The Avatar based on mythology is a religious fable.+

In mystical realization, they call Self- Realized person as Avatar.  In spiritualistic realization, they call the Self-realized person as Gnani. A Gnani is the one, who is fully aware of the fact that  the Self is not the form but Self is consciousness, and  he considers his body and his experience of the world as an illusion created out of the Soul or consciousness.

Righteousness, peace, and love for divinity are necessary within the dualistic illusion or Maya. Righteousness, peace, and love for divinity are created out of consciousness. Without consciousness, there is no Righteousness, no peace, and no love. Realizing the consciousness as the ultimate truth is truth realization.

Righteousness, peace, and love for divinity are necessary in practical life within the practical world, but they are no qualifications for truth realization.

A Gnani vision of the world, in which he exists, is, beyond time and space, embracing the Soul, ultimate reality. The universe in which you exist is within the Soul, the Self.

Gnani observes the reality hidden by the dualistic illusion (world) as it is in the midst of the dualistic illusion.

Self- Knowledge is only is true knowledge not the absence of duality. Self -Knowledge cannot destroy the world but it eliminates ignorance and exposes the unreal nature of the mind or universe.

A Gnani is the one who has realized the universe in which he exists is nothing but consciousness. Self-awareness is unique. It cannot be experienced because it is prior to any experience. It is possible only by the realization of the knowledge of the Infinite."

A Gnani sees only unity in diversity, just like a goldsmith estimating the gold in various items of jewelry sees only gold. When one identifies the Self with the form then only the form, time, and space are present. But when one transcends form, time, and space the duality never remains as reality.

The world in which you exist is not separate from the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness because the world in which you exist is an illusion created out of the consciousness.
Remember:~

The universe is nothing but matter. The matter is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, the Spirit. Just like ice is created out of the water the universe is created out of the Soul, the Spirit, which is present in the form of consciousness. The ice is not different from the water the same way the universe is not different consciousness.

The universe is the Avatara of the Soul, God. The universe is nothing but an illusion created out of God.  The universe ceases to exist without God, which is present in the form of the Spirit or consciousness. Without the universe, God alone exists.

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

Meher Baba:~Every one of us is Avatar, in the sense that everyone and everything is everyone and everything, at the same time, and for all time.

Meher Baba: ~ “When the reality appears this ignorance which one thinks as reality becomes unreal. 

Meher Baba says:~    Unless and until ignorance is removed and Knowledge is gained . . . the Knowledge whereby the Divine Life is experienced and lived . . . everything pertaining to the spiritual seems paradoxical . . . God, whom we do not see, we say is real; and the world, which we do see, we say is false. 

In experience, what exists for us does not really exist; and what does not exist for us, really exists.

Meher Baba said: ~ "There is no higher or lower goal. There is only one goal, Self-Realization." 

Meher Baba said: ~ God is your innermost Self. Do not search for God outside of you. Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and does everything. God is beyond us and is everything. God alone is and all else is an illusion. :~Santthosh Kumaar

A Gnani possesses perfect knowledge, perfect awareness clarity.+

Gnani is One who knows all the animate and inanimate things in the universe are merely an illusion created out of a single clay and that single clay is the Soul or consciousness. Knowledge of the Single clay is Advaitic Gnana.   A Gnani possesses perfect knowledge, perfect awareness clarity. 

A Gnani sees duality as nonduality in the midst of dualistic illusion or Maya because he has attained Gnana.

Gnani does not consider his body as the body and the world in which he exists as the world because he has realized he and his body and the world in which he exists are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.  

Remember:~ 

Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.

The Gurus and yogis belong to religion, not Spirituality. Guru and yogis are meant for those who are emotionally involved with their religion and religious Gods and Gurus A Gnani will never force anyone to accept the path of wisdom.

Gnani will constantly bring the seeker back to the fact of his inherent perfection and encourage him to seek the truth, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. A Gnani knows you need nothing, not even him, and is never tired of reminding you.

A Gnani continuously shares Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana with serious seekers.

A Self-declared Guru is more concerned with himself than with his disciples and plays with their sentiments and emotions. Sticking to such Gurus the seeker will not get the Self –realization.

Guru and yogis are meant for those who are emotionally involved with their religion and religious Gods.

Remember:~

Religion and yoga are not spirituality. Spirituality is nothing to do with religion and yoga. Spirituality is based on the Spirit the real God whereas religion and yoga are based on the matter (body). The matter is nothing but an illusion created out the Spirit the real God.

Manduka Upanishads:~ It is impossible to find out who is a Gnani because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the yellow robe has anything to do with him.

A Gnani cannot have the idea of renouncing the world or giving up something of the practical world because that would connote the idea of duality. Duality is merely an illusion from the ultimate standpoint. Knowing no second thing at all there remains nothing to be given up.

Self- Knowledge is only is true knowledge not the absence of duality. Self -Knowledge cannot destroy the world but it eliminates ignorance and exposes the unreal nature of the mind or universe.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

You are struggling to realize the truth because you are caught up in the prison of your emotions and sentimentally involve with the physical Guru.+

You are struggling to realize the truth because you are caught up in the prison of your emotions and sentimentally involve with the physical Guru. Until you remain in the prison of the emotion you will never be able to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. Your physical Guru belongs to the dualistic illusion.

If you hold physical Guru as God and worship him then you are worshipping the illusion. You should not hold anything of the illusion as God. 

You do not require the grace of the physical Guru. You will get the grace of the inner Guru when you fix your attention on the Soul by realizing the Soul alone is real and all else is an illusion.

If you are seeking the truth you should not indulge in glorifying Gurus and yogis. Guru worship is meant for the religious and yogic path, not for the Gnanic path. You and Gurus and yogi belong to the dualistic illusion. Thus, their blessings and grace are bound to be illusory.

Yogis and Gurus are not Gods.

This idea of worshiping Guru as God is not a Vedic idea but adopted from Jainism and Buddhism.

Vedas bars human worship: ~

Yajur Veda:~

"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, 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. ":~ (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

Then to why worship and glorify the Guru s and Yogis (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities and it 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.

God exists prior to the form, time and space. The form, time and space cease to exist as a reality when wisdom dawns. Thus, the Gods and Guru s have no place in the domain of the Advaitic reality. Advaita is the nature of the Soul, which is the real God. Thus, Self-realization is the only way to God-realization.

By worshipping the religious Gods and Guru s one will not get Self-realization or God-realization.

The Soul, the inner Guru revels ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready.

Advaita is the inner revolution. If you are serious and sincerely seeking truth then you have to drop what is not needed in pursuit of truth.

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 it for the sake of bread belongs to the religion; they are nothing to do with the 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 ignorant masses in the dualistic world.

Sage Sankara says the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani)

~ Then why you are sticking a Guru who is not a Gnani.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.

A person who realized the ultimate truth or Brahman will throw off his religious robe and all religious identity and live like a commoner. He never identifies himself as Gnani nor does he identify himself as superior to others. He only shares his knowledge with fellow seekers.

A Gnani never identifies himself as a Guru or a Yogi or someone disciple. The one who accepts himself as a Guru or someone’s disciple is not a Gnani.

Ashtavakra Samhita: ~ "The man of knowledge (Gnani), though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.

A Gnani can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

It is generally believed that the Buddha and Mahavira were the first to attack the Vedas. It is not so. +

In Vedanta it is that Lord teaches us in the Gita and in it,  he lashes out against the karmakanda. It is generally believed that the Buddha and Mahavira were the first to attack the Vedas.

It is not so. Lord Krishna himself’ spoke against them long before these two religious leaders. At one place in the Gita, he says to Arjuna:: "The Vedas are associated with the three qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas.

 You must transcend these three qualities. Full of desire, they (the practitioners of Vedic rituals) long for paradise and keep thinking of pleasures and material prosperity. They are born again and again and their minds are never fixed in Samadhi, these men clinging to Vedic rituals.

“In another passage, Krishna declares: "Not by the Vedas is ‘Self’ to be realized, nor by sacrifices nor by much study.

Lord Krishna himself’ declares that Self’-realization is not possible by neither by the study of the Vedas nor by sacrifices nor by many studies. Then why you are still thinking, by studying Vedas you get ‘Self’-realization.

Bhagavad- d Gita 2:46:~ "A man of true knowledge who has attained enlightenment, has the same use for all the scriptures as one has for a small reservoir of water in a place flooded on all sides.

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.

Know the Self in truth means Know God in truth. That is God without form, time and space. The Soul, the  ‘Self’, is God in truth. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul is the cause; the Soul is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Soul the Self. Never accept another God in place of the Soul nor worship other than the Soul.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) 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, 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 as God other than consciousness.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for the ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the innermost ‘Self’. In reality, there is no duality, no differentiation. Only Atman exists. The Vedas confirm God is Atman (spirit), the  ‘Self’.

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)

 The Soul alone is God. Never accept another God in place of the Soul, which is present in the form of the Spirit.

Even Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship God must worship Godin spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

 The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the ‘Self’. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara says: - Gnana is common to all religions.+

As one goes deeper in annals of history he becomes aware of the fact that the so-called present Hinduism has adopted many things from Buddhism, the religion of Abraham, Jainism, and Islam. If one goes deeper enough he will become aware everything is mixed up and messed up in time.

Sage Sankara endeavored towards establishing the Vedic religion overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism has reappeared in the Advaita of Sage  Sankara. His inability to revive Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.

No one is taken pains to rectify it because; because people have been inherited them, from their ancestors and they think it is blasphemy even to hear anything against their inherited religion, castes, and belief. Once one gets involved with the religious class it is the end of the pursuit of truth.

The theistic (orthodoxy) Advaita is based on the dualistic perspective but the Advaita wisdom of Sage Sankara is based on the nondualistic perspective. The theistic (orthodoxy) Advaita bifurcated from Advaitic philosophy.

The theistic (dualistic) Advaita is meant for the ignorant populace.

Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada are independent thinkers other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic philosophy is a real philosophy. The dualistic philosophy cannot escape the charge of dogmatism.

 Advaitic wisdom propagated by Sage Sankara is on the non-dualistic perspective.

There is no need to study neither Advaita Vedanta nor Vedas nor Buddhism to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. It is no use going roundabout way; trace the Brahman.

Philosophy does not begin with the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Hence, so-called philosophers who take Brahman for granted are not philosophers at all.

Lots of Advaitin scholars will teach that all is yourself, but none of them can show that this is so, none has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. The rational proof is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana. Theirs is mere dogma, parrotism, repetition of what they read in scripture. Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

Sage Sankara said:~ Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many Gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but the liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

Sage Sankara ’says: ~ Gnana is common to all religions.

There is nothing like One Gnana for a Hindu and another for a Christian. The entire philosophy of Sage Sankara can be summed up in the following statement:-

Brahma Satyam, jaganmithya, jivobrahmaivanaparah: - Brahman alone is real; the world is non-real, and the individual ‘Self’ is essentially not different from Brahman.

This is the quintessence of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is the pure Vedic essence of the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.+

As we peep into the religious history of India.

A great majority of Hindus are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth.

Hinduism is based on myths and thus, people of Indian are unaware of the facts of their inherited religious history. The Vedic Culture and Vedas are complete in themselves but Hinduism which is a non-Vedic belief system with all its ritual and conduct-oriented practices has been contributed largely by the orthodox priests to suit their convenience!

The people on the Indian side of the Sindhu were called Hindu by the Persian and the later western invaders. That is the genesis of the word `Hindu'.

 When we think of the Hindu religion, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to define the Hindu religion or even adequately describe it. Unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion 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 and nothing more.

 Hinduism seems to be a name without any content. Is it a museum of beliefs, a medley or rites, or a mere map, a geographical expression. 

The Vedas as a body of scripture contains many contradictions and they are fragmentary in nature. For most Hindus of today, scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas are more attractive and appealing than the Vedas.

The Gods and Goddesses they worship differ considerably from the Vedic ones. The collection of hymns called Vedas are written in praise of certain deities by poets over several centuries does not seem to have much significance for the Hindus of today.

Hinduism is based on mythology or Puranas. Vedic Gods like Indra, Varuna, Agni, Soma and the like, whom the Vedic people worshipped, hardly have any significance in present-day Hinduism. 

The Gods and Goddesses important to the Hindus of today are Ram, Krishna, Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the respective consorts of the last three, namely, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Shakti. None of these deities figured prominently in the Vedic pantheon and some of them are clearly non-Vedic. The major Gods of Hinduism like Vishnu and Shiva are non-Aryan in origin. Though they may have belonged to the Vedic tradition they played no major role in the Vedas.

Thus it is important to bifurcate Hinduism from the Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma the importance of ‘going back’ to the Vedas’ in order to realize the Vedic religion is nothing to do with the Hinduism, which is based on diverse belief in non-~Vedic Gods, dogmas, ritual, and worship of human being, which is   barred by Vedas.

Indian people are sentimentally attached to religion because they have inherited an adulterated version of religion in the name of Vedism. Hinduism is founded by the different founders of sects and castes from time to time.   Thus, understanding our religion is necessary to realize Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma was cast free, temple free, priest free, free of dogmas. 

People dwelling in India belonged to different castes and communities, worshipped different Gods, and practiced different rites and different dogmas. all these castes and their ideologies are nothing to do with Vedas and Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma.  

Remember:~

Vedas are in the Vedic language which was a high-class language. Rig Veda (excluding chapters II and X) were written before the Christian Era in Vedic language. Vedic language is not Sanskrit. It is the same language in which the Zoroastrian Scripture Zend Avesta is written – a form of Persian language. All the other scriptures of India are written in Sanskrit.

These include Rig Veda Chapter II and X and the Upanishads, Brahmanas, Puranas and the Vedantas. These were written during the Christian Era after the Thomas ministry. As the use of this language diminished, it became a tough language for the commoners.

The priests, who were supposed to be an expert in this language, translated it into Sanskrit language and manipulated the meanings in time and gradually, all the practices changed.

The DaVita, Vedanta borrows the concept from Abrahamic religions, such as Eternal Damanation (of certain Souls destined to hell forever) which goes against the belief of most Vedanta schools, which states that Soul attains liberation.

It looks like the creator-creation theory is also borrowed from Abrahamic religion and on the base new belief system has been introduced giving it Vedic outlook and propagated all non-Vedic rituals and worships by someone in the past.

The vast ocean of Vedic religion or Santana Dharma was consistently steady and calm for a very long period. It appears that as a consequence of the rage of the Buddhist revolution it got suddenly disturbed and flowed down to us in disorder. Even today Vedic religion or Santana Dharma has not recovered from the onslaught of Buddhism and Jainism and is not able to settle in people's hearts in its original form in the same old measure.

Hinduism indulges 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 Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

All Hindu Gods are non -Vedic God. The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial: ~

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial: ~

Rig Veda, 1-164-146:~ Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti, Existence is One 

God is one and universal.

God is the Spirit. The Spirit is the Soul, the Self. God is the Soul, the innermost Self. The Soul is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness and intelligence, which is beyond the form, time, and space. To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

God is the Spirit. The Spirit is the Soul, the Self. God  in truthis the Soul, the Self. The Soul is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness and intelligence, which is beyond the form, time, and space. To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (God in truth) 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) is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material (Gita 14.27)

The Upanishads say in effect that ~ If you believe that the Soul is one and God (Brahman) is another you cannot understand Truth.

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

Religion advocates extreme asceticism. Asceticism is a waste of time. Religion is nothing but remaining in a false belief, dogmas, and superstition.

Mundaka Upanishad:~ The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing the sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross the sea of samsara on these poor rafts.

Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

Sage Sankara says ~ “The scriptures dealing with rituals, rewards are therefore addressed to an ignorant person. Thus, the rituals are meant for ignorant people.

Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."

~ this shows he was wearing the religious robe only for the sake of bread." Thus, it means those who are wearing religious robe for the sake of bread.

All the rituals based on the false belief of Gods will not yield any fruits and they are meant for the ignorant populace who are unable to grasp the God beyond the form, time, and space.

One of Sage Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from a ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings.

Sage Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices. However, the orthodox texts that combined rituals with wisdom (jnana_karma_samucchaya) more in favor of the Mimamsaka position came into vogue, projecting Sage Sankara as the rallying force of the doctrine.

Supreme Court of India:~ Hinduism, as a religion, incorporates all forms of belief without mandating the selection or elimination of any one single belief,“ It is a religion that has no single founder, no single scripture and no single set of teachings. It has been described as Santana Dharma, namely, eternal faith, as it is the collective wisdom and inspiration of the centuries that Hinduism seeks to preach and propagate,” ---Hinduism has no single founder or scripture: - SC, The Times of India (Delhi) Dec 17, 2015

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 Hindu for the higher caste.

Conclusion: ~ Sage  Sankara gave ritual, karma, and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect which is followed by the Hindus of today is dualistic. Many founders of sect and caste and groups of Hinduism was introduced with different scriptures different non-Vedic Gods and Goddesses and rituals.

Hinduism is nothing to do with Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom, which is nondualistic. Those who want to acquire self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana have to drop all the non-Vedic beliefs, which is a hindrance in the path of wisdom.

Sage Sankara's  wisdom is nothing to do with Hinduism. Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is the pure Vedic essence of the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

This is information is for the seekers of truth to help them to drop what is not needed for to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Science has begun to admit that the world of the spirit and the world of matter are not two antipodes.+

Science has begun to admit that the world of the spirit and the world of matter are not two antipodes... A leading British astronomer, Sir James Jeans, confessed that the scientific conception of the universe in the past was mistaken and that the borderline between the objective world, as it is manifested in nature, and the subjective one, as it expresses itself through the mind, hardly exists. In [a 1934 address at Cornell University], he said: “ Nature we study does not consist so much of something we perceive as of our perceptions, it is not the object ... but the relation itself. There is, in fact, no clear-cut division between the subject and object.” Twenty years earlier, such a statement would have been sheer heresy. Likewise, a search for the Ultimate Reality that we usually call, "God," a search along both intellectual and unorthodox lines, need not be regarded as either heresy or sacrilege.

2

Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness

by Alva Noë. Hill and Wang, 2009

Alva No, a University of California, Berkeley, philosopher, and cognitive scientist, argues that after decades of a concerted effort on the part of neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers "only one proposition about how the brain makes us conscious.

.. has emerged unchallenged: we don't have a clue." The reason we have been unable to explain the neural basis of consciousness, he says, is that it does not take place in the brain. Consciousness is not something that happens inside us but something we achieve it is more like dancing than it is like the digestive process. To understand consciousness the fact that we think and feel and that the world shows up for us we need to look at a larger system of which the brain is only one element. Consciousness requires the joint operation of the brain, body, and the world. "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."

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

This universe is common to all of us, therefore one must include the universe in his investigation in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. It is only after one has inquired into the nature of the objective universe, that he should inquire into who is the knower. If, however one, inquiries into the knower before the inquiry into the universe, then it is mere mysticism. One must have a perfect understanding of what is what.

               v “What is the universe?”

               v “What is this ‘I’?”

That is why Sage Sankara indicated:~VC-63- Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘‘Self’’ how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

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 perverted arguments.

Yoga Vasistha: ~ "Teachers, interpretations of sacred texts, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that Ultimate Truth which is revealed in the clear reflection of the heart, engendered from contact with the good."

Eradicating ignorance completely is necessary. And this is possible only through ‘‘Self’’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Thus, there is no other road to freedom other than Gnana. There is no other entrance other than Gnana. The ignorance will vanish only when the nondual wisdom dawns.

Gnana here is knowledge uncontradictable truth or scientific truth. This scientific truth of the whole, not a part is declared by Sage Sankara1200 years back.

Sage  Goudpada  Advaitic wisdom is shared only to those of higher intellect who are receptive. Thus karma and Upasana, yoga, and orthodoxy have to be bifurcated in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

That is why Sage Sankara indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: ~ (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - One without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

Then it is no use going a roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of the mind. By tracing the source of the mind or universe, one will be able to realize the Brahman or God in truth.

Thus, Self-knowledge is meant only for those who have an intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth. Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own selves to get a firm conviction. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Mundaka Upanishad:~ “Ignorant fools, regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest, do not know any higher good.+

People are intoxicated with the theory of karma; some are with the theory of cause and effect, some with love alone, some with humanism, some with service, and some with rituals, worship, some with glorifying and surrendering to the guru, some with their logical and intellectual conclusions, some with their orthodoxy and some with their Yogic Samadhi. But all these are the biggest hindrance, not the qualification to acquire Advaitic wisdom.

It is a waste of time to convince these people because they have already had accepted something else as truth. Thus, they will not have any urge to know the ultimate truth. Therefore, it is no use discussing with such a crowd and it is better to avoid such a mindset if one seriously seeking the truth.

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (10):~ “Ignorant fools, regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest, do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed their reward on the heights of heaven, gained by good works, they enter again this world or a lower one.

It is high time to stop judging who is right and who is wrong in this unreal world instead spend the same time to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana to realize the world (Samsara) is unreal the Brahman alone is real. According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the most advanced seeker, who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the Purva mimam. sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures.

The orthodox people are ordinary people. Thus, the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures are obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices. The karma kanda of the Vedas is meant for the ordinary audience, to help lead its followers along the way.

A modern mindset is more advanced and capable of reasoning and discriminating. Thus, the modern mindset is the most advanced which seeks to know the ultimate truth or Brahman.

It is high time for the orthodox highly educated noble Advaitins to realize their religious orthodox path chosen path was meant for the ignorant in the past; therefore, it is outdated not suited for the modern mindset.

The right path for the modern mindset is the path of the wisdom or reason of Sage Sankara. The orthodox religious Advaitic path is nothing to do with ultimate truth or Brahman. Thus getting stuck with the religious path is getting stuck with duality. Getting stuck with duality is getting stuck with the falsehood. Getting stuck with the falsehood is accepting the experience of birth, life, death, and the world as a reality. Thus, the people who want freedom or Moksha right here right now in this very life and in this very world must follow the path of wisdom or Soulcentric reason.

The orthodoxy is the path of ignorance because it recognized the experience of birth, life, death, and the world as reality.

It is high time to stop judging who is right and who is wrong in this unreal world instead one has to spend the same time to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana by realizing ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal’.: ~Santthosh Kumaar