Sage Sankara: - “The world appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.+

Upanishads:~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

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).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion and tradition will keep one locked in the ignorance

Sage Sankara: - “The world, filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream: it appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.

Sage Sankara:~ “As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation; for Liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge." (Self-Knowledge)

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (8) - Fools, dwelling in darkness, but wise in their own conceit and puffed up with vain scholarship, wander about, being afflicted by many ills, like blind men led by the blind.

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.

Most of the intellectuals indulge in provocation and unnecessary arguments holding their egocentric knowledge as a yardstick. Such an attitude leads to perversity.

The ultimate truth or Brahman is not some custom made stuff to please different mindset. The serious seeker will never indulge in asking perverted questions.

The seeker must have enough patience, humility, and intense urge to realize the truth. Arguments and provocation will not yield truth.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what ‘leads to the realization of Nondualistic or Advaitic truth.

As the seeker's understanding of ‘what is what ‘grows, gradually the seeker gets a glimpse of truth. Whatever is based on the waking entity is falsehood and whatever is based on the formless Soul, the innermost Self is real and eternal.

Thus it is necessary for the seeker of truth to make sure the waking entity (ego) is not the Self but the Self is formless Soul in order to acquire Self-knowledge.

Remember:~

The universe 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 consciousness itself.

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

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the universe, which confronts us, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Gnani viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, experiences the birth, life, death, and the universe  as a reality, whereas a Gnani sees everything as consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or consciousness . Thus, all the egocentric knowledge has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

The universe in which we exist is nothing but an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness

The whole universe is nothing but the Soul. Therefore, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness

It is not as if something that was not consciousness suddenly becomes consciousness. Rather, "knowing the truth” means removal of ignorance about one's own existence as consciousness. Thus, to "know the truth” is to "be consciousness."

Consciousness is ever-present. Without consciousness, the universe, in which you exist ceases to exist.    

Consciousness is Self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny consciousness, because it is the very essence of the one who denies it.  Consciousness is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions, and proofs.  Consciousness is everything. Thus, consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar