In Advaita (non-duality) there can be no place for an individual, personal gods, and the universe.+

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immerse themselves in a ritualistic-oriented lifestyle and follow the path of karma and Upasana which is meant for lower and middling intellect and not for realizing the Advaitic truth.

Many chose these orthodox scholars as their gurus. But these gurus are good to learn the conceptual Advaita meant for those Orthodox who believe their conduct-oriented lifestyle leads to Moksha [liberation]. the religious-based Advaita is not the means to acquire Self–knowledge or nondual wisdom.

Those who are seeking the truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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.

Remember:~

In Advaita (non-duality) there can be no place for an individual, personal gods, and the universe.

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman 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 besides 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 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.

Isa Upanishads indicates that: ~ “ 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 God 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 Upanishad says: ~ people who do not try to attain Self-knowledge. They are, in a real sense, committing suicide, for what can be worse than being a slave to sense enjoyment, completely oblivious of the real purpose of life, which is to be one’s, own master?

Remember:~

With Knowledge of the Soul, the Self Self, Ignorance will entirely disappear, leaving no room for duality.

Whenever the seeker finds leisure time he should think of the Soul to such an extent that there remains no room for any other thought except the Soul's continual remembrance until the Soul wakes up from its sleep of ignorance. This should be done with 100 percent earnestness.

As long as there is the sense of "I' and "mine' within us, there can be no ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

When one says 'I' or me' and "mine' he automatically identifies the ‘Self’ with his body. This shows that he is ignorant of the real ‘Self’. The Soul is the real 'Self' hidden by the 'I'.

The Soul or consciousness is without the division of form, time, and space. Consciousness is the cause of the universe and it itself’ is uncaused.

The sign of an ignorant person is in the way he uses the words "I'. He says: "I am so and so. I own this much property,' and so on.

Thus, he always remains ignorant without realizing that ‘I’ itself’ is ignorance.

The ‘I’ is not limited to the physical body because ‘I’ is the whole universe.

Therefore, without realizing what this ‘I’ is, ignorance will prevail as reality? If ignorance prevails as a reality then form, time and space will prevail as a reality.

If form, time, and space remain as a reality then birth, life, death, and the world will prevail as reality.

If birth, life, death, and the world prevail as a reality then duality will prevail as a reality.

If duality prevails as reality then the three states prevail as a reality. Thus, the seeker needs a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ in order to come out of the prison of ignorance. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar