Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “For the 'Self' there is neither bondage nor liberation. The illusion has lost its basis and ceased.+

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “Truly the dualism is the root of suffering. There is no other remedy for it than the realization that all this that we see is unreal and that the Soul, the Self, is the one stainless reality, consisting of the consciousness”. 2:16

The sun, the moon, the stars, planets shine because of the Soul or Spirit. The Soul shines and all things else shine as a result. Everything in the universe reflects but that light of the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. Merely knowing the truth is not enough to escape from the tangle of illusion.

The mind is in the form of the universe. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the universe is merely an illusion. The illusory universe arises from ignorance. Enlightenment comes with detachment from the illusion by realizing the experience of the form, time and space are one in essence.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “The Self is pure awareness though through ignorance the ‘Self' has imagined itself to have additional attributes. By continually reflecting like this, the Self’s dwelling place is unimagined. 2:17

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ “For the 'Self' there is neither bondage nor liberation. The illusion has lost its basis and ceased. Truly all this exists in me, though ultimately it does not even exist in the Self. 2:18

By saying I know the truth; I know Brahman is not wisdom. The Truth is found only in the Unity of understanding which is the knowledge of both the matter and spirit. That is the matter and the spirit is one in essence. And that essence is the Spirit, which is present in the form of the Soul or consciousness.

When one knows matter and spirit together, one has “Gnana or wisdom." One must have the humility to get to the very root of the matter.

Instead of discussing religion, religious Gods, and yoga, the seeker should dive into deeper self-search.

A deeper self-search will reveal that all fault lies because of holding the ‘I’ as the Self. People refuse to accept other than their accepted truth because they have accepted some Gurus’ words or teachings as the ultimate truth.

These perceptions and attitudes block their realization of the Advaitic truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

The seeker must be ready to correct wherever it is necessary accept the truth and drop the untruth. This and a change in their attitude will change their perception of seeing the world from a dualistic perspective to a nondualistic perspective and then the world, in which they exist will never remain as reality again. Same way as a dream becomes unreal when waking takes place, the world, in which they exist becomes unreal when wisdom dawns. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The brilliance shown by Sage Sankara, a man of wonderful genius, a matchless speaker, and an extraordinary dialectician is really a great spectacle in history.+

The brilliance shown by Sage Sankara, a man of wonderful genius, a matchless speaker, and an extraordinary dialectician is really a great spectacle in history. In his time, there was a severe conflict between Buddhism and the atheist Santana Dharma or the Vedic religion of Kumarila Bhatta. Utilizing this opportunity Sage Sankara intervened in the conflict and made use of some concepts and methodology of both the Kumarila Bhatta School and Buddhism to present a new coalition religion before the people.

Sage Sankara gave extraordinary charisma to this religion with the help of his methods of logic and style of exposition. Its influence was so great that both the Bhatta School and Buddhism had to flee from India without leaving a trace. The absence, even today, of a single follower of the Kumarila Bhatta School as well as of Buddhism, is proof enough for the great achievement of Sage Sankara. This indeed is a historical miracle.

One can see in the Santana Dharma or Vedic religion expounded by Sage Sankara a different version of the Kumarila Bhatta School and Buddhism. That is why the tradition of following Kumarila Bhatta's methodology in expounding the Advaita thought at the empirical level gained ground in the Advaita School. Different types of the methodology of Buddhism were absorbed into the Advaita thought, of course, under new labels. There is a very clear similarity between the Vedic religion of Sage Sri Sankara and Buddhism and the Advaita School has given the world a common message. The essence of both schools is:-

The entire world which man perceives is illusionary; it is just an appearance of unreality and there is only one indeterminate and attributeless Sat at the root of this world".

The term Hindu religion is totally a new name that cannot be found in any Indian literature prior to 1794 A.D. Out of the five Indian religions of Buddhism, Jainism, Saivism, Vaishnavism, and Sikhism; Saivism, and Vaishnavism were brought under the Varnashrama principle.

After naming the discriminating principle of casteism of Manu Dharma as Hinduism, the religions of Saivism and Vaishnavism, which were enslaved to the caste-discriminating principles, were given a new name as ‘Hinduism’! Thus, the Hindu religion is different from Santana Dharma or Vedic religion.

The term Hinduism came into existence under British rule. Hinduism is the caste-discriminating principle of Varnashrama Dharma based on the Book of Manu.

After 1750 A.D., Europeans captured certain parts of India and started ruling those areas. The capital of then British India was Calcutta the present-day Kolkata.

The Britishers were duty-bound to administer justice to the people living within their dominion. Thus, they set up courts of justice. They needed laws to administer justice through the courts.

To administer justice to the Christian citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Christian Law, based on Biblical principles.

To administer justice to the Muslim citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Islamic Law, based on Quranic principles. But to administer justice to non-Christian and non-Islamic citizens living in British dominion, there was no law book. This created problems for the Britishers.

As we peep into the annals of the religious history of India we find that Santana Dharma or Vedic religion was not the religion of the Hindus: ~

Every one of the great religions in the world, except our own, is built upon such historical characters; but ours rests upon principles. No man or woman can claim to have created the Vedas. They are the embodiment of eternal principles; sages discovered them.

Santana Dharma or Vedic religion was not the religion of the Hindus, nor were the Vedic people Hindus, nor will the Hindus of today approve the replacement of the term ‘Hinduism’ with Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. None can say exactly when the Aryans became Hindus because neither the name Hindu nor its major beliefs and practices existed in the Vedic times.

To this, one must add the marginal place the Vedic gods occupy in today’s Hindu pantheon. In addition, as we have seen, the Vedas themselves are not attractive to most of today’s Hindus as sacred texts. The Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas, and Manusmriti, may have more to do with the Hinduism of today than the Vedas.

Thus, it is clear that there is no direct ancestry of modern Hinduism traceable in the Vedas, though it does have some influence on it “The Vedic corpus reflects the archetypal religion of those who called themselves Aryas, and which, although it contributed to facets of latter-day Hinduism, was nevertheless distinct”:~Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara says:~ If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.+

Sage Sankara says:~ You must first know what is before you. If you cannot know that, what else can you know or understand? If you give up the external world in your inquiry, you cannot get the whole truth.

Sage Sankara says: ~ V.63 - Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

Sage Sankara: ~VC- All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

The universe is the product of ignorance. The ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

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.

Till you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward ignorance will prevail as a reality. Till ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads to Self-awareness. By holding on to theories one remains in the realm of duality.

You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper Self-search.

Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of dualistic illusion.

To say the universe is an illusion without first examining it and inquiring into its nature thoroughly is to delude oneself. This world is common to every one of us; therefore the seeker of truth must begin his inquiry with it.

It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective world, that he realizes the universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

It is erroneous to believe the general impression is that the universe disappears to a Gnani, that he sees nothing in Samadhi. Only deluded persons will have such an impression? Nothing is destroyed. Only ignorance disappears and the unreal nature of the universe is exposed. The universe which appears as the waking experience is a dualistic illusion or Maya.

A Gnani has the full and firm conviction that the universe is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness in the midst of dualistic illusion. The Soul, Self-being aware of its true nature in the midst of dualistic illusion is called Self-awareness.

The universe or the waking experience will not disappear. It is there always but the unreal nature of the waking experience is exposed in the midst of dualistic illusion through Advaitic wisdom. :~Santthosh Kumaar

By doing or not doing the ignorance will not vanish.+

By doing or not doing the ignorance will not vanish. By simply saying this and that nothing is gained a perfect understanding of ‘what is what' leads to Self-awareness.

Do not hold the ‘Self’ as ‘I AM’. ‘I AM’ is a dualistic prison. Realize the Self is the Soul, which is free from the sense of ‘I AM’.

If hold the ‘Self’ as ‘I AM then you permanently remain in ignorance of your true existence, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I AM’ represents form, time, and space whereas the Self is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul is not within your body but the Soul pervades the whole world in which you exist.

Those gurus who think the ‘Self’ is within the body propagated the Self is to be ‘I AM and they also propagate consciousness is limited to the physical body. These Gurus think consciousness is not permanent because it disappears along with physical death.

When the Self is not the body but the Soul, which is birthless and deathless how can you relate the ‘’Self’ to the Soul, which is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The ‘I-centric’ teachings are mere imagination based on a dualistic perspective whereas the truth is based on the nondualistic perspective.

Don’t bother about anything other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Stick to the Soul, the ultimate truth, or Brahman or God. Mentally don’t let go of your hold on the Soul under any circumstances.

The world in which you exist, your thoughts, and your world are made of single stuff. Knowledge of that single stuff is the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Mentally reduce the world in which you exist into the waking experience and waking experience into mind and mind into consciousness by perfect understating of ‘what is what’.

When you realize’ what is what’ you will realize everything is nothing but consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Advaita is the true nature of existence. The ‘I’ hides the Advaitic reality. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of consciousness, which is Advaita.

Consciousness is Advaita because it is second to none. The world in which you exist is the dvaita (duality) is merely an illusion created out of consciousness, which is Advaita.

The Advaita (Soul) is real and eternal the dvaita (universe) is merely an illusion.

Holding ‘I’ as the ‘Self’ is the cause of ignorance. Realize the ‘I’ is merely an illusion.

Stop identifying the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’. Till you identify the Self as ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ the Soul will remain in the cage of ignorance.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

The ‘I’ is identical to the Soul because ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self.

'I’ is not limited to you because ‘I’ is the whole universe. Without the universe, you do not exist.

Limiting ‘I’ to yourself is a great error. Only ignorant Gurus limit the ‘I’ to the physical entity.

You are not you but consciousness; your body is not the body but consciousness, the world in which you exist is not the world but consciousness.

Everything that is known, seen, believed, and experienced by you is nothing but consciousness then what else remains, which is not consciousness.

There is nothing else to realize other than to realize consciousness alone is, everything else is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

By realizing everything is consciousness, the Advaitic wisdom dawns. Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ leads to Advaitic awareness.

The ‘I’ is identical to the Soul because ‘I’ is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Without the world, in which you exist God alone exists. When God disappears the world, in which you exist appears. The world, in which you exist disappears God appears. Thus, realize the God to be the Soul.

The Soul is the Self. Thus, the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

If you stick to the ultimate truth then the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness. If you realize this truth you will live in this world but not of this world. Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

If the universe is an illusion then you, your religion, your karma, sin, heaven, and hell are bound to be an illusion.+

If the universe is an illusion then you, your religion, your karma, sin, heaven, and hell are bound to be an illusion. Consciousness, which is the cause of the illusory universe alone is real and eternal.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Consciousness is infinite and eternal. Consciousness is an absolute reality that transcends any attempts to explain or comprehend it.

Consciousness is indescribable and indefinable. Consciousness is a perfect being, perfect wisdom, and perfect awareness. Consciousness is the cause of the universe and is the source of the universe.

Consciousness is not different from the universe. Consciousness is not an independent reality. The universe is dependent on consciousness of its existence. From the standpoint of the Soul, the Self, the universe is unreal.

The differences between the universe and the Soul are also unreal and real because the universe is nothing but an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, the world, in which you exist ceases to exist.

Consciousness is self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness because it is the very essence of the one who denies it.

Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs. Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Devotional Gods are mythical Gods. Mythical Gods are not Vedic Gods. Vedic God is Athma, the Spirit.+

The devotional path is the religious path, not the spiritual path. Devotion towards an inherited belief cannot transport the seeker towards the nondual destination.

Devotion is between the person and his belief. The devotion is based on the belief system. The person, who has inherited some belief system, believes in the individualized God and indulges in the devotional path.

Devotional Gods are mythical Gods. Mythical Gods are not Vedic Gods. Vedic God is Athma, the Spirit.

Devotional toward myth produces only myth. Thus, we must have the devotion to exploring God in truth.

The devotion makes one believe that he is a person and God has created this world. Therefore, he believes that he is born in this world and the world existed prior to him, this conviction makes him feel he is the doer. Since he accepts himself as the doer; he will remain ignorant of the true Self, which is the Soul. Ignorance makes him feel the illusion as a reality.

The truth-seeker has to reject the devotional path (Bhakti Marga) if wants to realize the truth beyond form, time, and space.

The path of Bhakti is for the ignorant populace. The only 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.

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

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

Thus, it refers to a formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the innermost ‘Self’ within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false self. Thus Atman or Soul, the ‘Self’ is God in truth.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshipped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains.

There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

It indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false self.

The idea of religion and religious identity is based on the false self (waking). Belief in a personal God will lead one to hallucination. Without realizing the Soul, the Self, all types of meditation keep one in the grip of duality.

That is why Swami Vivekananda: ~ “The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

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

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.

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

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

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)

Remember this:~

Yajur Veda indicates that: ~

They sink deeper into darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc (Yajurveda 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, and bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajurveda 40:9.)

Then why worship and glorify the non-~Vedic Gods in place of Vedic God when Veda bars such activities and also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar