Sage Sankara:~ For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman.+

Maitreyi Upanishad 2:26 says: ~ All those who desire to have salvation without taking several births, should worship God in spirit and truth.

ISH Upanishads: - By Worshiping 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.

It clearly indicates that:- If the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Athma Gnana then why indulge in rituals and glorify the conceptual Gods, Goddesses, and gurus to go into deeper darkness. Instead spend that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal.

Upanishads: ~ They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)

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). 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 description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is no 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.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says:~ "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)

That is why Sage Sankara:~ VC~.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?

Sickness is not cured by saying the word “medicine.” You must take the medicine. Ignorance will not vanish does not come by merely saying the word “God nor by worshiping God of belief. First one must know what God is supposed to be. God must be realized. One must know God in truth.

Perfect undemanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ leads to truth realization, truth realization itself is Self-realization. Self-realization itself is God-realization. God- realization itself is real worship.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Non-duality by sheer reasoning alone.+

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 understand and assimilate.   (Manduka Karika)

Existence is nondual. Nonduality cannot be described through words for all uses of language fail to express it. Nonduality is sought to be indicated by mentally negation of duality (all attributes and characteristics).

Sage Sankara says:~ How can the talk of diversity, dvaita, apply to the Supreme Reality which is one and homogeneous, Advaita? Who has ever observed diversity, dvaita, in the unmixed bliss of the state of profound sleep?

Sage Sankara says only through direct knowledge of non-duality that one be enlightened.

Sage Sankara’s opponents accused him of teaching Buddhism in the garb of Hinduism because his non-dualistic ideals were a bit radical to contemporary Hindu philosophy. However, it may be noted that while the Later Buddhists arrived at a changeless, deathless, absolute truth after their insightful understanding of the unreality of samsara, historically Vedantins never liked this idea.

Although Advaita also proposes the theory of Maya, explaining the universe as a "trick of a magician", Sage Sankara and his followers see this as a consequence of their basic premise that Atman is real. Their idea of Maya emerges from their belief in the reality of Atman, rather than the other way around.

Sage Sankara was a peripatetic orthodox Hindu monk who traveled the length and breadth of India. The more enthusiastic followers of the Advaita tradition claim that he was chiefly responsible for "driving the Buddhists away". Historically the decline of Buddhism in India is known to have taken place long after Sage Sankara or even Kumarila Bhatta (who according to a legend had "driven the Buddhists away" by defeating them in debates), sometime before the Muslim invasion into Afghanistan (earlier Gandhara).

Although today's followers of Advaita believe Sage Sankara argued against Buddhists in person, a historical source, the Madhaviya Shankara Vijayam, indicates that Sage Sankara sought debates with Mimamsa, Samkhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Yoga scholars as keenly as with any Buddhists. In fact, his arguments against the Buddhists are quite mild in the Upanishad Bhashyas, while they border on the acrimonious in the Brahma Sutra Bhashya.

The Vishistadvaita and Dvaita schools believe in an ultimately attributed Atman. They differ passionately with Advaita and believe that his attriubuteless Atman is not different from the Buddhist Sunyata (wholeness or zeroness) — much to the dismay of the Advaita school. A careful study of the Buddhist Sunyata will show that it is in some ways metaphysically similar to Atman. Whether Sage Sankara agrees with the Buddhists is not very clear from his commentaries on the Upanishads. His arguments against Buddhism in the Brahma Sutra Bhashyas are more a representation of Vedantic traditional debate with Buddhists than a true representation of his own individual belief. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

The rituals mentioned in the Karmakanda of Vedas are sought to be negated in the Jnanakanda, which is also part of the same scripture.+

If people have believed in religious propagated myths over thousands of years, the length of time does not prove it true. 

Sage Sankara’s  Brahman or God in truth is impersonal. Worshiping personal Gods is meant for the orthodox people who are ignorant and refuse to accept the truth. 

Sage Sankara pointed out that those rituals could in no way bring about wisdom, much less Moksha.  

The rituals mentioned in the Karmakanda of Vedas are sought to be negated in the Jnanakanda, which is also part of the same scripture. While Karma kand enjoins upon you the worship of various deities and lays down the rules for the same, Jnanakanda constituted by the Upanishads ridicules the worshiper of deities as a dim-witted person no better than the beast.

The path of wisdom is divided into three parts:~

First: hearing the truth--that consciousness is the only reality and that the universe along with you is merely an illusion or Maya.

Second: reasoning upon these words of wisdom of Sage Sankara from all points of view.

Third: giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth. This realization comes from being certain that consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Remember:~

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

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Satyam-Jnanam-Anantam-Anandam is not a separate attribute. They form the very essence of Atman.+

Sage Sankara wrote Bhashyas or commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads, and the Gita. The Bhashya on the Brahma Sutras is called Shareerik Bhasya. Sage Sankara wrote commentaries on Sanat Sujatiya and Sahasranama Adhyaya.

It is usually said, “For learning logic and metaphysics, go to Sage Sankara 's commentaries; for gaining practical knowledge, which unfolds and strengthens devotion, go to his works such as Viveka Chudamani, Atma Bodha, Aparoksha Anubhuti, Ananda Lahari, Atma-Anatma Viveka, Drik-Drishya Viveka, and Upadesa Sahasri”. Sage Sankara wrote innumerable original works in verses that are matchless in sweetness, melody and thought.

Sage Sankara’s supreme Atman is Attriubuteless (without the Gunas), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without attributes), and Akarta (non-agent). He is above all needs and desires. Sage Sankara says, "This Atman is self-evident. This Atman or Self is not established by proofs of the existence of the Self. It is not possible to deny this Atman, for it is the very essence of he who denies it. The Atman is the basis of all kinds of knowledge. The Self is within, the Self is without, the Self is before and the Self is behind. The Self is on the right hand, the Self is on the left, the Self is above and the Self is below".

Satyam-Jnanam-Anantam-Anandam is not a separate attribute. They form the very essence of Atman. Atman cannot be described, because description implies distinction. Atman cannot be distinguished from any other than He.

The objective world-the world of names and forms has no independent existence. The Atman alone has a real existence. The world is only Vyavaharika or phenomenal.

Sage Sankara was the exponent of the  Advaitic wisdom. His  wisdom can be summed up in the following words:

Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya,

Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Aparah

Atman alone is real; this world is unreal; the Jiva is identical to Atman

Sage Sankara preached Vivarta Vada. Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Atman or the Supreme Self. If you get a knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake will vanish. Even so, if you get a knowledge of Atman, the illusion of the body and the world will vanish.

Sage Sankara is the foremost among the masterminds and the giant souls that Mother India has produced. He was the expounder of the Advaita philosophy.

Sage Sankara was a giant metaphysician, a practical philosopher, an infallible logician, a dynamic personality, and a stupendous moral and spiritual force. His grasping and elucidating powers knew no bounds. He was a fully developed Yogi, Jnani, and Bhakta. He was a Karma Yogin of no mean order. He was a powerful magnet.

There is not one branch of knowledge that Sage Sankara has left unexplored and which has not received the touch, polish, and finish of his superhuman intellect.

For Sage Sankara and his works, we have a very high reverence. The loftiness, calmness, and firmness of his mind, the impartiality with which he deals with various questions, and his clearness of expression all make us revere the philosopher more and more. His teachings will continue to live as long as the sun shines.

Sage Sankara's scholarly erudition and his masterly way of exposition of intricate philosophical problems have won the admiration of all the philosophical schools of the world at the present moment.

Sage Sankara was an intellectual genius, a profound philosopher, an able propagandist, a matchless preacher, a gifted poet, and a great religious reformer. Perhaps, never in the history of any literature, a stupendous writer like him has been found. Even the Western scholars of the present day pay their homage and respect to him. Of all the ancient systems, that of Sage Sankara will be found to be the most congenial and the easiest to accept to the modern mindset.:~Santthosh Kumaar

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.+

Some people claim that in Sage Sankara's philosophy, there is no place for a personal God (Ishvara), because Ishvara is also described as "false". He appears as Ishvara because of the curtain of Maya. However, as described earlier, just as the world is true on the pragmatic level, similarly, Ishvara is also pragmatically true. Just as the world is not absolutely false, Ishvara is also not absolutely false. He is the distributor of the fruits of one's Karma. To make a pragmatic life successful, it is very important to believe in God and worship him. On the pragmatic level, whenever we talk about Atman, we are in fact talking about God. God is the highest knowledge theoretically possible at that level. Devotion (Bhakti) will cancel the effects of bad Karma and will make a person closer to true knowledge by purifying his mind. Slowly, the difference between the worshipper Teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon:

The knowledge of one object implies the ignorance of all objects other than that particular object. Ignorance of all objects in deep sleep means really the positive knowledge of the Self, which shines as happiness there. Consequently, the ignorance of the ordinary man in deep sleep is really the knowledge [...]

Remember:~

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage Sankara explains in Manduka Upanishad that those who study the Sutras are religious minds, and intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Sruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God.

Sage Sankara says: Keep the scriptures for children but throw them on the fire for wise seekers.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie; nevertheless, you will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion, and dogmatism, but in the commentary, Sage Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. It is objected that several Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, but a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Remember:~

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie; nevertheless, you will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion, and dogmatism, but in the commentary, Sage Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. It is objected that many Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, but a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

The causality and creation, but are for religious people only. Religion is only for those who are unable to understand the truth beyond form, time, and space.

Religion is not final. It only gives satisfaction to the populace. Self-knowledge is for the whole of humanity to free them from experiencing birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

People of small intelligence follow religion and believe that the world was created by God. But how do they know that He did so? When a pot is created, one can see both the pot and its maker, but not in the case of the world. :~ Santthosh Kumar

If you are seeking truth there is no need to discuss no need to argue, read my blogs and posts and think and reason deeply.+

What is there to discuss argue and exchange opinions? If one is seeking truth there is no need to discuss no need to argue, read think, and reason deeply, then the truth will start revealing itself on its own. Be an independent thinker.

Do not accept anything without verification the seeker should not argue and waste his time. The argument will not yield truth. Only intellectuals argue to exhibit their intellectual wealth.

The intellectual argument is based on ego. The ego-based intellectuality is limited to form, time, and space. The truth you are seeking is based on the Soul.

The Soul is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. Thus, what is the use of egocentric argument in the soulcentric discussion?

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

The wisdom consists in knowing the truth, that everything (mind or physical existence) is consciousness. Freedom (ultimate truth) is always there yet one does not know it. But those whose reason is turned away from physicality and who have attained the serenity of the Soul or consciousness, the Self, are quite near to realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Ashtavakra: ~ Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.

Intellectuals argue, that if everything is the consciousness, how can one give up anything? Can you give up anything? These types of questions are speculation based on the waking entity (ego), which is the false Self within the false experience.

Without knowing the ‘Self is not the form but the ‘Self’ is formless it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

All their speculation is limited to the domain of form, time, and space whereas the truth is beyond form, time, and space. They are incapable of understanding and assimilating truth, which is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. They refuse to verify and they want the truth on their own terms. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

In Self-awareness, whether one has a body with a name whether he lives in the world whether he is action or inaction, it does not make any difference.+

Q:~ Moksha Sangha Just wish to know sir. How do you feel when you end the note with Santthosh Kumaar? Merged in Advaita Self-awareness?

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ In Self-awareness, whether one has a body with a name whether he lives in the world whether he is action or inaction, it does not make any difference.

A Gnani sees reality in the midst of the dualistic illusion. there is no separation of form, time, and space for Gnani even in the midst of separation of form, time, and space.

Advaitic Self-awareness is not yogic samadhis where the yogi sees only blankness. An ignorant thinks there is nothing that exists because of his ignorance.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego and, therefore, experiences birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness even in the midst of the diversity. He sees unity in diversity in the midst of diversity.

Advaitin Sage and Maya:

The King of the Hoysalas was a dualist and was greatly incensed at the doctrine taught by Advaitin Sage that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Advaitin sage to his palace. That Advaitin sage went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world was an illusion. The king had arranged to let loose an infuriated elephant against, Advaitin Sage. The beast rushed at Advaitin sage who took to a precipitate flight to save himself.

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the elephant is only an illusion?'

'Oh, king,' said Advaitin Sage in the course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.

Remember:`

In reality, the Soul and the world in which you exist are one, in essence. Thus, there is no second thing exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness.

Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what,’ leads to a perfect conviction of ‘What is truth?” and ‘What is the untruth?. Perfect conviction of the truth leads to Advaitic self-awareness.

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 Self to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Self-knowledge is not a question-and-answer session. As the seeker digs into old and new posts, he will gradually start understanding and assimilating the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

It is a waste of time to spend time in discussion. Unless the seeker thinks independently by dropping all the accumulated knowledge it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge. Holding any Guru or holy man and his teaching as will not be able to get Advaitic Gnana.

The path of wisdom is the Soulcentric path. Thus, egocentric intellectualism has nothing to do with the truth which is beyond form, time, and space. All accumulated dross leads to hallucination.

Katha Upanishad says:~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Ch II-5 P-14)

Jesus said: ~ “Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ Jesus meant knowledge of the Spirit or God or Self-knowledge should not be shared with unqualified people.

The 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.

Unless the seeker drops all his accumulated knowledge and strives to realize the truth with patience and humility it is not possible to realize the ‘Self’ hidden by the dualistic illusion. In the path of wisdom discussion of the unimportant subject matter, it creates a hindrance.

The path of truth is the path of verification. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification. Seeker has to read umpteen times, think deeply, and reflect repeatedly until his reasoning base becomes Soulcentric. Once he becomes he becomes Soulcentric the truth will start revealing on its own. As the seeker digs into old and new posts, he will gradually start understanding and assimilating the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

We have to discard all accumulated knowledge accumulated from different Gurus and their teachings to realize the truth hidden by ignorance.

That is why Sage Sankara says:~ V C:~65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverse arguments.

The ultimate truth has to be realized first, and then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. A Gnani does not require any scriptures. : ~Santthosh Kumaar