Sri Sankara clearly indicated that: - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Brahma Gnana

Sri Sankara clearly indicated that: - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Brahma Gnana.  But by the realization of one's identity with formless soul or  consciousness,the innermost self,  freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality is possible, and by no other means.  Thus path of wisdom is the only means for Moksha  or Nirvana.

 

Sri, Sankara says in (V C) indicated that:-

 

56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realisation of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means. 

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

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?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utter the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

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.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendour of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

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.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

experience of the  birth,life,death  and the world are within the waking experience. 

 Sri ,Sankara says:- Brahman alone is real, the world is unreal. 

The world appears as waking therefore the one has to realizes the fact that, experience of   the the birth,life and death takes place in the unreal world is bound to be falsehood.  thus the  world which is present as waking experience  is falsehood.   the formless substance and witness of the three states ,which consciousness (Atman) is real and eternal. The formless substance and witness of the three states are one in essence. that essence is consciousness.  Thus no second thing exist other than consciousness. Hence it is non-dual.  consciousness , the innermost self  or Atman alone is  ultimate truth or Brahman. 

    Seeker of truth has to get rid of his doubts through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on his own, to realize the fact that, the innermost self is not the form but self is formless. Thus his analysis and reasoning has to be based on the formless not on the form.

  By simply go on believing and accepting whatever said by the punditry will not lead one towards path of wisdom. All the doubt has to be got rid of "by the sword of Self - Knowledge."  The scriptures, yoga are not necessary if one follows the inner [formless] path.  Religion and yoga are not the means to path of wisdom.  

 That is why BUDDHA SAID: - Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.