Monotheism and polytheism both are religious concepts.+

Monotheism and polytheism both are religious concepts.  Monotheism is the belief in a single God. Polytheism is the belief in multiple Gods. Monotheism and polytheism are based on blind faith or blind belief.

 God in truth is not based on blind faith or blind belief.

To realize  God what is supposed to be in truth Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is very much necessary. 

The mystery of God is hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya. God is one, which is the cause of the universe. The whole universe is created out of the Spirit, which is God in truth. There is no duality in the nature of God in truth, which is the Spirit. 

Oneness is the nature of the Spirit, the God in truth.  The universe becomes an illusion when you realize God in truth.

When you realize God in truth then the illusory nature of the universe is exposed.

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, that which is born out of Spirit is Spirt. Like gold is a permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the universe is born out of Spirit, which is Spirit in its essence.

The Spirit is the ultimate truth or Brahman or  God in truth. God in truth neither comes nor goes, but God in truth exists eternally. The universe, which appears as disappears is merely an illusion. 

Thus, all the form-based Gods are merely an illusion. God is the cause of the universe, and God is causeless.

Why worship God based on the illusory form, time, and space, Self-realization is God- realization, and God-realization itself is the real worship.

People in India believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed.

The Vedas bar polytheism thus, it proves that  Hinduism believes in polytheism is not ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

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

Rig-Veda 1.164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

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

Rig Veda: 1.164.46: ~ Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti” -” The Reality (Truth or God) is One.

Rig Veda 1/164/46: ~ “They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, or the heavenly sunbird Garutmat. The seers call in many ways that which is One; they speak of Agni, Yama, Matarishvan.

Rig Veda 8/58/2: ~ Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways; only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe; only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things. In very truth, the One has become the whole world.

The Upanishads say in effect that: ~If you believe that you are one and God is another you cannot understand Truth.

Religious Gods are based on blind belief.  Gods based on blind belief cannot be considered as the center because, the Soul, the  ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists. Without the Soul, the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity whether man or God there is no truth."

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

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth,  Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth or God in truth.  The ultimate truth itself is God in truth. 

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

Rig Veda says God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of the real God.

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.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares:~ "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 

Understanding the meaning of the scriptures is one of the most difficult and controversial issues among pundits and scholars. +

A donkey with a load of holy books is still a donkey. A person who mastered scriptural knowledge is still a scholar, not a Gnani.

All the interpretation of different scriptural scholars is an arena of conflicting interpretations.

All the scriptural interpretations by the Gurus based on the dualistic perspective and orthodox point of view.

All the gurus of the East and West interpret Advaita from a dualistic standpoint or orthodox point of view and they are still dealing with words, not truth.  It proves that they have not understood the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

 Gnani inwardly atoned in perfect understanding of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Criticism can only arise, disagreement can only happen, and contradictory interpretations can only occur when men have failed to grasp Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.     

It all depends on seekers' capacity to grasp the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara, which is above words and above "interpretation."

Remember that only a few of those who have understood Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom for them contradictory interpretations will never arise.

There will be no two among them, only one. The only test of the correctness of any interpretation of Sage Sankara is whether it tends towards non-duality or not, whether its author has grasped non-duality or not.

Remember:~ 

Understanding the meaning of the scriptures is one of the most difficult and controversial issues among pundits and scholars.

Scriptural scholars have different approaches toward understanding it, comprising the textualistic approach, theological approach, philosophical approach, and Vedantic approach.

These different approaches lead to different and in some cases opposite understandings of the issue.

The orthodox understanding of Advaita is religious meant for the ignorant people who believe their birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

To know God what is supposed to be in truth Advaitic wisdom is very much necessary.

The Secret of God in truth is hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

God in truth is one, which is the cause of the universe. The whole universe is created out of the Spirit, which is God in truth. There is no duality in the nature of God in truth, which is the Spirit.

Oneness is the nature of the Spirit, the God in truth. The universe is an illusion false when you realize God in truth.

When you realize God in truth then the illusory nature of the universe is exposed. Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, that which is born out of Spirit is Spirt. Like gold is a permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the universe is born out of Spirit, which is Spirit in its essence.

The Spirit is the ultimate truth or God in truth. God neither comes nor goes, but God exists always. The universe, which appears and disappears is merely an illusion. Thus, all the form-based Gods are merely an illusion. God is the cause of the universe, and God is causeless.

Why worship God based on the illusory form, time, and space, Self-realization is God-realization, and God-realization itself is the real worship. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The source of the thoughts is the ego.+

Thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists have nothing to do with the Soul, the Self, which is hidden by ignorance.

Those who think by inquiring to whom the thoughts come, from will not be able to realize the ‘Self’ because they are thinking the ‘Self is within their body. 

The ‘Self’ is not within the body but it is hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Thoughts and thinker and the world in, which the thinker exists belong to the dualistic illusion. Without form, time, and space the thoughts will not form. 

Thoughts come to the thinker. The thinker is an individual whereas the ‘Self is not an individual.  

The source of the thoughts is the ego. Without the ego, the thoughts will not arise. Thoughts and thinker and the world in which the thinker exists have nothing to do with the Soul, the ‘Self, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion (I).

You are the thinker. The thoughts come to you. You are bound by form, time, and space whereas The Soul, the Self is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. 

The thoughts will not rise in the domain of the Soul, the ‘Self’ because it is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The thoughts come to the thinker within the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya. Without the dualistic illusion or Maya the thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists cease to exist.

Just by finding out to whom the thoughts come? Who is the knower? it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. 

A perfect understanding of ‘what is what' is what is very much necessary to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

 

Religion is based on the ego whereas Spirituality or Adyathma is based on the Soul, the Self.+

Religion is based on the ego whereas Spirituality or Adyathma is based on the Soul, the Self.

It is very much necessary to know ‘what God is supposed to be according to the Vedas.

It is erroneous to believe something else as God when there is a clear-cut idea of what God is supposed to be in the Vedas.

Personal Gods never existed in the Vedic era. religions claim that their religious God existed in human form is merely an idea based on blind faith or blind belief.

The mythological figures at the center of the religion were simply fictional characters. Mythological Gods are mythical characters is nothing to do with the Vedic God, which is Atma.

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

Do not accept any other God other than the Soul. The Soul is God in truth,

Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Nothing matters but realizing God in truth.

God in truth is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.

Brahman is merely a word to indicate the ultimate truth or God in truth. The ultimate truth itself is God in truth.

Remember:~

Advocates of the mythological Gods theory have been around for centuries, propagating the mythological Gods as real Gods whereas in their own sacred Vedas, there is no other God other than Atma. From the Vedic perspective, all mythological Gods are myths.

Vedas and Upanishads confirm the Soul, the Self, is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Bhagavad Gita: ~ 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 accepted other than consciousness

Religion propagated and led people to believe strongly that the mycological actually existed.

The religion's fictional character is made up to give followers of the religion founded in the name of mythological Gods and Goddesses as icons worthy of their worship.

Even if you come through the Vedas there is no mention of the mythological.

All these mythological Gods are not Vedic Gods. Propagating mythological Gods as Vedic Gods is propagating myth as truth.

In the past mythological Gods were introduced by some saints and founders of castes because people were not capable of an unknown God without a form and attributes.

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

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.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. God in truth is only Atman, the Self’.

In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

Thus, by sticking up to the Gods, which are not God in truth, you are sticking up to the illusion.

Sticking up to illusion means sticking up to ignorance. sticking up to ignorance means you are not qualified to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.:~Santthosh Kumaar

If the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul then from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self:~ Where is the ‘I’?+

If the Self is not ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul then from the standpoint of the Soul, the Self:~

Where is the ‘I’?

Where is the ego?

Where is the body?

Where is the mind?

Where is the world in which you exist?

Where are the form, time, and space?

Where is the waking experience?

Where is the duality?

Where is void?

They are or have become one with the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present only when the world is present. The world is present only when there is a waking experience.

A deeper self-search reveals that the waking experience is not considered different from the world. The world is not considered different from the mind. The mind is not considered different from the I’. This truth has to be assimilated.

The ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. ‘I’ is not the subject. The ‘I’ is an object to the Soul, which is the formless, timeless, and spaceless subject.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the world in which you exist is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then three states, are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the form, time, and space are bound to be an illusion.

If the I’ is an illusion then the individual experience of birth, life, and death is bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the words and thoughts are bound to be an illusion.

If the ‘I’ is an illusion then the duality is bound to be an illusion.

The seeker has to make sure what is this ‘I’ supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’ comes and goes to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

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

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

The ‘I’ hides the Soul, the Self, which is ever nondual.

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 it as real because some Gurus have propagated that the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such mindsets. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

That is why Sage Sankara says: - VC-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.

People refuse to accept anything other than their Guru's words. For them, their Guru's words are the ultimate truth. They do not accept anything else other than their accepted truth. There is no need to convince such a mindset.

Such a mindset is not fit to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The seekers of truth accept only the truth nothing but the uncontradictable truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

In the Atmic path discussion of unimportant subject matter is a great hindrance.+

When there are no doubts and confusion, then they have realized the truth that form, time, and space are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness.

There is no use in wasting time in questioning and arguing at the same time and effort has to be used to make the seeker more independent and without external spoon-feeding, he can reach the inner core, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

In the Atmic path discussion of unimportant subject matter is a great hindrance.

The path of truth is the path of verification. Nothing has to be accepted as truth without verification.

Agreeing to disagree causes unnecessary friction. Truth is very simple but it is very difficult to grasp because of ignorance.

You have to only realize the world in which you exist is created out of a single clay. And that single clay is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Thus, you and your body and the world in which you exist are nothing but consciousness because they are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed. A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work. It is necessary to reflect on the same truth again and again till it becomes a reality.

One needs to constantly reflect on the subject until he gets a firm conviction of what is what. Words are needed until one gets a firm conviction of ‘what is what’. People need to read and hear the words to think reason and reflect deeply and reach the ultimate end. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar