Every seeker of truth must realize the Hinduism is nothing to do with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

This Atman cannot be attained by one who is without strength or earnestness or who is without a perfect understanding of 'what is what'. 

If a seeker strives by discriminating between ‘what is the truth? And what is the untruth?- when the subconscious is receptive and ready then it will start rejecting the untruth and finally, the Soul, the 'Self’ alone will prevail as the ultimate truth or Brahman or God.

Third Mundaka - Chapter 2 (8) - As flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their names and forms, so a wise man, freed from name and form, attains the Atman, who is greater than the Great.

Every seeker of truth must realize that Hinduism has nothing to do with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Many people think Hinduism is the ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic religion but it is not so.

These core beliefs are at odds with those of the Vedas. Many followers of Hinduism translate the Vedas to fit into Hindu thought by changing the translation to reflect the beliefs of monism, reincarnation, the caste system, and the absence of animal and human sacrifice. However, this poor translator.

The word Hindu is derived from the Indo-Aryan and Sanskrit word Sindhu, which means "a large body of water", covering "river, ocean". ... The term 'Hindu' in these ancient records is ethno-geographical and does not refer to a religion. The Arabic equivalent Al-Hind likewise referred to the country of India.

Origin of the word 'Hindu'. Many scholars and historians have concluded that the word 'Hindu' was coined by the ancient invaders who could not accurately pronounce the name of the River Sindhu. According to Sir Monier Williams, the famous Sanskrit lexicographer, the words 'Hindu' and 'India' evidently do not possess.  

Interestingly the word "Hindu" came into existence because of mispronunciation of a Sanskrit word by the ancient Persians some 3000 to 4000 years ago. The word "Hindu" is not a Sanskrit word. It is not found in any of the thousands of native dialects and languages of India. Neither is it a religious word. It is a secular word...

Hindu means nothing. Hindu and the word Hinduism were given by Irani and Persian people who couldn’t pronounce Sandhu, so they called people on opposite sides of the river Sandhu as Hindu & Hinduism was given by Britishers. 

In Reality, Hinduism is not  Sanatana Dharma. People of Hinduism believe in non-Vedic Gods and indulge in non-Vedic rituals barred by Vedas. 

The word 'Hindu' has no meaning actually. Hindu is derived from the word Sindhu in Sanskrit, the historic local name for the Indus River. The word 'Hindu' occurred first as a Persian geographical term for the people who lived beyond the river Indus. Hindu was a geographical term and did not refer to a religion.

Hinduism is based on myths and thus people of India are unaware of the facts of their inherited religious history.

The Vedic system did not have castes system.  The caste system was a fake created in the name of Hinduism. This non-Vedic belief system called Hinduism created hatred in the low caste Hindus for the higher caste. 

Hindu idols or deities or temples have nothing to do with the Vedic Religion. Vedic people ate beef. The Hindu practices of idol worship and temples worship ban on beef eating were introduced many centuries later.

As one peeps into the annals of religious history, he finds that Hinduism which exists today is not a continuation of the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma, and it has no real historical foundation.  Hinduism is of a much later origin.

As per the researchers, the two faiths the Hindu belief system has drifted miles away from the Vedic faith so the two seem to be two distinct faiths. It is not difficult to discover that there is no noticeable continuity of Hinduism from the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

The distinctive characteristics of the Hindu belief system cannot be traced in the Vedic literature. Besides, although the Vedas are revered as sacred texts, many people in India do not know what ‘belief in the Vedas’ means. In most cases, the acquaintance of the Hindus with the Vedas is limited to the few hymns that are recited in temples and household liturgies.

Remember:~

Max Müller says: ~ "The religion of the Veda knows no idols; the worship of idols in India is a secondary formation, a degradation of the more primitive worship of ideal Gods."

Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of Gods and Goddesses whereas in Vedas the God has been described as:-

The Vedic Culture and Vedas are complete in themselves but Hinduism which is the non-Vedic belief system with all its ritual and conduct-oriented practices has been contributed largely by the orthodox priests to suit their convenience!

When we think of Hinduism, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to define Hinduism religion or even adequately describe it. Unlike other religions in the world, Hinduism does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship any one God; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow any one set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion or creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life of a group of caste and creed founded by the different founders and reformers from time to time.   

Hinduism is a non-Vedic belief system founded by many founders and reformers with different ideologies and beliefs, traditions.  Hinduism is not the means to acquire Advaitic wisdom Self-knowledge Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Advaitic wisdom Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is to realize the Vedic God, which is Atman the Self. Realizing Atman as the ‘Self is Self-realization.

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.

Hinduism is not a Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.  Hindus do idol worship, while Vedas bars idol worship.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedic people 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.

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

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

How can you worship God? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshipped, whereas God is non-dual. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as a part.

All the belief-based religion breeds superstition because religion is based on blind belief.

Swami Vivekananda: ~ “If superstition enters, the brain is gone. Superstition is our great enemy, but bigotry is worse.

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)

Hinduism is not a Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.  Hindus do idol worship, while Vedas bars idol worship.

When the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma knows no idols then why so many Gods and goddesses with different forms and names are being propagated as Vedic Gods. Why these conceptual Gods are introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes. 

Hindus do idol worship, while Vedas bars idol worship.   According to Vedas, God is Athma, which pervades in everything and everywhere.

People, who worship the belief in religious ideas of God, are hallucinating that they become one with such God because they believe the false God is the real God. 

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 ideologies,   philosophies, and practices under the very broad umbrella of Hinduism.

Hindus indulge in non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All these lack Vedic sanction, therefore, Hinduism is not an Ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

Vedic people ate beef whereas the Hindus do not eat beef.  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. All these 60 million Gods are non-Vedic Gods based on their beliefs.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship; the followers of Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma never worshipped idols. Thus, all the Puranic Gods worshipped with form and attributes are not Vedic Gods.

Hinduism is not a Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.  Hindus do idol worship, while Vedas bars idol worship.

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

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the   ‘Self’.

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)

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.

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

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

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

Chandogya Upanishad says: ~   Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality. 

One must remember that for all periods the Vedas are the final goal and authority, and if the Puranas differ in any respect from the Vedas, the Puranas are to be rejected without mercy.

If you feel the Puranas say something and the Vedas say something else, reject the Puranas and believe in the Vedas.  The Puranas are just a myth.

Even Sage Sankara declares: ~ Supreme Brahman (God in truth) 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 the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a 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.

God is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. Thus according to the Vedas God neither has any image nor God resides in any particular idol or statue. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.   

Sage Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman  (God).":~Santthosh Kumaar