Manduka Upanishads:~ Neither nudity nor the religious robe has anything to do with a Gnani+.

A Gnani is free from ignorance beholds the majesty of the Soul, the Self, achieves Soul awareness, and becomes free from experiencing the form, time, and space as a reality.

Manduka Upanishads:~ A Gnani, bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the religious robe has anything to do with him.

A Gnani cannot have the idea of giving up, renouncing the world or some object or person in the world, because that would connote the idea of duality. Knowing no second thing at all there remains nothing to be given up.

A Gnani, on attaining realization, will not give up his vocation in life but will continue it as before. If he was a billniore, he continues so, if a peasant, he will remain one. He still does his duty, but he is fully aware of the fact that his practical life within the practical world is merely an illusion.

It is not correct to say that, a Gnani sees only good everywhere and never evil. He is fully aware of the evil things, he knows when he is being taken for a ride, but he remains unperturbed though acting as required. He recognizes what is bad and what is a good practical point of view and what is real and what is an illusion from the ultimate standpoint.

Remember:~

A Gnani is Self-realized. He is fully aware of the fact that the Soul, the Self is hidden by the ‘I’, the dualistic illusion.

By having coiled hair, one will not become a Gnani. By wearing a religious robe one will not get Gnana. By studying under a famous guru, one cannot get rid of ignorance. Scriptural mastery one will not get Advaitic wisdom. By taking sanyasa or monkhood, one is not qualified to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

All the holy men, gurus, Saints, and yogis belong to the religious path, which is meant for the ignorant populace. The Atmic path is nothing to do with religion. Those who are seriously searching for truth have to take the Atmic path, not the religious or yogic path.

Select Works of Sage Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad: ~ “Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

Sage Sankara in his work The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination (1) states that the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

Sage Sankara writes on Gnani: ~ “Sometimes he appears to be a Fool, sometimes a wise man. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, sometimes feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him.

A man who has not turned away from the state of ignorance who does not have patience and humility, who only indulges in questioning, argument, and provoking cannot attain Self-realization.

Unless one realizes the Soul as the innermost ‘Self ‘as it really is” it is impossible to realize the Advaitic truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

The seekers from the west mistake Gurus are Gnanis, thus, their mission of seeking the truth is misguided by such Gurus.+

 

Manduka Upanishads: ~ No cane to find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the religious robe has anything to do with him.

People give titles such as Gnani, Avatars, Sadguru, etc. merely because they do not know what these terms mean, so they just imagine. Seeker of truth must verify all such claims rationally.

No one can determine anyone by his outer appearance whether he be a sage or fool, scoundrel or good character; therefore, we can only draw inferences from his actions as to what status and character his mind has attained.

The seekers from the west mistake  Gurus are Gnanis, thus, their mission of seeking the truth is misguided by such Gurus.

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

There are so many people who are Godmen, Gurus, Swamis, and yogis with all their accumulated store of knowledge will not get ‘Self’- realization. The inner and outer guidance comes when there is an inner urge to know the ultimate truth.

Without the inner urge, it is impossible to get the ultimate understanding and realization. The wisdom dawns with spoon-feeding the knowledge by gurus but the seriousness and sincere effort to grasp the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Many are good at acrobatics with words, but their knowledge is egocentric. Egocentric knowledge is not ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The inner work is in progress and the realization will happen as the conviction of the formless witness grows.

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

Thus, it proves that religious Gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people.

So he wore a Guru's robe only for the sake of the ignorant. So he was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sankara is a Brahma Gnani.

Sage Sankara himself said: ~ A Gnani "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

Thus, it proves that the religious gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people.

There is no need for a Guru, to know you and your Guru and the world in which you exist are created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Knowledge of that single stuff is the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Gnana is given neither from outside nor from another person.

There is no need to follow anyone. There is no need to practice anything. Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’, lead to realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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

~ then why do 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 do you indulge in studying philosophy?

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

~then why do you indulge in rituals?

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

~then why do 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 (Soul) and unreal ('I') and renunciation of the false, is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

“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 innermost Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one realizes the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Religious people do not understand the meaning of the Brahman, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

Until the seeker of truth drops all this priest-oriented baggage it is impossible to reach the ultimate end of understanding. Without reaching the ultimate end Self –Realization is impossible.

No religious God can exist apart from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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

The Vedas talk about Brahman (God in truth) which refers to the ultimate truth or ultimate reality. The consciousness is the ultimate truth, therefore, the consciousness is Brahman or 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.

Vedas do not permit idol worship. All the idols are of the Puranic Gods priests are referring to the Puranic Brahma as God they are ignorant of the God in Vedas even though they speak of Vedas.

Religious people do not understand the meaning of the Brahman, which is present in the form of consciousness.

First, know what this God is supposed to be according to the Vedas:~

Remember:~

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

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 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 believe and worship in place of God in truth?

Rig Veda: ~"Say this, all one God in many names" (Rigveda, book 1, Hymn 164, Verse 46)

Rig Veda: ~ Do not worship anyone besides God in truth alone, praise God in truth alone" (Book 8, Hymn 1, Verse 1)

Rig Veda: ~ Praise God in truth would matchless and alone" (Book 6, Hymn 45, Verse 16)

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth, Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.:

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth of God in truth. The ultimate truth itself is God in truth.

Prohibition of idol worship in Yajurveda: ~

Yajur Veda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.

Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)

Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure" (Chapter 40, Verse)

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

From the Vedic perspective, all religious Gods are non-Vedic Gods based on mythology.

Religious Gods are based on blind 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.

Even Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God in truth) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

How can you worship God? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshipped, whereas the God is non-dual. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as apart.

When Upanishads and Vedas declare that, “God is the form of the Athma, and God is indeed Athma itself” then why accept another God in place of the Atman or worship other than the Athma.

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

 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:~"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)

Swami Vivekananda: ~ The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the Gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods? ... The Gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself to your own mind does not befit you, my Soul. You are infinite, deathless, birthless. Because you are the infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

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

Sage Sankara goes on to say: ~A sickness of not cured by saying the word “medicine.” You must take the medicine. Liberation does not come by merely saying the word “Brahman.” Brahman must be realized. Until you allow this apparent universe to dissolve from your consciousness until you have realized Brahman, how can you find liberation just by saying the word Brahman? The result is merely a noise. Until a man has destroyed his enemies and taken possession of the splendor and wealth of the kingdom, he cannot become a king by simply saying “I am a king.”

Sage Sankara says:~ A buried treasure is not uncovered by merely uttering the words: “Come forth.” You must follow the right directions, dig, remove the stones and earth from above it, and then make it your own. In the same way, the pure truth of the Atman, which is buried under Maya and the effects of Maya, can be reached by meditation, contemplation, and other spiritual disciplines but never by perverted arguments.

The Atmic path is not for religious and yogic-minded people. Religious and yogic people must move on their chosen path. The Atmic path is for only seekers of truth who are seriously searching for the truth of their own existence.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Kundalini is not Advaitic Gnana.+

Kundalini is a yogic theory. Yogic people call it as Athma Shakti, which is inside the body.  Kundalini is not Advaitic Gnana. 

Yogis says Kundalini  power is dormant in 'muladhara' at the base of the spinal cord and that it must be roused and taken through the various 'chakras'  on to 'Sahasrara' at the top, in the brain, to attain Moksha.

Kundalini Shakti and Advaitic wisdom are not the same. The Self is not limited to the physical body but it pervades everything and everywhere in all three states.

The Kundalini is the yogic theory. Some yogis say the kundalini is in Ajna Chakra and some say the kundalini is in Mooladhara chakra.

All these yogic theories are based on the form of the Self, whereas the Soul, the Self is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

Thus, whatever is based on the form(waking entity or ego) as the 'Self' has to be rejected because the form is the false self within the false experience(waking).

All the chakras are based on the waking entity (you or body), which is the false Self within the false experience (waking). When the Soul, the Self is formless the question of chakra does not arise.

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) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25

By activating Kundalini- power one does not get non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom. The wisdom does not dawn without realizing the universe is a dualistic illusion or Maya. The Soul, the Self is hidden by the dualistic illusion or Maya.

To realize the universe is an illusion is an impossible task through yogic practice, because yoga is limited to the physical entity, and it holds the universe as a reality.

As per some yogic texts: The Kundalini dwells in the Muladhara. when it is aroused, it passes along the Sushumna nerve, goes through the centers of Svadhisthana, Manipura, and so on, and at last reaches the head. This is called the movement of the Mahavayu, the Spiritual Current. It culminates in Samadhi.

Thus, Kundalini is subjected only to the physical body, and experienced as a body, whereas the Soul, the Self is not the body because the Soul, the Self is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. Thus what value the kundalini will have when the Kundalini is based on form, time, and space?

Advaitic wisdom is based on the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the universe, and all its contents are merely an illusion, created out of consciousness.

A Gnani is fully aware of the fact that everything in the universe is consciousness, whereas the yogi experiences only absent thoughts in the Samadhi, and when he comes out of Samadhi, he is unaware of the fact that the universe is an illusion because he considers his body as the author of the Samadhi. and his bodily experienced bliss as wisdom.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Brahmin means not a caste but one who has attained Atma Jnana or Brahma Jnana.+

 

It is argued that the purushasukta hymn of the Rig Veda (X.90) which is often referred to in order to give a religious sanction to the caste system was a later interpolation.

Rigveda prohibits: ~ “The very concept of castes by birth, upper/lower castes, superior/inferior castes, outcastes, untouchables, Dalits,

Bhagavata clearly says in 7.11.35 that: ~ “Just because one is born to a Brahmin doesn’t automatically make him a Brahmin. But he has more chances of becoming a Brahmin by acquiring Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the only qualification of Brahmin to become a Brahmin. If a person born to a non-Brahmin who acquires Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana possesses he/she should be immediately accepted as a Brahmin.”

In the Vedic era, a Brahmin was a person who had acquired Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana Atma Gnana. This was an extremely difficult path of the discipline of body, mind, and intellect, and people irrespective of their birth or class, who were dedicated to such an austere life, were recognized as Brahmins.

A great example of this tradition (that a person becoming a Brahmin, rather than born as one) is the case of Vishwamitra, a warrior (Kshatriya), who became a Brahmin after attaining Atma Jnana or Self-Knowledge.

A Smritis or code of conduct composed by Sage Atri defines Brahminhood very clearly.

"By birth, every man is a Shudra (an ignorant person). Through various types of disciplines (samskaras), he becomes a dwija (twice-born). Through the studies of scriptures, he becomes a vipra (or a scholar). Through the realization of supreme spirit (Brahmajnana), he becomes a Brahmin.”

The belief that people born in the Brahmin caste, automatically become Brahmins, is a much later concept in very ancient India. Thus, Brahmin means not a caste but one who has attained Atma Jnana or Brahma Jnana.

By birth everyone is Shudra only with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Brahma Gnana it is possible for every Shudra to become a Brahmin. Those who identify themselves as Brahmins caste without Brahmajnana are not Brahmins.

Religion and caste and creed are nothing to do with God. Humanity itself is a religion. Love and peace and equanimity are much necessary to discard the religion and sect which breeds hatred, violence in the name of God and religion.

Remember:~

A Brahmin by birth, a Yogi, a Sanyasi, a Swami, A Sadhu, a monk a wandering ascetic, is not a Gnani. These are all categories belonging to the religious landscape of different ideologies.

Manduka Upanishads: - It is very difficult to find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.

A Gnani cannot have the idea of renouncing the world or giving up something of the practical world, because that would connote the idea of duality. Duality is merely an illusion from the ultimate standpoint. Knowing no second thing at all there remains nothing to be given up.

If a seeker after truth receives the words of wisdom from some source, that seeker must pay the source due respect and gratitude to get the grace of the Soul.

One does not become a Gnani by one’s matted hair. Nor does one become a Gnani by one’s clan. Even one’s birth in priest caste will not make a Gnani. One has to realize the Truth by acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The matted hair and religious robes belong to the religion. Religion is based on the false self (ego) within the false experience (world).

The one who has realized the Self is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul knows the religious robes and matted coiled hair is nothing to do with the Soul, the Self.

The seeker who has realized the Soul alone is real and the world in which he exists is an illusion is worthy of the Advaitic Gnana.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana frees the Soul, the Self from experiencing the illusory experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana makes the Soul, the Self unburdened and puts down the illusory load of the form, time, and space.

Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana the Soul, the Self gets disengaged from the bonds of the illusory form, time, and space in which was imprisoned.

A Gnanis's attention is fixed on the Soul and he sees the illusion as the consciousness, the one without the second. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

It is erroneous to identify the Soul the Self as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul the Self is not human because the Self is Spirit’.+

When you are the false self within the false experience then what is the use of saying I AM THIS or I AM THAT.

The Self is not HE or SHE. Identifying Soul, the Self as I AM is an error because the Soul, the Self is genderless. The Soul, the Self is genderless because it is ever nondual.

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

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

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’- without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality? Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. If the ‘Self’ is not you then what is the use of you saying ‘I AM THIS ‘or 'I AM THAT' because you are the false self within the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

First, realize the 'Self' is not the ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul, the witness of the ‘I’. Till you hold the ‘I’ as the Self you are in the prison of ignorance.

Some gurus declared the ‘I’ as the Self is in the past. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: their teaching does not lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth or Brahman which is revealed in the clear reflection of the soulcentric reason.

All the teachings are good in the elementary stages of the pursuit of truth but in advanced stages, the seekers will find they are inadequate and useless to reach the ultimate end of understanding. The seeker has to do his homework to understand, assimilate and realize the Nondualistic or Advaitic truth.

People are stuck to some Gurus and their ‘I’ centric teaching gets stuck permanently to the cage of ignorance thinking their Guru is sacred and their Gurus teaching as final. Such acceptance leads only to hallucination.

You, your body, and the world in which you exist are within the dualistic illusion, which is present in the form of the ‘I’.

Realize you are not you, your body is not the body the world in which you exist is not the world but they are all made of single clay. That single clay is the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness

Those Gurus who propagated the ‘Self’ within the body erred. This mistake has to be rectified to realize the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of the consciousness, is the fullness of consciousness. By emotionally sticking to these ’I’-centric gurus and their teachings you will remain permanently in the domain of ignorance.

Because of ignorance, you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to you, you are born in it later on. The ‘I’ is inborn ignorance cause of experiencing the world in which you exist as a reality whereas the world in which you exist is a dualistic illusion.

Whatever belongs to dualistic illusion is bound to be an illusion. So, your experience of birth, life, death, and the world is bound to be an illusion.

Everyone is holding some teaching or teacher or their accepted truth as a yardstick. All the accumulated egocentric knowledge is inadequate or useless in unfolding the mystery of the mind or universe.

The ‘I’ is inborn samskara or conditioning, because of this inborn samskara or conditioning one has accepted the ‘I’ as the ‘‘Self’’, he is ignorant of the fact that the ‘I’ itself’ is the cause of ignorance.

Because of this ‘I’ he has accepted illusion as a reality. Therefore, there is a need to realize ‘what is this ‘I’?’ in actuality. Without knowing ‘what is this ‘I’?’ in actuality it is impossible to unfold the hidden truth which is beyond 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 innermost Self. ‘

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. Without the ‘I’ the mind ceases to exist.

The mind is present when the universe is present. Without mind, the universe ceases to exist.

The universe is present only when the waking is present. Without the universe, the waking ceases to exist.

So, without the ‘I’ the mind or universe or the waking ceases to exist.

From the standpoint of the Soul is the ‘Self’, the ‘I’ the mind or universe or the waking cease exists as a reality.

The Soul is the ‘Self’ that can remain with or without the ‘I’.

Slowly but surely you must imbibe the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space by realizing that form, time and space are one in essence.

When you enthrone the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness in your subconscious, you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusory play of the consciousness.

Consciousness is ‘One’, and all divisions of form, time, and space are illusory. Be established in this Advaitic Truth, which is eternal. : ~Santthosh Kumaar 

As per the Ish Upanishad: ~ Those who worship Gods and Goddesses go into deeper darkness because they seek rewards for their worship.+

Isa Upanishads says: ~ By worshipping Gods and Goddesses and going to the world of Gods after death is of no use. The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend the same time moving forward toward Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non-dual destination by glorifying gods and goddesses, and by doing that, one goes deeper and deeper into darkness. It surely indicates the fact that the seeker of truth has to drop worshiping god and goddess in order to get Self-knowledge.

Ish Upanishads: ~

MANTRA 10

Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping Gods and Goddesses. By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spent there is wasted because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Avidya is Karma and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other.

Ishopanishad: ~ “They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God (Athma) and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery."

When Upanishads themselves say they are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the all-pervading God (Atman) and those who worship things born of matter (illusion) are sunk deeper in misery then why worship God in place of the real God, which is Ataman.

The dualistic worship of personal “Gods” 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.

As per the Ish Upanishad: ~ Those who worship Gods and Goddesses go into deeper darkness because they seek rewards for their worship.

That is why Sage Goudpada says that:~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

This clearly indicates that religion, which is based on individual conduct, prescribes karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, therefore religion is for the lower intellect. And wisdom is for those who are capable of inquiring into their own existence.

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

Prohibition of idol worship in Yajurveda: ~

Yajur Veda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.

Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)

Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure" (Chapter 40, Verse)

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Remember:~

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

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 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 believe and worship in place of real God.

Rig Veda: ~"Say this, all one God in many names" (Rigveda, book 1, Hymn 164, Verse 46)

Rig Veda: ~ Do not worship anyone besides God in truth alone, praise God in truth alone" (Book 8, Hymn 1, Verse 1)

Rig Veda: ~ Praise God in truth would matchless and alone" (Book 6, Hymn 45, Verse 16)

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth, Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.:

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth of God in truth. The ultimate truth itself is God in truth.

Those whose intelligence has been stolen by ignorance worship demigod

Prayers imply duality. Prayers and sacrifices belong to a premature stage of development.

By praying to the Spirit, the Self is not realized.

A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

You are the birth entity. Your existence is limited to form, time and space.

Your religion, your religious Gods your beliefs, your religious rituals and prayers, your race, and your nationality are nothing to do with the Soul, the ‘Self’ because the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness itself is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

It is not you have to establish in consciousness but by realizing you, and your experience of the world is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness Self-awareness raise in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

Mentally reduce the world in which you exist into consciousness by realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness. If everything is consciousness then how can anything exist which is not consciousness?

When the conviction about consciousness becomes firm, everything falls into the right position.

Self-realization is very much necessary to realize the world is an illusion.

Until and unless you realize the Self is not you but the Self is the Soul Self-realization is impossible.

God is not in any mosque, temple, or church. The religious Gods are not God in truth.

The dualistic worship of "God” only for the ignorant populace and Advaitic wisdom, unfolds the mystery of the real God.

Lord Krishna himself 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.

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)

It proves that the all-pervading Atman, which is present in the form of consciousness, is God. Thus, worshipping the form-based Gods is meant for the ignorant populace who are incapable of realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. :~Santthosh Kumaar