Anything seen, observed, cannot be the Self or the Witness.+

The illusory universe does not disappear when Advaitic wisdom dawns, it is there, and yet they are non-dual. 

Manduka Upanishad:~The objects do not disappear, they are there, and yet they are non-dual. Disillusionment is not the same as appearance. Page 74. v. 17 

It is erroneous to believe the general impression is that the universe disappears to a Gnani, that he sees nothingness. 

Only deluded persons will have such an impression.  Nothing is destroyed. Only ignorance disappears and the unreal nature of the universe is exposed. The same way as the unreal nature of the dream is exposed when waking takes place.

The universe which appears as the waking experience is a dualistic illusion. A Gnani has the full and firm conviction that the world in which he exists is nothing but consciousness in the midst of dualistic illusion. 

The Soul, the Self, being aware of its true nature in the midst of dualistic illusion is called Self-awareness.

The universe or the waking experience will not disappear. It is there always, but the unreal nature of the waking experience is exposed in the midst of dualistic illusion through Advaitic wisdom.

If one thinks its mere disappearance in the Yogic Samadhi is the ultimate truth or Brahman, then he would get it in deep sleep.  Yogic Samadhi is not the Atmic awareness. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara as a rationalist philosopher, in contrast to the more traditional image of him as a theologian>+

Sage Sankara as a rationalist philosopher, in contrast to the more traditional image of him as a theologian: (Sage  Sankara’s system of Advaita) is not even a philosopher dish cooked to suit exclusively the palate of the Hindu. 

It is like the air and the water, the common food of all men in all countries. It is ... an attempt ... at constructing a "Science of Truth," nay, in fact, it is the only attempt yet made at such a science. 

If rightly interpreted Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom  as food for all humanity, the universal teaching par excellence; it is not just a religion, but the religion; not a philosophy, but the philosophy; not a science, but the Science of Truth; not a soteriology, but the path to spiritual liberation par excellence, wide and deep as the ocean which contains virtually all the water of the world and in which all particular forms ultimately dissolve.-Santthosh Kumaar 

You, your experience of the birth, life, and death part and parcel of the illusory universe or Maya.+

You, your experience of the birth, life, and death part and parcel of the illusory universe or Maya. The Self is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The Soul or consciousness is the cause of the illusory universe or Maya.

When the universe along with you is created out of consciousness then consciousness, which is the cause of the universe alone is real and eternal.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~” The universe rises from the ‘Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is Self-realization because the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When the Soul remains in its own nondual awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion (the world in which you exist) is Self-awareness.

Remember:~

Sage Sankara said: ~A.A~ 88. When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman (consciousness), and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?

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.

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’- without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality? 

Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space. By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Sage Sankara: ~VC~ if the universe is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams.

That is why Sage Sankara's declaration: ~ “Brahman is the truth the world is unreal everything is truly Brahman and nothing else has any value.

Sage Sankara says: ~ ‘What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra)

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Those who tell you that Brahman is unity, that you can get it only by intuition, that you should not reason, you should not question or inquire, are deluding you. Verification must come by thought. :: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Self is not you but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

You, your experience of the birth, life, and death part and parcel of the illusory universe or Maya. The Self is not you but the Self is the  Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Soul or consciousness is the cause of the illusory universe or Maya.

When the universe along with you is created out of consciousness then consciousness, which is the cause of the universe alone is real and eternal.

Ashtavakra Gita: ~ 'The universe rises from the ‘Self’ like bubbles from the sea. Thus, know the Self to be One and in this way enter into the state of dissolution."

Realizing the world in which you exist is nothing but the Soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness is Self-realization because the Self is not you but the ‘Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

When the Soul remains in its own nondual awareness in the midst of the dualistic illusion (the world in which you exist) is Atmic-awareness.

Remember:~

Sage Sankara said: ~A.A~ 88. When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman (consciousness), and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?

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.

What is the use of saying ‘I AM THAT’- without knowing what the ‘Self’ is in actuality.

Without knowing the truth of the Self, without realizing the truth of the world in which you exist it is impossible to realize the truth, which is hidden by ignorance

By a mere utterance of the word ‘I AM THAT', the truth will not be revealed.

Sage Sankara: ~VC~ if the universe is true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and false like dreams.

Sage Sankara: ~ “Brahman is the truth the world is unreal everything is truly Brahman and nothing else has any value.

Sage Sankara says: ~ ‘What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead to the final Goal. (Commentary on Vedanta Sutra)

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Those who tell you that Brahman is unity, that you can get it only by intuition, that you should not reason, you should not question or inquire, are deluding you. Verification must come by thought. :: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The past present and future belongs to the form, time and space.+

Religion belongs to the world of emotions. That is why everyone likes it. You will always find it in primitive times, as now, linked with music, dancing, and art--both emotional expressions.

Religion changes as it appeals to different emotions. You will find at one pole the nude monk is admired; at the other, the gorgeously-dressed Guru is revered.  

In matters of religion, Gnanis has no quarrel with anyone because religion is different from spirituality or Adyatma.

The craving for religion, the fear that not following its rites and dogmas will bring punishment, and the inability to give up the notion of its truth even when your reason demonstrates its fallacies and absurdities are merely forms of mild obsessions, i.e. a thought constantly repeating itself automatically; hence it is a mental disease.

Unless you give up the ideas of heaven and hell, Advaitic wisdom is impossible. The ultimate truth must be proved here and now, in this very life. If that cannot be done, then it cannot consider any such idea, as the existence of heaven and hell as untrue.

Religious people hold their inherited beliefs and any images they like in that realm. For in religion, the question of truth does not arise, only the question of what appears to one. :~Santthosh Kumaar

By visiting the Ashram or staying in a monastery, ignorance will not vanish.+

By visiting the Ashram or staying in a monastery, ignorance will not vanish. By glorifying the Guru or surrendering to the Guru you will not get Advaitic Gnana. 

All religious and yogic paths are meant for the ignorant crowd, not for those who are searching for the truth of their true existence. 

People think,  by blind devotion and unquestioning obedience to the Guru and by surrendering to the Guru they get enlightenment. They lose the independent thinking power, time, effort, and hard-earned savings in the hope of realizing God.   

People are emotionally vulnerable and “brainwashed and psychologically seduced,” by the myth propagated by religion and yoga.  

The seeker of truth must be “too smart” to ever fall into the trap of religious propagated myth.

The so-called enlightened Gurus who promise instant enlightenment for money are not Gnanis. 

The seeker of truth has to be very careful if he is seeking truth nothing but the truth. 

Everyone pursuing or thinking of pursuing the path of wisdom need not fall into the trap of a physical Guru. 

Devotion to a physical Guru is the devotional path not the path of wisdom. Religious people follow the path of Bhakti and the yogic path. 

The path of wisdom is only for those who are serious in their quest for truth. Without an intense urge, it is difficult to tread the path of wisdom.

So many scandals of the fake Gurus have been exposed in recent times. The darker side of modern Gurudom of fake Gurus and yogis so embarrassing~ sometimes vicious or criminal~ reports which they prefer to hide.

 If one is seeking the truth, nothing but the truth, then he has to keep in mind, that the truth cannot be bought in the spiritual supermarket.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities.+

The seeker has to focus his attention on the Self or Atman, which is in the form of consciousness.    

Glorifying gurus’ form is erroneous because the body and the universe are a myth from the ultimate standpoint. 

Thus, indulging glorifying and worshiping of myth becomes the greatest obstacle in the pursuit of truth.  

Thus, the seeker has to identify the soul, the Self as a guru and proceed in his spiritual endeavor.   

The inner grace of the inner guru (Self) will guide until ignorance disappears and one realizes the body and the universe are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.   

Religious or yogic gurus propagate that, once a seeker identifies a Guru, he must totally surrender to the Guru and then from there onwards, the spiritual journey is fully the Guru's responsibility, not his... Hence, the importance of choosing the right Guru is necessary, but in pursuit of truth, the guru is not necessary, because the truth is not theoretical.  Truth has to be ascertained by the seeker on his own through a well-directed inquiry, analysis, and reasoning based on the true self, which will lead the seeker to his destination.  

People who worship the Guru as God in human form and there is a danger that they might establish a regular religious sect in his name.  This is an unhappy development of the religious movement.  

All these Guru-based paths are not meant for those who are searching for the ultimate truth or Brahman nothing but Brahman. 

The path of Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana has nothing to do with physical Guru. 

Hindu religious literature is full of such aphorisms as ' there is no higher deity than the Guru; the Guru is the ultimate truth and deity. 

God and  Avatars (incarnations) are secondary to the Guru in importance; there is no higher refuge, no higher target, no higher destination than the Guru; the Guru is God Himself; God and the Guru are one; he who makes a distinction between the Guru and God is ignorant and stupid; and scores of similar others. They abound both in Sanskrit and in modern Indian languages.

People are born in different sects and they remain as their followers. Most of the sect is founded by some gurus, thus the Indian belief system is a Guru Cult, i.e. believes in the worship of the Guru as the Supreme Deity.

When a seeker cannot get full enlightenment from his inherited belief system, then only he searches elsewhere and tries to enlighten himself further to clear the cobwebs of his understanding and seeks guidance on his progress.

The path of religion, the path of yoga, and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. 

The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. 

It is meant for superior aspirants who have an inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.

Remember:~ 

Human worship is barred in Sanatana Dharma or Vedic religion. Ancient Sanatana Dharma or Vedic religion has nothing to do with Hinduism. 

Hinduism is a Group of castes founded by the different founders of the castes with non-Vedic beliefs, personal God, rituals practices scriptures, and codes of conduct.

If you are worshipping the human being as God you are worshiping ignorance as God. If you are seeking truth nothing but the truth you must restrain all such activities which block your realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

From the Vedic perspective: Those humans who get worshipped as God are nothing but frauds, because, Rig Veda: ~ 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)

Vedas bar human worship: ~

"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 why worship and glorify the Gurus and Yogis (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities and also warns people who indulge in such activities to 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.

No one has ever seen God by practicing religion or yoga or indulging in glorifying the religious God and Goddesses because 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 Gurus 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 Gurus one will not get Self-realization or God-realization.

The Soul, the inner Guru reveals ‘what is real’ and ‘what is unreal” when the seeker is receptive and ready. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar