Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness.Rig Veda says, Consciousness is Brahman or God in truth.+

Dualists say: God cannot exist without attributes. Then they are making God as an object whereas God is the subject. Attributes can only be seen in the objective world. Causality appears in the duality, but when one goes deeper into the matter even there the causality disappears.

Who else but the ‘Self’ could have imagined the objective world? Dualists see God as an imaginer, but where is the proof. Nobody has seen God creating. You have seen no other creator, whether God or angel. The only ‘Self’ is left. Therefore, ‘Self’ is the creator because imagining means creating.

The dualists' Gurus are imaginers. Their idea of God is mere belief. The belief is not truth hence it is not God. All belief based Gods are based on mythological stories. Whatever is based on the mythological stories are nothing but a myth.

The existence of mythological Gods existence depends on form, time, and space. Without the form, time, and space they cease to exist. From the ultimate standpoint the form, time, and space are merely an illusion. Whatever belongs to the illusion is bound to be an illusion.

This is all nonsense. There is no truth whatsoever in such ideas of God. Dualists theories are mere words ~ just a collection of words. Is truth found in mythology? The truth is hidden within the world in which you exist. Is truth is not found in the world, in which you exist because the world is merely an illusion? ‘God’ is hidden by the illusion. The illusion is present in the form of the ‘I’. The ‘I’ hides God in truth.

That is why Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: ~ "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)

That is why Sage Sri, Sankara:~ VC~.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?

VC- v6~ 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

Vedas and Upanishad confirm the God is the Soul, the  Self, which is the present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness.

Even the Vedas indicate that the Self is consciousness:-

Rig Veda:~ 'Prajnanam Brahma' - Consciousness is the ultimate reality.

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)

The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there is.

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

There is a clear cut idea of God in the Vedas, Upanishad, and Bhagavad Gita. And also, there is a clear cut idea of what not to worship as God in place of real God. Thus, it proves on Vedic perspective the Puranic Gods are not Vedic Gods.

Vedas says never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman.

That is why Sage Sankara said:~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ 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.

Religious Gods are not  God in truth. One must know God in truth.

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 innermost ‘Self’. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation.+

To realize the ultimate truth or Brahman, no scriptures are needed. I am highlighting only the rational views of the Sages Sankara.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from the ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sankara’s criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came onto vogue, projecting Sage Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine. His followers might have found Sage Sri, Sankara’s mission a hard task and, therefore, compromised the liberating wisdom with the performance of rituals.

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross The sea of samsara on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

That is why Sage Sankara:~, VC- v6~ 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

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross The sea of samsara on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

Religious rites and rigid ceremonies were passed down from one generation to the next as a practice or set customs and tradition and performed automatically with blind faith. Such worship based on the belief of God does not reach God.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of ritual are meant for the ignorant populace.

Belief in God without knowing God in actuality holds the worshiper more firmly in the grip of ignorance.

All worship and the ceremonies rituals performed on the base of non-~Vedic Gods will not yield any fruits. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that worshiped, the worship, and the worshiper and the world are merely an illusion created out of the consciousness.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of rituals formal observance have long since set in.

Religious rites and ceremonies, yagnas and homa-havans, or any other forms of ritual are meant for the ignorant populace. In the Atmic path, the seeker has to discard what is not needed to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara says: ~ The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.

All the rituals based on the false belief of God will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp God beyond the form, time, and space.

Sage Sankara:~ (11) As regards the rituals, Sage Sankara says, the person who performs rituals and aspires for rewards will view himself’ in terms of the caste into which he is born, his age, the stage of his life, his standing in society, etc. Also, he is required to perform rituals all through his life. However, the ‘Self’ has none of those attributes or tags. Hence, the person who superimposes all those attributes on the changeless, eternal ‘Self’ and identifies the ‘Self’ with the body is confusing one for the other; and is, therefore, an ignorant person. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are therefore addressed to an ignorant person.-Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara:~ (11.1) This ignorance (mistaking the body for ‘Self’) brings in its wake a desire for the well-being of the body, aversion for its disease or discomfort, fear of its destruction, and thus a host of miseries(anartha). This anartha is caused by projecting karthvya(“doer” sense) and bhokthavya (object) on the Atman. Sankara calls this adhyasa. The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards, etc. are, therefore, he says, addressed to an ignorant person. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara:~ (11.2) In short, the person who engages in rituals with the notion “I am an agent, doer, thinker”, according to Sage Sankara, is ignorant, as his behavior implies a distinct, separate doer/agent/knower; and an object that is to be done/achieved/known. That duality is Avidya, an error that can be removed by Vidya. -Adhyasa Bhashya

Sage Sankara: ~ (12) Sage Sankara affirming his belief in one eternal unchanging reality (Brahman) and the illusion of plurality, drives home the point that Upanishads deal not with rituals but with the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) and the Upanishads give us an insight into the essential nature of the ‘Self’ which is identical with the Absolute, the Brahman. -Adhyasa Bhashya

No conceptual God can exist, apart from consciousness. People are not aware of the fact that there is no individual God can exist, apart from the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Thus, the Soul or Consciousness is the true ‘Self’. If there is no consciousness, then there is no physical body, no ego, no universe, no religion, and no conceptual God.

Innumerable people all over the world have been killed and being killed in the name of religion and God. This is because people are not aware of the ultimate truth of their true existence. People take their inherited belief as the ultimate truth without verifying the validity of their belief.

Does God exists or not is the question that succeeds not only in dividing people but creates a tug of war within every individual thinker. Ironically, if one believes in the concept of God then nothing else matters and if one is an atheist, too nothing else matters.

Those who have implicit faith in God bow their head in submission to what they call divine will. They believe the world is testing ground and sorrows must be borne with patience in order to prove their love to God. On the other hand, the Atheists claim the whole world is random creation arising, so to speak from chemical gravy that is accidental. Both these arguments based on the ‘false self’ (ego) within the false experience (waking).

On the base of the Soul, the innermost Self, the waking experience itself is merely an illusion. The man and his experience of the world are a reality within the waking experience. The waking experience is merely a dream witnessed by the Soul. 

Thus, all the physical-based theories are mere imagination based on the false self within the false experience. The formless substance and witness of the false experience, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is real and eternal.

Religion, religious Gods rituals, and sacrifices deal with lower knowledge. The Sages of truth ignored religion, religious Gods, rituals, and sacrifices and went in search of the truth of their true existence. The religion, religious Gods' rituals, and the sacrifices are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of ignorance which is the cause of experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the dualistic illusion (form, time, and space) on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their inherited beliefs in their religion wage war and violence against humanity in the name of protecting their God and belief system.

Those who blindly accept the religion and its God as truth are like the blind led by the blind.

Even the Upanishads confirm: ~ It is impossible to find and realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space via religion, rituals, and scriptural study.

Upanishad says:~ the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it.

The religion, individualized God, and scriptures are a great obstacle to Self-realization because they are based on a false self. The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis, and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sage Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says:~ (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) ~ one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind. By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The world in which you exist is a reality within the waking experience.+

The world in which you exist is a reality within the waking experience. The same way the dream entity and dream world are a reality within the dream. You are not the witness of the three states but the Soul, the Self, witnesses the coming and going of the three states.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the substratum and witness of the three states. Thus, it is erroneous to view and judge the ultimate truth on the base of the waking entity, which is not the witness of the coming and going of the three states.

The waking appears and disappears, the same way as the dream. The source of the waking or dream is the Soul. Therefore, the source itself is the Self.

Thus, the truth has to be based on the source of the three states. There is no man, no world; no God exists from the standpoint of the Soul, the 'Self' because the waking experience is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

It is not you who is in ignorance. It is the Soul, which is in ignorance of its own true nature.+

Some find it is difficult to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana because they have not acquired the necessary competence for it. Without rectifying the reasoning base from ego (‘I’) base to Soul (‘I -less) base, it is not possible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Therefore, it is necessary to rectify the reasoning base mentally by realizing the fact that you are not the Self. You are the ego. You are the false self within the false experience.

By reflecting constantly on the formless witness of the three states, the seeker can become aware of the existence of the formless witness of the three states. From the standpoint of the Soul, the witness, the three states are one, in essence. Thus, everything is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul remains in its own awareness without waking and dreams in deep sleep. Since, we are aware of the deep sleep experience only in the waking, which is the state of ignorance.

The ego is not the cause of ignorance because the ego, body, and the world are within the dualistic illusion. But the ignorance is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

It is not you who is in ignorance. It is the Soul, which is in ignorance of its own true nature. It is not you who has to get rid of ignorance because you and the world in which you exist are the product of ignorance.

It is the Soul, the ‘Self’ has to get rid of ignorance. Only through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, it is possible to get rid of ignorance.

Until one view, judge and conclude the truth the base of the ‘ego’, he will not be able to assimilate the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Self-Knowledge is –Self-Release. The Soul remains in the illusory bondage of the form, time, and space due to ignorance of its own true nature. Man makes various and strenuous attempts to become free but he is unaware of the fact that it is not he has to become free; it is the Soul that has to wake up from the sleep of ignorance.

When Soul wakes up to its own awareness then it is free from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality. The dualistic illusion is merely a play of consciousness. :~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Soul is the witness of the three states, is the ultimate key to unfolding the truth, which is hidden by ignorance.+

Soulcentric reasoning reveals the ultimate truth or Brahman. The Soul, the witness of the three states is the ultimate key to unfolding the truth, which is hidden by ignorance.

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, there can be no religious discord. The Soul has no religion because the religion is based on form, time, and space whereas the Soul is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Consciousness is the universal truth. Therefore, Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana is for everyone.

Since people are not prepared to verify the facts about their own belief system they are unable to understand and assimilate the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Without an urge to know the truth and prepares the ground properly and consistently in his efforts to know the truth beyond the form, time, and space, he will not be receptive to receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Remember:~

Sage Goudapada: ~ To establish the truth of Nonduality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

***

The reasoning is interpretable in two ways. The egocentric interpretation is to apply it only to the waking experience. The Soulcentric interpretation is to apply it to the three states. The latter leads to a final settlement of the problems because it takes all data into consideration.

As we keep digging deeper and deeper, the truth will shine as pure awareness in the midst of the duality (waking).

The Sou,l the Self is our ultimate teacher. It is only our inner teacher that will walk with us to the goal, for the Soul is the goal. From the ultimate standpoint, there is no teacher, there is no teaching and there is no student.

Millions are searching for the truth, but one in million will realize it. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara:~Worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies but liberation will never without realizing the Oneness.+

Sage Sankara said:~Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

The ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Self-realization is Truth realization. Truth -realization is God-realization. God-realization itself is real worship.

Sage Sankara declaration: ~ “Brahman is the truth The World is Unreal everything is Truly Brahman and nothing else has any value.

Path of wisdom is not for the orthodox populace. It is difficult for the orthodox people to accept the truth because they already accepted something else as truth because of their samskara or conditioning. It is difficult for them to accept anything other than their inherited conditioning.

The ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Self-realization is Truth realization. Truth -realization is God-realization. God-realization itself is real worship. identification with the body, sense organs, etc., which are unreal.

Even Sage Sankara appears personally and tells them what they have accepted as truth is not truth; they will never be able to accept anything other than their accepted truth.

Orthodox people must follow their chosen path which makes them happy and gives them satisfaction. Without instance urge to acquire Self-knowledge it is impossible to tread the path of wisdom.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the ‘Self’ in truth.

The path of wisdom attracts only those who are in search of truth and they appreciate it greatly. Ignorant are not spiritually matured the receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Ignorant indulge in argument and provocation and personal attack, which hinder their own realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Sage Sankara says:~ VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the not-Self.

I am highlighting all the obstacles in the inner journey and how to overcome these obstacles. All accumulated knowledge is of no use in the Atmic path.

It is for every seeker, who is in the Atmic path to realizing himself “What is truth, “and “What is untruth?” to assimilate the Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

My postings are only signposts. The seeker needs to reflect constantly on the subject till the cobwebs of his doubts and confusion get cleared.

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

~then why you indulge in studying philosophy.

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

~then why you indulge in rituals.

Sage Sankara says: ~ there is no need to indulge yoga, in order 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 leads truth realization.

Atman is Brahman. The Atman is the Self is non-dual because there is no second thing that exists other than the Atman.

Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the only true reality, and everything else, which appears as form, time, and space is merely an illusion.

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is truth’ and ‘’what is untruth’. It takes time for the Soul, the Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Jesus said: ~ “Know what is in front of your face and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you.+

Jesus said: ~ “Know what is in front of your face and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you.

It means one has to know the world which confronts him confronts to realize his body and world are made of the same essence and that essence is Spirit [father].

Sage Sankara says: ~ “One must first know what is before him. If he cannot know that, what else can he know or understand? If he gives up the external world in his inquiry, he cannot get the whole truth.

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.

Jesus said: ~ "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find it, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel and will reign over all. (And after they have reigned they will rest.)"

When the seeker indulges in deeper Self-search becomes aware of the fact that the experience of birth, life, death, and the world is merely an illusion created out of Spirit, he will be in fear of losing their physical identity and the experience of the world which he dearly attached. But gradually his conviction grows about the Self the mind becomes still and rests in consciousness which is God or Spirit. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Mundaka Upanishad says: ~ The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge.+

Sage Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to the people he was amongst. He never told them to give their particular religion or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the truth.

Sage Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya he denies it.

Sage Gaudapada says: -The merciful Veda teaches karma and upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

Sage Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Manduka he denies it.

Brahma Sutras, i.e. "Vedanta Sutras" by Badarayana, are intended for those of middling intellects, not for those who have the best brains: it is a semi-theological, semi-philosophical work; it starts with the assumption that Brahman exists.

The doctrine of causality taught in Brahma Sutra is not the same as our highest Advaitic non-causality. It is only a beginning towards that; it says that you do not find in the effect what is not already present in the cause.

The Sutra-Bhashya of Sage Sankara principally deals with the principle of superimposition yet the pundits have not grasped its higher semantic value.

Brahma Sutras begin with the dogma of Brahman but who has seen Brahman? It is a mere empty word like 'x'. Hence it is called a book of religion, not philosophy. It is for beginners who have not yet unfolded discrimination, who believe in creation (i.e. causality).

The opening sentence is "All this is Brahman.” But nobody knows or has seen Brahman. If we say "All this is wood" and show a piece of wood, the words are understandable. Suppose you have never seen wood. Then what is the use of such a sentence? It becomes meaningless when the object indicated is seen by none. Hence the Brahma Sutra opening is equivalent to "All this is X". Both have no meaning so long as they are not understood if we take them as the data to start from. It is for this reason such books are intended for a theological mindset because it begins with dogma although its reasoning is close. For it starts with something imagined.

Brahma Sutras together with Sage Sankara's commentary thereon do not contain higher Vedanta. They are intended for duffers.

Sage Sankara's commentary on Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on a religio-mystic one, with an appeal to Vedas as the 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 Upanishad that those who study the Sutras are religious 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 Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God. But we say: Keep the scriptures for children but throw them on the fire for wise seekers.

Remember:~

Mundaka Upanishad says: ~ “The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross The sea of samsara on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study. Even Upanishads confirm this.

Katha Upanishad: ~ This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. 3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad )

When the Upanishad says:~ the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized God, and scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing non-dual truth or Self-realization because they are based on false self (ego).

The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper, inquiry, analysis, and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.

That is why Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says:~ (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind. By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman or God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

There is no need to go round and round by various tortuous paths . There is clear cut truth declared by Sage Sankara.+

There is no need to go round and round by various tortuous paths. There is a clear cut truth declared by Sage Sankara.

Sage Sankara says: ~ Atman is Brahman (God in truth). Thus, the Soul the innermost ‘Self’ is God. Therefore, all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imagination based on the false Self. Thus, there is adulteration and add-ons in the past, which has to be bifurcated if one wants pure Vedic essence.

When the Vedas and Upanishad declare that the Soul which is present in the form of the consciousness is actually nothing but Brahman, then why go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. One has to realize the fact that, the mind is in the form of the universe. Trace the source of mind and realize that source is consciousness. The mind arises from consciousness as the waking or the dream and subsides as deep sleep.

Even 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)

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

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit.

Vedas and Upanishad confirm the Soul, the Self, is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness.

The Soul is the root element of the universe. The Soul is present in the form of the Soul, the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Soul, the universe comes into existence. In the Soul, the universe resides. And into the Soul, the universe is dissolved. The Soul is the parent of all that is there is.

When the Upanishad says: the human goal is to acquire ‘Self’-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana and they indicate the personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to ‘Self’ –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, then why anyone should indulge in it.

Realize right now right here the Soul, the Spirit is God. There is nothing to realize other than realizing the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the God the Spirit, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Knowledge of God is Advaita because God is Advaita, the one without the second

In Manduka Upanishad Brahman and Atman are defined as the same:~

सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात् / sarvam hyetad brahmaayamaatmaa brahm soyamaatmaa chatushpaat ~

Manduka Upanishad, verse-2

Translation:~

sarvam(सर्वम्)- Whole/All/Everything; hi(हि)- Really/Just/Surely/Indeed; etad(एतद्)- This here/This; brahm(ब्रह्म)- Brahm/Brahman; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; aatmaa(आत्मा)- Atma/Atman; sah(सः)- He; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; chatus(चतुस्)- Four/Quadruple; paat(पात्)- Step/Foot/Quarter

Fragmented Verse:~

सर्वम् हि एतद् ब्रह्म अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म सः अयम् आत्मा चतुस पात् / sarvam hi etad brahm ayama aatmaa brahm sah ayam aatmaa chatus paat

Simple Meaning: ~

All indeed is this Brahman; This Atman is Brahman; God, this Atman has four steps/quarters.

While Brahman lies behind the sum total of the objective universe, some human minds boggle at any attempt to explain it with only the tools provided by reason. Brahman is beyond the senses, beyond the mind, beyond intelligence, beyond imagination. Indeed, the highest idea is that Brahman is beyond both existence and non-existence, transcending and including time, causation, and space, and thus can never be known in the same material sense as one traditionally 'understands' a given concept or object.

Imagine a person who is blind from birth and has not seen anything. Is it possible for us to explain to him the meaning of the color red? Is any amount of thinking or reasoning on his part ever going to make him understand the sensation of the color red? In a similar fashion, the idea of Brahman cannot be explained or understood through material reasoning or any form of human communication. Brahman is like the color red; those who can sense it cannot explain or argue with those who have never sensed it.

Bhad Upanishad: ~ “This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else because It is innermost. If one holds the Self dear were to say to a person who speaks of anything other than the Self as dear, that he, the latter, will lose what he holds dear—and the former is certainly competent to do so—it will indeed come true. One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear. He who meditates upon the Self alone as dear—what he holds dear will not perish”. (Bhad Upanishad -8-p- -211)

Taittiriya Upanishad (II.1):~ where Brahman is described in the following manner: Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahman - "Brahman is of the nature of truth, knowledge, and infinity". Thus, Brahman is the origin and end of all things, material or otherwise. Brahman is the root source and Divine Ground of everything that exists and does not exist. It is defined as unknowable and Sat chit ananda (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss).

The ultimate truth or Brahman is God. God in truth is not the religious God that people believe and worship. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar