From a Vedic perspective, Lord Krishna has been just a Mahan yogi and not God himself.+

From a Vedic perspective, Lord Krishna has been just a Mahan yogi and not God himself because Rig Veda says:~ May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?"

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, that 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 as God accepted other than consciousness.

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

Hinduism is not a Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. Hindus do idol worship, while Vedas bar idol worship. God pervades everything and everywhere in all three states.

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

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

To be considered an orthodox Hindu one need only accept the authority of Shruti, however, there is no universal agreement among Hindus on what constitutes Shruti. Vedantins consider the Vedanta, i.e., the Upanishads as Shruti but also include the Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras as authoritative. For some Vaishnavas, the Bhagavata Purana is to be considered Veda. Some consider the Tantras to be Veda. Thus we find that there is ample scope for different philosophies and practices under the very broad umbrella of Hinduism. Hindus indulge non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All of these lack Vedic sanctions, therefore, Hinduism is not an Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

All Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practices barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at different times, whereas the Vedic religion, or Santana Dharma is ancient and has no founder.

To acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the seeker has to realize his inherited religion is adulterated in the past and it becomes a great obstacle is realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The seeker's aim is the search for the Ultimate Truth or Brahman. The search to find the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth that in actuality never was lost, only hidden.

Upanishad aspiration is best expressed in the following sutra:-

OM Asato ma sad gaMaya, tamaso ma jyotir gaMaya, mrityor ma aamritaam gaMaya. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

"OM Lead me from ignorance to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. Peace, Peace, Peace" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (1/3/28)).

The belief system was coherent because they had a transcendent God as a central doctrine, whereas in the realm of truth, a religious God with form and name cannot be considered as a cause of the universe because the Soul, the Self is the cause of the universe.

First, one should not hold a God as the center of existence without verification. Both the theist and atheist are theories, with nothing to do with ultimate truth or Brahman.: ~Santthosh Kumaar 

What is this ‘I’, which comes and goes? Instead of inquiring ‘Who am ‘I’? realize that ‘I’ itself is an illusion.+

What is this ‘I’, which comes and goes? Instead of inquiring ‘Who am ‘I’? realize that ‘I’ itself is an illusion.

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

If you use the word ‘I’ from the Soul you will never be able to realize the truth, which is beyond the ‘I’. Beyond the ‘I’ means beyond the form, time, and space.

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.

The means of attaining Self-realization for the acquisition of final liberation, the serious seeker should constantly reflect on the nature of the mind, which is present in the form of ’I’.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

The indifference with which one treats the excreta of an animal – such an indifference to the three states from the realm of the Soul, the Self because of their impermanent nature, is called pure dispassion.

Consciousness the formless substance and witness of the three states itself is alone permanent, the three states (seen) are opposed to it that is transient – such a settled conviction is truly known as discrimination.

Turning away the focus of attention completely from the three states to the formless substance and witness of the three states with lots of patient endurance will help the seeker to establish in the Soul, which is the true Self.

Through Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, one can be free from the bonds of this world that is - birth, life, and death.

To acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana seekers must have a burning desire.

Only that person who has an intense urge and courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth and is ready to drop all the pre-conceived ideas derived from the accumulated knowledge.

The seeker must be ready to accept only uncontradictable truth is qualified to indulge in the pursuit of truth.

The seeker has to learn to view and judge the worldview on the base of the Soul, the Self.

Seeker of truth should constantly reflect with a view to attaining Knowledge, desiring his own good.

Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is not brought about by any other means other than inquiry, analysis, and reasoning on the true base, just as an object is nowhere perceived (seen) without the help of light.: :~Santthosh Kumaar

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

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

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 in the past. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: their teaching does not lead to the realization of the 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 Guru's 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 are erred. This mistake has to be rectified to realize the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul, the Self 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 a 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, and 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 the 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 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 a 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 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 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 

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.+

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the Vedas and other scriptures to acquire non-dual wisdom. That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of god, and scriptures.

Therefore, there is no use in taking the strain to understand and assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy through their excessive analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusion if one tries to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through the scriptures.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, something which is detrimental to our spiritual progress.

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality 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)

That is why Bhagavan Buddha said:-

Believe nothing because a wise man said it,

Believe nothing because it is generally held.

Believe nothing because it is written.

Believe nothing because it is said to be divine.

Believe nothing because someone else said it.

But believe only what you, yourself judge to be true

Swami Vivekananda said: - “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, and none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but  the Soul.”

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 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 Mundaka Upanishad  Upanishads by Nikilanada)

Why follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth without them. 

By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep. 

The mind arises from consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Therefore, there is a need for a perfect understanding of the assimilation of nondual truth.

There is no need to renounce worldly life to get Self-Realization. Any householder can attain it if has the inner urge.

Ashtavkra: - "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.:~Santthosh Kumaar

‘I’-awareness is not Atmic-awareness. ‘I’- awareness is an illusion. Atmic-awareness is real and eternal.+

 ‘I’-awareness is not Atmic-awareness. ‘I’- awareness is an illusion. Atmic-awareness is ‘I’-less awareness, which is real and eternal.

‘I’-less awareness alone will overcome the illusion. Ignorance is the cause of experiencing the illusion as reality. Only Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana leads to Atmic-awareness.

Limiting 'I' to a waking entity is the main hurdle in the pursuit of truth. Therefore it is necessary for the seeker of truth to investigate ‘what is ‘I’, ’ to realize 'I' is not limited to the waking entity (you) but ‘I’ is the mind.

The mind is present in the form of the universe. And the universe appears as a waking or dream. Thus, ‘I’ is form, time, and space together.

When the 'Self; is neither the waking entity (ego) nor 'I', then 'WHO AM 'I'? - inquiry will not yield the full truth because it yields only the fallacy of the form, not time and space.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is the formless substance and the witness of the ‘I’. The 'I' hides the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When one recognizes the fact that, the Soul or consciousness pervades everywhere and in everything in all the three states then that very recognition leads to a total dissolution of ignorance and leads to nondual Atmic-awareness. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Gaudapada: - The non-dual Atman is realized when the individual self (jiva) is awakened from its ignorance.+

Sage Gaudapada: - The non-dual Atman is realized when the individual self (jiva) is awakened from its ignorance. Atman is unborn, dreamless, sleepless, and motionless; and is beyond duality. It is cognition at its purest. It is Brahman- Ayam Atma Brahma, this Atma is that Brahma; Thus epitomizing the core of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Gaudapada expands further on these states of consciousness. The Self is AUM. It represents manifest and un-manifest aspects of Brahman. It is the single syllable that symbolizes and embodies Brahman, the Absolute Reality. It is the Pranava that pervades all existence and is our very life-breath.

Vaisvanara in waking state is A the first part of AUM, One, who realizes this, attains his desires.

Teijasa in the dream state is U the second part of AUM. One, who realizes this, attains knowledge.

Prajna in deep sleep is M the third part of AUM, concluding the sounds of the earlier two parts. One, who realizes this, attains a compressive understanding of all.

The Syllable AUM in its entirety stands for the fourth state, Turiya the one beyond the phenomenal existence, supremely blissful and non-dual.

AUM in its integral whole stands for the fourth state which is transcendental, devoid of phenomenal existence; and is the source of all existence. AUM represents the ultimate reality.AUM is thus verily the Self itself. One who realizes this merges into that Self. Meditate on AUM as the Self.:~ Santthosh Kumaar

By activating Kundalini- power one does not get non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom.+

Kundalini Shakti and Self-awareness 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 as 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 

Remember:~

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 the 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 a 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 the absence of 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