Orthodox ideas have to be discarded if you want to acquire Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.+

The orthodox Advaitic path is the path of ignorance and it is meant for the ignorant crowd. Orthodoxy is the home of mysticism and deification which is why they are not keen on the rational truth. 

Orthodox ideas have to be discarded if you want to acquire  Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom. 

The orthodox Advaitic path is based on ignorance. The buried wisdom has to be discovered by the seeker himself. 

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.

Sage Sankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras is not on a philosophical basis, but on an orthodox and mystic basis, with an appeal to the Vedas as the final authority.

In Brahma Sutra Sage Sankara takes the position that there is another entity outside us, i.e. the wall really exists separately from the mind. This was because Sage  Sankara explains in Manduka that those who study the Sutras are orthodox minds, intellectual children, hence his popular viewpoint to assist them. These people are afraid to go deeper because it means being heroic enough to refuse to accept Shruti, and God's authority, in case they mean punishment by God. A Gnani says the scriptures are for children, but wise seekers will think rationally.

In Brahma Sutras Sage Sankara takes for granted, and assumes that a world was created: He there mixes dogmatic theology with philosophy.

That God created the world is an absolute lie, nevertheless one will find Sage Sankara (in his commentary on Vedanta Sutras) clearly says this! He has to adapt his teachings to his audience, reserving the highest for philosophical minds.

The text of Brahma Sutras is based on religion and dogmatism but in the commentary, Sage  Sankara cleverly introduced some philosophy. If it is objected that a number of Upanishads are equally dogmatic because they also begin by assuming Brahman, only a few Upanishads do not but prove Brahman at the end of a train of proof.

Scholars' translation of Brahma Sutras in Sacred Books of East must be read cautiously as he has not understood its highest sense, e.g. for Advaita, they wrongly put "Unity" instead of “Non-duality."

Sage Sankara gave religion scholasticism and yoga no less than philosophy, to the seeking world. He was great enough to be able to do so. His commentary on Manduka is pure philosophy, but many of his other books are presented from a religious standpoint to help those who cannot rise up to philosophy.

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.”

There is nothing more rational, more intelligible, and more undogmatic insights of Sage  Sankara is to drop all the theistic Advaita which is meant for those who are incapable and not receptive to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Sage  Goudpada says: - the merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

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

Thus, it proves that Sage Sankara meant, taking sanyasa and wearing the religious robes to earn bread. Sanyasa is not a qualification to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

Thus, all those who wear the religious robes are not seeking the truth. The Sanyasa is a religious fable. The sanyasa has nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman. Those who are seeking the truth should never search for the Guru because the Guru belongs to the religious and the yogic path. 

Sage Sankara clearly indicates ~ VC~ (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539). 

A Gnani wears no signs which means he does not identify himself as a Guru or teacher or swami or yogi. 

Sage Sankara: ~ On Gnani: "The knower of Brahman wears no signs. Gives up the insignia of a monk's life…his signs are not manifest, nor his behavior." (page 482) 

When the knower of Brahman (Gnani) wears no signs, it means he does not identify himself as a Guru or a Yogi or a teacher or a Swami. 

No need to become a monk or sanyasi to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar