The Gurus, Swamis, and Yogis who identify themselves as holy people are not Gnanis.+

The person who claims to be a Gnani advertises it by wearing a religious robe, or sitting in a cave or staying always in one spot, or remaining nude, is thereby proving that he is thinking of the body, is attached to it; he is not a true Gnani. 

A Gnani has no need to distinguish himself when he knows all is One. Those distinctions mentioned are for one who has the following yogic path only.

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)

Thus, the above passage proves that all those who were the sanyasin robes are wearing them for the sake of bread belong to the religion; they are nothing to do with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

There is no need to criticize and condemn the Gurus, yogis, and swamis because they are needed for the welfare of the ignorant masses in the dualistic world.

Sage Sankara in Viveka Chudamani (2), states that the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

It means the Gurus, Swamis, and Yogis who identify themselves as holy people are not Gnanis.

Those who are seeking truth need not follow any Guru or any teaching.

The one who thinks of himself as a Guru and the one who thinks of himself as a chela (disciple) will not be able to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana because both of them accepted themselves as the body. And all their understanding, practices, and knowledge are based on the false self (ego or you).  Therefore, the Guru –Shisya concept is a great obstacle in the pursuit of truth.   

A Gnani never accepts himself as a Guru or accepts anyone as his disciple, because there is no division in his consciousness even though he is in the midst of a dualistic illusion.    

The Advaita is like the ocean. The Dvaita is like a wave. The Dvaita is an illusion created out of the Advaita.  Without the illusion, there is only Advaita.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar