Unless you know the difference between the Self and yourself you remain ignorant of the 'Self' hidden by the ‘I’.+

How can you watch the Self without realizing yourself is not the Self because you are the ego?

Holding yourself as the Self is holding the ego as the Self. Yourself is limited to you whereas the real Self is unlimited because it is ever nondual. Holding yourself as the Self is a great error.

Unless you know the difference between the Self and yourself you remain ignorant of the 'Self' hidden by the ‘I’.

Yourself is the ego and the real ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is nothing to do with yourself and the world in which you exist.

It is impossible to eliminate the ego. You cannot go beyond the ego because you are the ego. The ego is the very basis of the world in which you exist. It is impossible to eliminate the ego.

Remember: ~

People talk of getting rid of the ego but it is impossible to get rid of the ego. The ego is the very basis of form, time, and space. Without the ego, form, time, and space cease to exist. Without the form, time, and space the world in which we exist ceases to exist.

Thus, a perfect understanding of ‘what is what'- is required to get rid of ignorance. Without getting rid of the ignorance the form, time, and space prevail as a reality.

One has to get rid of ignorance, not the ego because the ego is the product of ignorance.

Just by saying let there be ‘oneness’ the diversity will not vanish. Without the Advaitic wisdom, ignorance will not vanish. Without getting rid of the ignorance, the dualistic illusion or Maya (the world in which you exist) prevails as a reality.

Trying to get rid of the ‘ego’ is like trying to get mangoes from a coconut tree. The truth is not imagination. Ornamental words may give satisfaction to a certain mindset but it blocks one from realizing the ‘Self’ hidden by ignorance.

The ultimate truth is the fullness of consciousness. There is nothing apart from consciousness, because, the whole universe is nothing but consciousness. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

Sage Sankara is the final authority on Advaitic wisdom. Self-realization is very simple. We make it complicated by mixing diverse theories, different teachings.+

Sage Sankara is the final authority on Advaitic wisdom. Self-realization is very simple. We make it complicated by mixing diverse theories, different teaching of different gurus different ideologies, religion, and yoga.

All our accumulated knowledge is the greatest hindrance in the pursuit of truth. To realize the truth beyond form, time, and space, one must have the courage of Buddha. Buddha got enlightenment only after dropping the religion, Vedas, and the concept of God.

To realize the simple truth there is no need to go from one mountain to another, one Ashram to another or worship the Godmen or Guru as a God, or convert from one faith to another. The truth is universal. Anyone can realize it if has an intense urge.

There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. In the world in which we exist, all our thoughts, words, beliefs, and experiences are nothing but consciousness. Realizing the consciousness is everything, is truth realization or Self-realization or God-realization.

Sage Sankara: ~ ‘Reality can be realized only with the eye of understanding, not just by a scholar. What the moon is like must be seen with one's own eyes. How can others do it for you?"~Vivekachoodamani

When ignorance vanishes and the dualistic illusion (world) you used to think as reality becomes unreal.

Remember:~

Sage Sankara was criticized for his views on Maya (illusion) without understanding him.

Sage Sankara said: ~

(1) Brahman (Atman) is real.

(2) The universe is unreal,

(3) Brahman is the universe.

He did not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the ‘Self’ and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self. Hence Maya or illusion and reality are one and the same.

The dualists criticize the concept of illusion without understanding it. He said:~

(1) Consciousness (Atman) is real

(2) The universe or mind is unreal

(3) Consciousness is the universe because the universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

One need not stop at the second because the third explains the other two. It signifies that the universe is real if perceived as the Self (Atman or consciousness) and unreal if perceived as apart from the Self (consciousness). Hence illusion and reality are one and the same because both are one in essence.

Realizing the essence, which is consciousness as the Self, is Self-Realization or Truth-Realization of God- Realization. Thus, Sage Sankara‘s declaration is the rational truth, scientific truth, and also the ultimate truth.

Many of the seekers from the west are not even aware of the fact that without Sage Sankara there is no Advaita and they think the ‘I-centric Gurus and their half-baked teaching as Advaita. Such seekers emotionally and sentimentally believe that their accepted guru and their Gurus teaching as ultimate and remain in the prison of ignorance.

Such a mindset is not fit to acquire the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara. :~ Santthosh Kumaar

There is no higher or lower Self. There is only one Self which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by religion. Self-discovery is the only way, toward the non-dualistic absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence.

There is no higher or lower Self. There is only one Self which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The world in which we exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, the Soul alone is real and all else an illusion. Mentally hold on to the Soul and drop the illusion. And rest in the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Realizing the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul as the Self is Self-realization. Realizing the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul as the Self is Self-realization.

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

Sage Sankara says ~ 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.

The scriptures and theories and teaching based on the ego are not a yardstick. Using them as a yardstick to understand and assimilate the truth will lead one towards the pursuit of arguments.

The seeker of truth has to discover on his own, the truth of his true existence by inquiring “what is mind?” and “what is the substance of the mind?” and move forward.

The ultimate truth is one without the second, the one is not in the sense half or two, but the one that remains forever One, without the second. Consciousness is all-pervading. There is nothing that is not consciousness.

Consciousness is in everyone, consciousness is in everything. Consciousness is one behind many.

The consciousness alone is. It means the universe is the visible form of consciousness.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself.

If the world is unreal then the form, time, and space are unreal. If the form, time, and space are unreal. The past present and future are unreal. Without the past and future, there is no present. The past, present, and future are one in essence. The essence is consciousness.

The present cannot be bifurcated from the past and future. Every present moment is becoming the past running towards the future. The past, present, and future belong to time. Time ceases without form and space.

Form, time, and space are one in essence. Thus, without knowing the essence, which is consciousness (Soul), the ‘Self’, it is impossible to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

In Spirituality or Adyathma, Self means existence. The real existence is without the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is merely an illusion.+

If you limit the Self to 'you' alone Self-realization is an impossibility, because, the Self pervades the whole universe.

If you limit the Self to 'you' alone then Self-realization is an impossibility, because, the Self pervades the whole universe.

Erwin Schrödinger, physicist: ~ Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular. Not only has none of us ever experienced more than one consciousness, but there is also no trace of circumstantial evidence of this ever happening anywhere in the world. If I say that there cannot be more than one consciousness in the same mind, this seems a blunt tautology — we are quite unable to imagine the contrary...

In Spirituality or Adyathma, Self means existence. The real existence is without the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is merely an illusion.

The Soul, the Self is all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as the 'Self' other than consciousness.

The Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness is the real existence. And the ‘I’ is the dualistic illusion, which appears and disappears.

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

Do not make the mistake of holding the Self as ‘I’ because it is not permanent. ‘I’ appears and disappears.

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

‘I’ is an illusion and the Soul, the witness of the ‘I’ is real and eternal. The Soul ‘appears as ‘I’ and ‘I ’‘disappear as the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The ‘I’ hides Soul, the Self.

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.

Self is not Selfless 'Self'.

The Self is the Soul, which is without the ‘I’. The Self is not within you because the Self is not the body. The ‘self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness that pervades everything and everywhere in the universe.

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).

If the Self is not you, then why do you think the Self is within you? Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that; you and the world are within The Soul, the Self. Perfect understanding and assimilation lead to Advaitic Self-awareness.

Remember: ~

First, realize the ‘Self is not within you. You are bound by the experience of birth, life, death, and the world whereas the ‘Self' is birthless and deathless because it is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is the cause of the world in which you exist and it, itself is uncaused.

Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. From the standpoint of the Soul, the innermost Self the world in which you exist is merely an illusion. Thus, the world in which exists hides the Soul, which is the real God.

Till you think the ‘Soul, the Self is within you, you will never be able to realize God. God is not limited to you but it pervades in everything and everywhere in the world in which you exist.

You are with the body. You are born in this world. You are living in this world and you are going to die in this world. The world itself is an illusion.

When the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness then what is the use of discussing the birth, life, death, and the world because the one which is born, lives and dies is not the ‘Self.

The Soul is birthless and deathless because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

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 then everything falls into the right slot.

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 an impossibility.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

When the Self is realized then the falsity of the religion and its idea of God and heaven and hell and sin and karma is exposed.+

When the Self is realized then the falsity of the religion and its idea of God and heaven and hell and sin and karma is exposed.

Religion is a prison of ignorance. People who follow it are locked up in ignorance. God in truth is not what people who believe and worship.

The belief or faith-based is not God in truth.

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

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. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

The Religions are based on personal God whereas 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). God is above all needs and desires. God is always the Witnessing Subject. God can never become an object as God is beyond the reach of the senses. God is non-dual, one without a second. God has no other besides it. God is destitute of difference, either external or internal. God cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. God cannot be distinguished from any other than God. In God, there is not distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constituted the very essence or Svarupa of God, and not just God's attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

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.

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

Only the path of wisdom leads the seeker of truth on his journey to the ultimate realization of the true nature of the Universal Essence, which is the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

Remember:~

Bhagavad Gita: 7: 19:~ "Such a man who has attained true knowledge, the knowledge of Self, the knowledge of Atman, worships ‘Self’ as~ Atman (Godin truth) alone exists~ everything is Atman, there exists nothing except Atman. Such a man is extremely rare."

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 ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists.

Even The 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.

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

Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious Gods are dependent on the Soul for their existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

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

Constant remembrance of the nature of God leads to Self-awareness, which itself is God-awareness.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The ‘I’ is not an individual because the ‘I’ is the whole universe.+

As you cross the ‘I’ and get to the other side and once you are on the other side of the ‘I’ is the reality, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Realize that the ‘I’ is an illusion. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is nothing to do with the ‘I-centric Gurus and their teaching.

Remember:~

The ‘I’ is not an individual because the ‘I’ is the whole universe.

Limiting the ‘I’ to individuality is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion a reality.

The nature of the ‘I’ is the nature of the mind.

The nature of the mind is the nature of the universe.

The nature of the universe is the nature of the waking.

The nature of waking is the nature of the illusion.

Thus, it is necessary to study the nature of the ‘I’ to unfold the mystery of the universe.

All the teachings limit the ‘I’ to an individual and glorify the ‘I’ without knowing what this ‘I’ supped to be in actuality.

All ‘I-centric' teachings are inadequate and useless for the serious seeker of truth.

If you are seeking truth nothing but the truth then you must discard the 'I-centric teachings without mercy in order to progress in your spiritual quest.

The seeker must know the ‘I’ is not limited to individuality. The seeker has to see the ‘I’ as the universe, in order to overcome ignorance.

When the Advaitic wisdom dawns, then ignorance vanishes. When ignorance vanishes and the dualistic illusion (world) you used to think as reality becomes unreal.

Remember:~

Without realizing the falsity of the ‘I’, it is impossible to realize the ‘Self' hidden by the ‘I’.

The ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is without form, time, and space.

The ‘Self is not the ‘I’ because ‘I’ is present only within the domain of form, time, and space.

If the ‘Self is not the ‘I’ then what is the use of saying ‘I AM THIS’ or ‘I AM’ THAT there is no individual to say ‘I AM THIS’ or ‘I AM THAT'.

The Soul is without the ‘I' because it is without form, time, and space.

Do not stick to the ‘I’. Stick to the Soul, which is the cause of the ‘I’ and it itself is uncaused. The Soul is the ‘Self’.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman. The ‘I’ is merely an illusion.

If you stick to the ‘I’ then you are sticking to the illusion. If you stick to the Soul then you are sticking to the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

The Soul is permanent and the ‘I’ is impermanent.

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’. is no need to convince such a mindset.

The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Mastering the Vedas the Upanishads and the other scriptures and mastering the Sanskrit language do not a qualifies one to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

Many people believe by accumulating mastering the knowledge from the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the other scriptures and mastering the Sanskrit language makes one a Gnani.

The scholars who mastered the knowledge of the Vedas the Upanishads and the other scriptures and mastered the Sanskrit language looked upon other people as ignorant or as illiterate. The religious scholars think people who have no knowledge of Vedas, the Upanishads, and the other scriptures and do not know the Sanskrit language are not qualified for higher truth. 

Mastering the Vedas the Upanishads and the other scriptures and mastering the Sanskrit language do not a qualifies one to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

These religious scholars immersed in ignorance in various ways, flatter themselves, saying: We have accomplished life's mission. Because these performers of karma do not know the Advaitic Gnana owing to their accumulated knowledge they will never be able to cross the ocean of dualistic illusion. 

Sage Sankara strongly advocated the study of Upanishads, and at the same time cautioned that the study of Upanishads alone would not lead to moksha. In matters such as spiritual attainment, one’s own realization was the sole authority and it cannot be disputed

Sage Sankara also said a study of Upanishad was neither indispensable nor a necessary prerequisite for attaining the human goal, the moksha.

Sage Sankara pointed out; that even those who were outside the Upanishad fold were as eligible to moksha as those within the fold were. He declared that all beings are Brahman, and therefore the question of discrimination did not arise. All that one was required to do was to get rid of ignorance (Avidya or duality).

Sage Sankara:~ VC-58- Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

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?

Advaitic Wisdom will not arise by accumulating knowledge from Gurus and books

Advaitic Wisdom dawns only when you realize the fact that the ‘Self’ is not you but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Whatever is based on you is bound to be an illusion, because your existence is a reality within the domain of the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Whatever is based on the Soul is the reality, because the Soul is the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The Soul is the fullness of consciousness, without the division of form, time, and space.

If you are seeking truth then you have to accept the truth whatever is based on you as illusory in order to realize the ‘Self’. The Soul is the cause of the illusory world in which you exist. Thus, the illusion hides the truth.

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: ~ “Brahman is the truth the world is unreal everything is truly Brahman and nothing else has any value.

The 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.

Sage Sankara says - VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere book-knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as one does not give up the false 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.

Ignorants are not spiritually mature they receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Ignorants indulge in argument and provocation and personal attack, which hinders 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, to realize, himself “What is the truth, “and “What is untruth?” to assimilate Self –Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. My postings are only signposts.

The seeker needs to reflect constantly on the subject until 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 do 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 do you indulge in studying philosophy?

Sage Sankara says: ~ There is no need to indulge in rituals, in order 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, in order 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 to a Guru who is not a Gnani?

Sage Sankara says ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false leads to 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. The 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 the 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 beyond form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar