Advaitic orthodoxy has to be discarded if you want to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

You have to go beyond the Vedas means going beyond the religion. Go beyond religion means, go beyond the blind belief-based Gods.

You have to mentally realize the ‘Self’ by a perfect understanding of ‘what is what’. Go beyond the Vedas, religion and the belief in religion propagated God. Go beyond the Vedas, religion and the belief in religious propagated God means, going beyond the illusion. That is the end of Vedas (Veda –antha).

When one goes into the annals of history it looks like the true Advaita expounded by Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada was lost or mutilated by the orthodox. The Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with orthodox preaching and practice because Advaitic orthodoxy is dogmatism. Advaitic orthodoxy has to be discarded if you want to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

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

Sage Sri, Sankara was an independent thinker. His wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India, because, most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodoxy.

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."

Anybody can write a commentary on the Upanishads and other great philosophic texts, all they need to do to pour out words. Some westerners along with some orthodox pundits translated and published books. The influence of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with the orthodox sect.

It is necessary for the seeker to do his homework, and verify the validity of all the claims, rather than blindly believe, what orthodox pundits expound as knowledge, till; the un-contradicted truth is obtained.

Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is only being 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 the universe.

Sage Sankara: - 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.

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?

How does one get the knowledge? What is meant for knowledge? What is true knowledge? –All this of which must be dealt with by the seeker of truth in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

The Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana does not destroy the world in which you exist but it exposes the unreal nature of the world which appears as waking and is experienced as reality by the person within the waking. The same way the unreality of the dream was exposed when the waking took place.

People talk of liberation. They are only forming an idea. The idea is mere imagination; imagination is possible only in ignorance.

People, who are so confused as to be unable mentally, separate the Soul from the dualistic illusion, speaking of gaining liberation. All such idea of liberation is possible only in waking experience.

The waking experience is a dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion appears and disappears. The Soul is the formless witness of the appearance and disappearance of the dualistic illusion. The Soul is caught up in the cage of the dualistic illusion.

It is the Soul that is in ignorance it is the Soul that has to wake up from the sleep of ignorance. It is the Soul that is in the quest of itself.

It is not you who wants freedom. It is the Soul, which wants to free itself from ignorance, which is the cause of experiencing the dualistic illusion as a reality.

The ‘ Soul’ is not you. Self-realization is necessary to realize the ‘ Soul’ is not you, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Consciousness is the cause of the world in which you exist and it, itself is uncaused. When the world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness then the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Thus, stick to the consciousness, which is the ultimate truth, or Brahman, and mentally drop the illusory world in which you exist. Enter the kingdom of Advaita. Advaita means the one without the second. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Advaitic wisdom is the scientific truth of the whole (universe) declared by Sage Sankara.+

Advaita is the rational truth and the uncontradictable truth or scientific truth. Advaitic wisdom is the scientific truth of the whole (universe) declared by Sage Sankara many centuries back and thought only to those of higher intellect who are receptive.

Sage Sankara was an independent thinker. His wisdom has not been taken seriously by many in India because most of the followers of Sage Sankara are religious orthodox.

It is that philosophy in India was for centuries more an exposition of the ancient classics than the independent thought of individual thinkers as in ancient Greece or modern Europe and America.

Sage Sankara and Sage Goudpada are independent thinkers other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic wisdom is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’. The dualistic philosophy cannot escape the charge of dogmatism.

Intelligence and thought, do not apply to Advaitism, intelligence and thought are based on false ‘Self’ (waking entity) within the false experience (waking). The whole Advaitic philosophy is an attempt to transcend the limitations of intelligence and thought.

The two points of view A Gnani is not cut off from the experience of practical life within the practical world because the Advaitic truth is neither realism nor idealism; it is beyond both these.

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.

The Advaitic wisdom 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. a rational approach is required so that one arrives at knowing the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. Gnana.

Theirs is merely a 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 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.

Sage Sankara gave out what was of most use to the greatest number of people. Therefore, in the commentaries on the Upanishads, such as the famous Manduka Upanishad, he gave the highest non-dual message of the identity of Atman and Brahman, revitalizing the philosophy and practice of Advaita, while in the commentaries on the Brahmasūtra he gave lesser teaching, positing both higher and lower Maya and higher and lower Brahman (Ishvara) to explain creation for those of lesser intellects until they were ready for the highest truth.

Brahman (GOD), the One without the Second:~

The religions are based on personal God whereas 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). God is above all needs and desires. God is always the Witnessing Subject. God can never become an object as God is beyond the reach of the senses. God is non-dual, one without a second. God has no other beside it. God is destitute of difference, either external or internal. God cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. God cannot be distinguished from any other than God. In God, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constituted the very essence or Svarupa of God, and not just God attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

The Atman is Brahman or God. God Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny God, because, God is the very essence of the one who denies It. God is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs.

Brahman is not an object, as It is Adrisya, beyond the reach of the eyes. Hence, the Upanishads declare: “Neti Neti—not this, not this....” This does not mean that Brahman is a negative concept, or metaphysical abstraction, or a nonentity, or a void. It is not another.

It is all-full, infinite, changeless, Self-existent, Self-delight, Self-knowledge, and Self-bliss. It is Svarupa, essence. It is the essence of the witness. It is the Seer (Drashta), Transcendent (Turiya), and Silent Witness (Sakshi).

Remember:~

Only through ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana negation of duality is possible. The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Consciousness is the cause of the origin, maintenance, and withdrawal of the universe is Advaita (i.e. non-dual), which means that consciousness transcends all conceptions, positive and negative. Nothing positive can ever be imagined or said about it. Consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute. The existence absolute means that consciousness is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness. Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness.

The nature of the Soul, the ‘Self’ is the nondualistic silence. Non-dualistic silence is like a deep sleep state. The silence indicates that the nature of the Soul, the ‘Self’ is inexplicable, indescribable, and unimaginable.

The Soul, the  ‘Self’ is the one without a second because it is the ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. There is not the least shadow of multiplicity in the Soul, which is present in the form of   consciousness." : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Mundaka Upanishad 1.3:~When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing remains unknown is Gnana.+

Mundaka Upanishad 1.3:~ Complete knowledge includes knowledge of the phenomenal world, the Spirit behind it, and the source of both of them. When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing that remains unknown is Gnana.

Anybody can write a commentary on the Upanishads and other great philosophic texts, all they need to do to pour out words. It is quite easy to do this even by those who have never understood the Upanishads but think they have. Thus, the dualists and their disciples have written commentaries on scriptures mixing the existence of individualized Gods and Goddesses: But all these have written to satisfy themselves, not to get the truth.

Even great thinkers show differences of opinion, let alone lesser folks what are we to do? We must cease wasting time on the useless argument based on authorities and we must first find out the meaning of truth and go to facts and then only judge the various authorities.

Dualists Sages believed in a plurality of minds or selves and also in Prakriti matter. The Dualist Sage thought ultimately existed in the form of particles similar to our atomic theory. But recent science has killed the atomic theory and matter has vanished with it. Hence modern dualists fear science and try to avoid it.

The dualist thinker's arguments are based on false Self (ego) and false experience (mind or waking or dream or universe) to show the weakness of the position of the dualistic viewpoint. They at their wits end to explain.

Existence cannot be a cause and effect at the same time, from the point of view of the dualists, but deeper Self-search shows the Existent is no two and causality can’t rise at all. The dualistic theory says that whatever was in the cause was also in the effect. They say that the gold brick, the gold medal, the gold ornaments --are in the seed--the gold.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that, if cause and effect are one what is the difference between the two?

In the realm of truth, there is neither unwisdom nor ignorance; neither bondage nor liberation. There is but one pure consciousness. The logic holds good for the practical purpose in the practical life (waking). Soul-centric reasoning leads to nondualistic Self-awareness.

Consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute. The Existence absolute means that consciousness is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness. Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness.

The Soul, the Self is the One without a second. There is not the least shadow of multiplicity in the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

What is it that becomes the waking experience (duality)? ‘What is it that becomes the dream (duality)?’ and ‘what is it that becomes the deep sleep (nonduality)?’

The seeker of truth has to direct realization of the Soul, the Self, through wisdom and avoid losing precious time and effort losing him in philosophical studies.

Both modern science and religion offer hypotheses and theories, but there is one vital difference--science begins with facts which it collects; religion begins with fancies. Science evolves its hypotheses from such facts, religion from fancies.

Science declares that oxygen combines with hydrogen to give water. And it also declares oxygen is protons or electrons. But in pursuit of truth, the whole physical existence (universe or mind) is considered as illusion and science and their inventions, which are based on the physical existence is limited to physical existence. The truth is hidden by ignorance, but it is beyond physical existence.

Science demands physical proof. But the physical proof is part of the illusion. Hence, science cannot go beyond physicality because the truth cannot be traced in laboratory conditions. Deeper self-search is required if one wants to push its quest deeply enough.

Common people and primitive minds fall into faulty thinking through their inherited conditioning, such faulty thinking and reasoning make them accept the experience of birth, life, and death as reality; taking what one sees through the senses as real, taking what is apparently obvious, and superficial as true because it is less troublesome.

Many People adopt the attitude that what they know is the truth. And what others say is false. This attitude makes them not verify anything other than what they know. One needs to be rational, not merely logical. Logic has its value only in the physical plane(duality).

As one advances towards the spiritual plane he sees the logic underlying experience and becomes more rational. His reasoning is two-fold--implicit and explicit.

There is a need for facts of physical proof in scientific invention, whereas in pursuit of truth the proof has to be grasped mentally and realized. Therefore, the truth is realized only by a few who take this mental pursuit. “Whatever facts revealed, which is uncontradictable has to be accepted as truth.

The truth based on the formless Soul, the innermost Self is worthwhile; without it, one has something else, not truth. Most people refuse to venture into the pursuit of truth; because they do not want to go into the root of things.

The seeker of truth has to study, inquire and reason at the beginning of the pursuit of truth because it is very much necessary in the pursuit of truth.

One has to know the Self is not physical but the Self is the formless Spirit or Soul. The spirit or Soul or the Self is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness gives one the awareness of the three states.

Ignorance of the true Self is the cause of experiencing the duality as reality. The ignorance vanishes through the realization of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul, the Self does not lie in our body or in our brain, or our ego, but it is the essence of the dual and non-dual experiences, which come and goes as waking, dream, and deep sleep.

Goudpada Karika-s of the second, third and fourth chapters are the authority that a mumukshu ought to resort to. Since the reality of duality is born of ignorance even to a just born animal, and therefore the cause and characteristic of samsara, bondage, misery, the Upanishads and the Sages who have followed the Vedic tradition teach the unreality of the duality and redeem the suffering humanity from the misery caused by the duality.

Fort the sincere spiritual seeker duality (dvaita) and suffering are synonyms. So also Nonduality (Advaita) and bliss (sukha) are synonyms.

The Veda, especially the Upanishad portions, are full of teachings directed at establishing the unreality and the illusory nature of duality and upheld the non-dual nature of the Atman, the sole reality.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.22 alludes to this experience:~ (In this state a father is no father, a mother no mother, no Gods, no Vedas. In this state, a thief is no thief, the killer of a noble Brahmana no killer, a monk no monk, a hermit no hermit. This form of his is untouched by good work and untouched by evil work, for he is then beyond all the woes of his intellect.)

Mundaka Upanishad:` The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization.

The eye cannot see it; the mind cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither the eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Science is the highest teaching in the world of duality. Spirituality has its roots in the same world but ultimately leads to non-dualistic awareness.+

The ‘I’ blocks you from realizing the truth hidden by form, time, and space because the ‘I’ itself is the form, time, and space. whatever belongs to form, time and space is the dualistic illusion.

The universe, which is the dualistic illusion appears as 'I'. The 'I' is the product of ignorance. The ‘I’ is the cause of ignorance because ‘I’ itself is ignorance.

That is why Bhagavad Gita: ~ “You must first see the ‘I’ as illusory before you see others as illusory. ~ CH.2 v.16

People are stuck glorifying the ‘I’ and ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching. The more you glorify the ‘I’ and ‘I-centric’ Gurus and their teaching you will be caught up in the prison of ignorance. The ‘I-centric teaching is dualistic.

The ‘I’ appears on its own it perishes on its own. The ‘I’ is not the cause of the appearance and disappearance because the ‘I’ itself is the appearance. The ‘Self’ is not ‘I’, but the ‘Self’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The one which witnesses the appearance and disappearance is not ‘I’ because the ‘I’ appears and disappears.

The one which is aware of the appearance and disappearance of ‘I’ is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Realize, ‘what is this ‘I’ supposed to be in actuality and what is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

If you realize the ‘Self ‘is not the ‘I’ but the Soul with firm conviction then whatever is hidden by the ‘I’ will be revealed.

Realizing the Soul is not the ‘I’ but the Soul is the Self, is Self –realization.

That is why 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 the cause of the illusory universe.

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 the Self is the ‘I’. there is no need to convince such a mindset. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

Perfect understanding and assimilation of ‘what is what’ lead to Advaitic Self-awareness.

The dualist's Gurus having the idea of difference, even the least notion of the ‘I’, can never get Self-realization.

Remember:~

For those who are mentally so constituted that they must rely on some authority, who cannot think for themselves, who cannot stand on their own legs, who must quote some man or other, scriptures may be helpful. But those who have sharp brains must use their reason.

The reason is the only tool to unfold the mystery of the universe (I), whereas the appeal to scriptural relations reaches only religious sects and castes.

Sage Sankara knew that one day the world would throw up religion and scriptures and appeal to reason.

Let Advaitic wisdom annihilate ignorance and reveal Soul, the Self hidden by the ‘I’.

Let your ears become deaf to religious propagated myth.

Let your eyes become blind to illusion to realize the Soul, the ‘Self’ as it is.

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."

Anybody can write a commentary on the Upanishads and other great philosophic texts, all they need to do to pour out words. Some westerners along with some orthodox pundits translated and published books. The influence of Sage Sankara’s wisdom is nothing to do with Advaitic orthodox, which belongs to religion

Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

There is no need for the scriptures to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

The argument is in the sphere of duality and is unnecessary to one who knows non-duality.+

Those who argue and try to provoke from their own standpoint based on their accumulated knowledge are like a worm in the dung, which cannot survive without the dung.

People with boastful nature remaining in the clutches of ignorance, thinking they are extremely wise and learned to keep on provoking and arguing from their own standpoint.  The argument is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the argument is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

The argument implies duality.  There is nothing to argue the one who is aware of nonduality. 

The argument is in the sphere of duality and is unnecessary to one who knows non-duality

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like injecting medicine into a corpse. 

Manduka Upanishad has no assumptions whatsoever. It is an honest and bold inquiry into truth. It rises above scripture.

Manduka Upanishad: ~Reality and illusion together make Brahman: nothing can be left out.

Manduka Upanishad: ~ Atman is the highest Reality.

Manduka Upanishad: ~Only a few will be able to understand and assimilate it.   

Manduka Upanishad is not meant for all, as it is based entirely on reasoning.

Remember:~

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

You along with your words and thoughts and the world in which you exist are made of single clay. That single clay is Sprit or Consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

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

Do not accept any other truth other than the consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth; nothing is real but consciousness. Nothing matters but realize the ultimate truth. Consciousness is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   God is 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.

All the words, thoughts, and the world are nothing but consciousness. Without consciousness, you and your words and thoughts and the world in which you exist cease to exist.

From the ultimate standpoint, the words are meaningless because everything is nothing but consciousness.

The words and their discrimination bind one to the duality; meaning stands alone and is a guide to non-dual awareness. Meaning is attained by much learning, and much learning is attained by becoming conversant with meaning and not with words; therefore, seekers of truth have to avoid the sticklers for particular words.

Remember:~

The words are used only for communication purposes. The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions will determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced. Ignorant viewing the world confronting him sees it differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one of us interprets the world one sees in terms of his existing knowledge. A Gnani sees the world and its contents as the illusory play as consciousness whereas ignorant sees the world and its contents as a reality.

Without the realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman man remains ignorant of the ultimate truth or Brahman. Without the realization of the ultimate truth, the seeker remains as a seeker. On the physical plane, there is a seeker, seeking, and destination but from the ultimate standpoint, there is neither seer, seeking, and or destination.

The words may give different meanings at different levels of understanding. As one moves deeper and deeper one realizes the thought, the thinker, words, and the world are one in essence. Thus, in the realm of truth, the thought and words become meaningless.

When one has realized that which lies beyond form, time, and space do not give importance to thoughts and words which have value only in falsehood.

The world is both real and unreal. It is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like the consciousness itself.

People's approach is more practical, and they are stuck with the reality of the world, they take it as real. That is why all the confusion.

Remember:~

People think the Soul or the consciousness is different from awareness. It is the different words that are used for the same stuff. They make their own intellectual theory and get stuck with intellectual prison thinking what they know is the ultimate truth. without dropping their intellectual attitude, it is difficult for them to grasp the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

By becoming more and more intellectual, one becomes more and more intoxicated with individuality. The intellectuality is limited to the domain of form, time, and space. In the realm of the truth, intellectuality is replaced by Advaitic wisdom.

There is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The nature of the Soul is awareness. The world in which you exist is nothing but an illusion created out of consciousness. Everything is one, that is, unity in diversity.

Remember:~

Some people pass their opinion based on their accumulated knowledge thinking their accumulated knowledge as the ultimate truth but their ‘I’ know attitude merely brings on a little personal enjoyment to them but it is no good for Self-realization.

Atmic path is not a path of exchange of views and opinion but the path of realization of the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Swami Vivekananda:~ The wicked are always looking for defects. Flies come and seek for the ulcer, and bees come only for the honey in the flower. Do not follow the way of the fly but that of the bee.

Some people just want to exhibit their accumulated knowledge accumulated from here and there. They think what they know is the ultimate truth.

They think whatever they propagate is the ultimate truth. The question never occurs to them, “Is what I know is really the truth?

Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.”

No one can teach anybody. Wisdom is hidden within the world in which you exist. A Gnani can only show the way that much is the work of a Gnani.

A Gnani only guides the seekers to apply their own reason and realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. When the seeker learns to view and judge and reason the three states on the base of the Soul, the truth will start unfolding on its own.

First, the seeker may find it difficult to use soulcentric reason but gradually it will become easy.

Instead of finding fault first realize what the Self is in actuality. Honest introspection will reveal that all fault lies with “you” and “your "own perceptions and attitudes. If there is an error in understanding what 'Self' is in actuality it is in “you". Correcting this and changing to a Soulcentric attitude will change your perception and then the Soul; the 'Self' will reveal its formless, timeless, and spaceless true nature.

If you are unable to grasp the truth hidden by the ‘I’ then you will never be able to grasp nonduality or Advaita. :~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’?+

WHO AM ‘I’?’ - inquiry is good as a starter but in later stages, one finds it inadequate and useless to the realization of the 'Self' hidden by the 'I'.

People are stuck with the reality of the ‘I’, which they take as real because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such mindsets. The seeker of truth accepts only the truth nothing but the truth.

Remember:~

Self-inquiry is for discovering the fact that the ‘Self is not the ‘I’ but the Self is the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going, of the ‘I’.

The ‘Self-inquiry’ is finding out the ‘Self’ which is hidden within the world, in which we exist. By inquiring -‘Who am I?’, the ignorance will not vanish.

Without getting rid of ignorance, the Advaitic wisdom will not dawn. Without the Advaitic wisdom, it is not possible to realize the truth, which is hidden within the world in which we exist.

That is why Sage Sankara Says: ~ 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.

Remember:~

The purpose of the pursuit of truth is Truth-realization.  The seeker has to remove all the obstacle which is blocking his realization of the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

That is why Bhagavan Buddha said: ~ “Believe nothing because a wise man said it, Believe nothing because it is generally held. Believe nothing because it is written. Believe nothing because it is said to be divine. Believe nothing because someone else said it. But believe only what you yourself judge to be true.”

All the penances are external because they are based on individuality.  The Soul, the innermost Self is not an individual because it is formless.  Investigating the mind, alone leads to Self-realization. To know what is mind, profits much rather than searching the truth in the external world moving from one ashram to another and one Guru to another and one mountain to another.

Sage Goudpada: ~ To establish the truth of Nonduality by sheer reasoning alone. He begins by defining "What is real?" "What is unreal?" etc, because that is the right way to discuss or teach. People must first know what they are talking about. (Manduka Karika)

When one starts investigating the universe that confronts him will mentally move inwards and will reach the ultimate end and become fully aware of “What is the truth?”  and “What is untruth?” in his own home or city and establish in truth by realizing what is the untruth.

The seeker has to overcome all the doubts and confusion in later stages in ‘Self’-inquiry.  The seeker finds some doubts and confusion, which cannot be overcome if the inquiry is practiced on the present format prescribed in the Self-inquiry book. Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that the ‘Self’-inquiry in the present format will yield only half-truth. 

The following confusion arises from  Ramana Maharshi's Who Am I? -teaching:~

If the mind is the same as Atman (consciousness), how can it vanish--when the mind appears and disappears as Waking or dream?

How can one be certain when one leaves the external world--when the person is within the world?

Why leave the external world when everything is Brahman---when everything is Brahman why create division between the world and its perceiver?

How can the world alone cease to exist if one does not look at it—how can the person remain without the world and where he will exist without the world?

Who has the subtle mind projecting through the brain and senses? How can one see his subtle mind?--when the brain also a piece of the gross matter? ---then how can the brain come into existence after the world is created if the later depends on the brain.

The heart is the idea created by the mind, how the mind can emerge from it---when the heart disappears along with the mind and reappears along with the mind, how the mind emerges from it.

In deep sleep, swoon, and trance, the mind turns inwards and enjoys its natural state--if so why should one inquire if one gets Atman in sleep. With the drug, one can get sleep and peace or bliss.

If sleep gives Brahman then why trouble with inquiry--better get it through pills. There are many seekers practicing inquiry for many years and waiting for something mystical to happen, why nothing happens, and why their inquiry does not yield fruits.

Since  Sage Ramana Maharishi is not present physically to guide the seekers to overcome these obstacles in the path of inquiry on his own.

I was surprised to know David Godman’s interview with Mr. Sivapraksh Pillai (one of the close aid to Sage Ramana Maharishi) that even after 50 long years he was unable to achieve his goal through inquiry, hats off to his sincere and honest statement.

In my honest opinion with all the due respect to every soul which was involved in recording and publishing the ‘Self’-inquiry which is a great treasure and which opens the golden gate to the seeker to enter into the spiritual world from the religious world, still, there is lots confusion and doubts which are impossible to get answer the way the inquiry is presented in the books. But one will be able to overcome the same after lots of research.

It is impossible to do research in the present framework of the ‘Self’-inquiry. Since everyone is waiting for some mystical experience to happen and refuses to verify and accept the truth because of their conservative outlook. Even the intellectual- classes who have authored many books are viewed and judged Ramana from the mystic point of view were unable to deliver goods due to their inherited religious background. Sage Ramana Maharishi was mystic for the mass, but he was Gnani for the class.

It also becomes evident that different people who have interviewed Sage Ramana Maharishi at different times had different backgrounds and mindsets. Therefore, it is necessary to bifurcate the religious views of Sage Sri Ramana Maharishi from his spiritual views to get the hidden essence of Sage Ramana Maharishi’s teaching.  

The great Sage Ramana Maharishi has indicated many ways to realize the ‘Self’,  other than WHO AM "I?, therefore it is necessary for the seeker to go beyond  WHO AM 'I'?  inquiry to cross the threshold of dualistic illusion, which is present in the form of the 'I'.

Sage Raman Maharishi: ~ He placed his right hand on his right breast and continued, "Here lies the Heart, the dynamic, spiritual Heart. It is called Hridaya and is located on the right side of the chest and is clearly visible to the inner eye of an adept on the spiritual path. Through meditation, you can learn to find the Self in the cave of this Heart." ~ Mercedes de Acosta, Here Lies the Heart

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ The spiritual heart is the Soul, the innermost Self, not the physical heart.   The world in which you exist is within the Soul, the spiritual heart. Mistaking the spiritual heart within the body is a great error. Even some Advaitic Guru says that the Self is within the spiritual heart. And the spiritual heart is on the left side.  Such a declaration is merely an imagination, based on the false Self. When the ‘Self’ is bodiless, then the question of the heart being left side or right side does not arise.

The Seeker must realize the Soul, the Self, itself is the spiritual heart.  The Soul the spiritual heart is ever formless. The Soul itself is the spiritual heart that is present in the form of the spirit or consciousness.

Without the form, time, and space, the Soul, the Self, becomes naked. The nature of the Soul, the Self, is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

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 body?
• 
  
• Where is the mind?
• 
  
• Where is the world in which you exist?
• 
  
• Where are 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 the consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.

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 the waking experience.

Deeper self-search reveals the fact 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, 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’ which comes and goes.

That is why 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 present in the form of consciousness.

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 as reality because some Gurus have propagated the Self is the ‘I’. is no need to convince such a mindset. 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, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

People refuse to accept anything other than their Gurus words. For them, their Gurus 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