By criticizing the religion religious God, religious Gurus, and religious rituals wisdom will not dawn.

The seekers' aim is to discover and realize the truth not to indulge in condemning or criticizing the religion. The seeker must know the falsity of the religion and yoga for his own information.

The seeker must know that religion has nothing to do with spirituality. Do not mix religion and yoga in spirituality. Religion and yoga are based on myth because religion and yoga are based on blind belief, not truth.

Spirituality is based on the Spirit the God in truth.

The Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit.

So, the religious Gods are not God in truth but they are based on imagination by the founders of the religion.

The seeker has to realize that religion religious God, religious Gurus, and religious rituals are not the means to acquire Self-knowledge.

There is no need to indulge in criticizing the religion, religious God, religious Gurus, and religious rituals but there is a need to realize, that the religion, religious Gods, and Gurus are meant to serve the ignorant populace. They are not the means to Self-realization.

The religion, religious God, religious Gurus, and religious rituals have nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. The religion religious God, religious Gurus, and religious rituals are a great hindrance in realizing the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

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.

There is a need to drop ignorance. Once ignorance is dropped then one becomes aware of judging ‘what truth is, and what is the untruth.

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. (Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ This Atman cannot be attained through the 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 )

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.

Religion, the concept of an individualized God, and scriptures are the greatest obstacles 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 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, tracing the Brahman which is the formless substance, and witness of the universe, which is in the form of the mind. By tracing the source of the mind or the universe, one will be able to realize the Brahman or God in truth.

Self-knowledge is meant only for those who have an intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth. Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get a firm conviction.

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom. The path of wisdom is the only means. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar