Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the ‘Self’ in truth.+

Sage Sankara' gave religious, rituals and dogmatic instruction to the orthodox populace, but Advaitic wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Mundaka Upanishad: ~ “These performers of karma do not know the Truth owing to their attachment, they fall from heaven, misery-stricken when the fruit of their work is exhausted.

Arguing with religious believers is fruitless. Belief in tradition and the  scripture as if they were true or factual quite clearly is delusion, but the payoff for holding such delusions is, for those who hold them, extremely compelling ~ the avoidance of the "wrath of God," the hope of heaven or salvation, or the imagined "end of suffering."

Religious orthodox think that through their good karma and performing rituals they get moksha. Religious moksha is based on birth entity whereas spiritual moksha based on the birthless Soul, the ‘Self’. 

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (9) - Children, immersed in ignorance in various ways, flatter themselves, saying: We have accomplished life's purpose. Because these performers of karma do not know the Truth owing to their attachment, they fall from heaven, misery-stricken, when the fruit of their work is exhausted.

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.

That is why Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the populace, but Advaitic wisdom only to the few who could rise to it

If you mix Advaitic orthodoxy with Advaitic wisdom create confusion, because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Sage Goudapada says: - The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

That is why 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?

Remember:~

Path of wisdom is not for the orthodox populace. It is difficult for orthodox people to accept the truth because they already accepted something else as truth because of their samskara or conditioning. It is difficult for them to accept anything other than their inherited conditioning.

Even Sage Sankara appears personally and tells them what they have accepted as truth is not truth; they will never be able to accept anything other than their accepted truth.

Orthodox people must follow their chosen path which makes them happy and gives them satisfaction. Without instance urge to acquire Self-knowledge it is impossible to tread the path of wisdom.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the ‘Self’ in truth.

The path of wisdom attracts only those who are in search of truth and they appreciate it greatly. The ignorant are not spiritually matured the receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The ignorant indulge in argument and provocation and personal attack, which hinder their own realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman.

That is why Jesus said: - Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ He meant the knowledge of Spirit or Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Bhagavad Gita says: ~ “Don't unsettle the minds of ignorant by revealing the esoteric truth."

Remember:~

Katha Upanishad says: ~ This Atman is attained by him alone whom It chooses. (II -23-P-20)

Thus, those who have taken the path of wisdom are chosen ones. The chosen one will get the grace of the Soul the inner Guru. The path of wisdom is the Soulcentric path, whereas all other paths are egocentric. All egocentric paths are leads to hallucination.

The Soul, the Self reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready.

Sages of truth restrained themselves parting the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana to the mass and only a selected few. It was hidden from the mass who were not qualified and receptive to it.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana was not written down but was imparted orally to the chosen few. Thus, religion was given to the mass and knowledge of the spirit is given only a selected few. Thus, we find traces of the knowledge of the spirit in the religious books in the form of parables. : ~Santthosh Kumaar