world have seen this point. Monism is really a pseudo-monism that is the duality..

"Unless one realizes the Soul as the innermost Self, as it really is” it is impossible to realize the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth. :

In a lecture on Vedanta, delivered at Lahore on the 12th November 1897, Swami, Vivekananda asserted the superiority of Advaita in the following way: ~

Swami, Vivekananda:~ The same God whom the ignorant man saw outside nature, the same whom the little-knowing man saw as interpenetrating the universe, and the same whom the sage realizes as his own Self, as the whole universe itself-all are One and the same Being, the same entity seen from different standpoints, seen through different glasses of Maya, I perceived by different minds, and all the difference was caused by that. Not only so, but one view must lead to the other... Thus, you can see that this~ (Advaita) and this alone, and none else, can be the only scientific religion. . . . let us take the ignorant by the hand, lead them always step by step just as they can go, and know that every step in religious growth in India has been progressive. The Complete Works, Vol. 3, pp. 423, 424.

In the scientific field knowledge, one can bank on discoveries of different scientists. Newton discovered the law of gravity and Einstein formulated the principle of relativity. And scientists take it for granted that these principles are valid. It is not so in pursuit of truth. If one sage discovers the ultimate truth, it cannot be accepted blindly by the seeker without verification.

The seeker has to discover a fresh on his own to realize’ what is truth’ and ‘what is not truth’ and accept only the truth and mentally drop the untruth. Thus, constant reflection on the subject is very much necessary in pursuit of truth.

The dualist says:~ the consciousness and mind are co-eternal. Each is independent o of others; each represents one complimentary aspect of reality. While the mind is present the consciousness is absent. It is through collaboration between these two aspects of reality the evolution takes place. Apart from these two aspects of reality, the realists or dualists do not recognize the ultimate reality transcending these, serving as the base of these.

On the dualistic perspective the world in which we exist as a reality. On the non-dualistic perspective, the world in which we exist is an illusion.

First, the seeker has to know ‘what is the mind” What is the substance of the mind? And ‘what is the source of the mind? , in order to realize ‘what is what’?

The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). Thus, a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is necessary to realize the form, time, and space are an illusion created out of single stuff.

The purpose of the spiritual pursuit is to realize the whole world in, which we exist, is created out of single stuff. And that single stuff is the Soul which is present in the form of the consciousness. The Soul is the Self.

On the standpoint of the Soul the Self, the universe in which we exist is an illusion.

Nothing can be independent of consciousness because no second thing exists other than consciousness. The whole universe without the form, time, and space is the consciousness. Without the form, time, and space there is no universe but it is only the formless non-dual consciousness. But this truth has to be grasped to assimilate and realize the true essence of non-duality.

The ultimate conclusion is this there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Everything is consciousness. Thus, diversity has no value in light of wisdom. Thus, recognizing the world is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness brings unity in diversity. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Just because many numbers of people follow the religion numbers do not make the truth.+

 

People are in the prison of ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of viewing and judging the world in they exist on the standpoint of ‘ego as the ‘Self ‘and the illusory waking experience as a reality.

99% of people believe their experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. until they hold their experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality it is impossible to grasp Advaitic wisdom.

Why waste time discussing the yoga, religion, worship of the religious Gods glorifying of the Gurus in the Atmic Path.

Sage Sankara says: ~ 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.

That is why In Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8 “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.”

The people who follow religion think that following their inherited religion is their duty. And questioning the Guru or scholars is irreligious. Thus, they indulge in rituals and hearing of religious discourses. They are weak and timid.

Lord Krishna says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know me 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.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost Self. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the Self.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1.164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why to believe and worship in place of real God.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether Soul or God there is no truth."

When Upanishad itself declares: ~ Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

What happens if one worships which is not God in truth with mantras and prayers based on the dummy gods. It is only priest crafted baggage.

In Yajurveda says: ~

Translation 1.

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc).

They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc.) (Yajurveda 40:9)

Translation 2.

"Deep into the shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshipers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti is intent." (Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538)

All the accumulated knowledge of the religion and yoga and paths and theories are mere dross in pursuit of truth. Religion and yoga are helpful for the general mass, but they are barricades in unfolding the mystery of the mind. Therefore, the orthodox people, if they are seeking the truth, then they have to drop all accumulated dross to acquire nondual wisdom. Advaitic wisdom alone is a weapon to eliminate ignorance.

Self-knowledge is not for those who believe in religion and its beliefs like mantras and worship of Gods. Mantras and prayers are nothing to do with the Atmic path. Those who are attached to Mantras and prayers and worship must continue in their chosen path, the Atmic path is not for those who are stuck with religious dross.

In Atmic path discussion is unimportant. One must think deeply and reflect on the subject. Passing their opinion with their accumulated knowledge will not help anyone. Those who believe in religious

Just because many numbers of people follow the religion numbers do not make the truth. People think what the majority believes must, therefore, be true." People stop with their imaginations about God, Reality, Truth, and do not go to the bitter end.

How can one know the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space when he believes the form, time, and space as a reality? If they accept the form, time, and space as a reality then they have accepted the experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. When the Self is not which is born, lives and dies within this world because the ‘Self is the Soul, which is birthless and deathless because it is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The Soul is hidden by the illusory universe because the universe is created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. One has to know the truth and not just assumed.

The onus of proof is on those who make an assertion. Religionists and mystics are required to prove; the burden to disprove is not on their critics.

No mystic experience ever reveals the truth. Since whatever experiences and experienced are happening within the domain of the duality. The duality is merely an illusion created out of nondual stuff. That Stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Knowledge of the Soul is the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The ‘I’ is what the seeker has to begin his investigation. Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ will help the seeker.+

 

It is no use of knowing who you are because you are the birth entity. Your individual experience of birth, life, death, and the world is merely an illusion. It is no use of inquiring ‘Who am I?- which exposes only the false nature of the form.

‘Who am ‘I’? - inquiry was introduced by Sage Sankara for the beginners. Your journey will not complete with ‘Who am ‘I’? or ‘I AM THAT’ - teaching. For Advanced seeker ‘Who am ‘I’? and I AM THAT’- teaching becomes inadequate and useless to realize the truth hidden by the ‘I’, which is the dualistic illusion.

Unless you unfold the truth of the world that confronts you will not be able to realize the ‘Self’ is hidden by ignorance.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~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.

Sage Sankara clearly says:~ “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.

Therefore, the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power of reason Sage Sankara clearly says the truth is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman (Gnani) the why you are after a Guru or yogi who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Soul) which is free from all the limitations of human thought”.

The ‘I’ is what the seeker has to begin his investigation with. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ will help the seeker to reach the Soul, which is the Self.

Sage Sankara: ~VC~ if the universe 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 like dreams.

This universe is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. From the Soul, the universe appears and when the universe disappears from consciousness, consciousness remains without any division of form, time, and space.

Remember: First find out what this ‘I’ suppose to be in actuality.

What is this ‘I’?

The ‘I’ is not a thought. The ‘I’ is the mind. The mind is the whole universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). The one that appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality) are the Soul, the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness pervades everything and everywhere in all three states.

Without knowing what the mind is, it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

People think the mind is within the body, but deeper self-search reveals the fact that the world in which you exist itself is the mind.

When the ‘I’ is present then only the mind is present. If the mind is there then only the universe is there. If the universe is present then only the waking is present. Thus, it is very much necessary to realize the ‘what ‘I’ is in actuality.

Without knowing ‘what is this ‘I’ it is impossible to realize the ‘I-less’ truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

Till you hold the ‘Self ‘as the ‘I’ you will never be able to get Self-realization.

‘I’ hides the Soul, which is the Self. ‘

'I’ is ignorance.

‘I’ is the duality.

‘I’ is form, time, and space.

‘I’ is the universe.

‘I’ is the waking.

‘I’ is the dream.

‘I’ is the illusion.

‘I’ is the experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

Remember:~

Without the ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Without the ‘I’ there is no duality.

Without the ‘I’ there is no form, time, and space.

Without the ‘I’ there is no universe.

Without the ‘I’ there is no waking.

Without the ‘I’ there is no dream.

Without the ‘I’ there is no illusion.

Without the ‘I’ there is no experience of birth, life, death, and the world.

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self. The ‘I’ hides Soul, the God in truth.

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.

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

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 says: ~ there is no need to study the Scriptures, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

~ then why you indulge in studying the scriptures.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to study philosophy, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~then why you indulge in studying philosophy.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge rituals, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

~ then why you indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge yoga, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman

~ then why you indulge in yoga.

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the ‘Self’, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani) then why you are sticking a Guru who is not a Gnani.

Sage Sankara says ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Recent science has killed the atomic theory and matter has vanished with it.+

 

Max Planck -Father of quantum physics says: ~ Science has no answer to it. Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are part of the mystery that we are trying to solve.

Mundaka Upanishad 1.3:~ Complete knowledge includes knowledge of the phenomenal world, the spirit behind it, and the source of both of them. When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing remains unknown is Gnana.”

Anybody can write a commentary on the Upanishads and other great philosophic texts, all they need to do to pour out words. It is quite easy to do this even by those who have never understood the Upanishads but think they have. Thus, the dualists and their disciples have written commentaries on scriptures mixing the existence of individualized Gods and Goddesses: But all these are written to satisfy themselves, not to get the truth.

Even great thinkers show differences of opinion, let alone lesser folks what are we to do? We must cease wasting time on the useless argument based on authorities and we must first find out the meaning of truth and go to facts and then only judge the various authorities.

Dualists Sages believed in a plurality of minds or selves and also in Prakriti matter. The Dualist Sage thought ultimately existed in the form of particles similar to our atomic theory. But recent science has killed the atomic theory and matter has vanished with it. Hence modern dualists fear science and try to avoid it.

The dualist thinkers ’ arguments are based on false Self (ego or the waking entity) and false experience (mind or waking or dream or universe) to show the weakness of the position of the dualistic viewpoint. They at their wits end to explain.

Existence cannot be a cause and effect at the same time, from the point of view of the dualists, but deeper Self-search shows the Existent is no two and causality can’t rise at all. The dualistic theory says that whatever was in the cause was also in the effect. They say that the gold brick, the gold medal, the gold ornaments --are in the seed--the gold. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, if cause and effect are one what is the difference between the two?

In the realm of truth, there is neither unwisdom nor ignorance; neither bondage nor liberation. There is but one pure consciousness. The logic holds good for the practical purpose in practical life (waking). Soul-centric reasoning leads to nondualistic Self-awareness.

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 Soul, the Self is the One without a second. There is not the least shadow of multiplicity in the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

What is it that becomes the waking experience (duality)? ‘What is it that becomes the dream (duality)?’ and ‘what is it that becomes the deep sleep (nonduality)?’

Seeker of truth has to direct realization of the Soul, the innermost Self, through wisdom and avoid losing precious time and effort losing him in philosophical studies.

Both modern science and religion offer hypotheses and theories, but there is one vital difference--science begins with facts which it collects; religion begins with fancies. Science evolves its hypotheses from such facts, religion from fancies.

Science declares that oxygen combines with hydrogen to give water. And it also declares oxygen is protons or electrons. But in pursuit of truth, the whole physical existence (universe or mind) is considered as an illusion, and science and its inventions, which are based on the physical existence are limited to physical existence. The truth is within, but it is beyond physical existence. The science demands physical proof. But the physical proof is part of the illusion. Hence, science cannot go beyond physicality because the truth cannot be traced in laboratory conditions. Deeper self-search is required if one wants to push its quest deeply enough.

Common people and primitive minds fall into faulty thinking through their inherited conditioning, such faulty thinking and reasoning make them accept the experience of birth, life, and death as reality; taking what one sees through the senses as real, taking what is apparently obvious and superficial as true because it is less troublesome.

Many people adopt the attitude that what they know is the truth. And what others say is false. This attitude makes them not to verify anything other than what they know. One needs to be rational, not merely logical. Logic has its value only in the physical plane(duality).

As one advances towards the spiritual plane he sees the logic underlying experience and becomes more rational. His reasoning is two-fold--implicit and explicit.

There is a need for facts of physical proof in scientific invention, whereas in pursuit of truth the proof has to be grasped mentally and realized. Therefore, the truth is realized only by a few who take this mental pursuit. “Whatever facts revealed, which is uncontradictable has to be accepted as truth.

The truth based on the formless Soul, the innermost Self is worthwhile; without it, one has something else, not the truth. Most people refuse to venture into the pursuit of truth; because they do not want to go into the root of things.

The seeker of truth has to study, inquire, and reason at the beginning of the pursuit of truth because it is very much necessary in the pursuit of truth.

One has to know the Self is not physical but the Self is the formless Spirit or Soul. The spirit or Soul or the Self is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness gives awareness of the three states.

Ignorance of the true Self is the cause of experiencing the duality as reality. The ignorance vanishes through the realization of the true Self, which is the Soul or Spirit or consciousness. The true Self does not lie in our body or in our brain, or our ego, but it is the essence of the dual and non-dual experiences, which comes and goes as waking dream and deep sleep.

Goudpada Karika-s of the second, third, and fourth chapters are the authority that a mumukshu ought to resort to. Since the reality of duality is born of ignorance even to a just born animal, and therefore the cause and characteristic of samsara, bondage, misery, the Upanishads and the Sages who have followed the Vedic tradition teach the unreality of the duality and redeem the suffering humanity from the misery caused by the duality.

Fort the sincere spiritual seeker duality (dvaita) and suffering are synonyms. So also Nonduality (Advaita) and bliss (sukha) are synonyms. The Veda, especially the Upanishad portions, are full of teachings directed at establishing the unreality and miserable nature of duality and upheld the non-dual nature of the Atman, the sole reality.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.22 alludes to this experience:~ (In this state a father is no father, a mother no mother, no Gods, no Vedas. In this state, a thief is no thief, the killer of a noble Brahmana no killer, a monk no monk, a hermit no hermit. This form of his is untouched by good work and untouched by evil work, for he is then beyond all the woes of his intellect.)

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy, and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; the mind cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither the eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.:~Santthosh Kumaar